Useful Tips for Finding Accommodation for Your Second Year at University

Useful Tips for Finding Accommodation for Your Second Year at University Useful Tips for Finding Accommodation for Your Second Year at University By Jess Howard When you finish your first year at university, it’s hard not to get excited about the opportunities ahead of you in your second year. By far the highlight, for many students, is the fact you’ll no longer be living in student halls and will instead be moving in with some of your best friends. No more senior residents, no more living on campus, and no more being forced to live with people who you just haven’t managed to gel with. Before moving in day though, there’s a lot to consider, not least who you’ll actually live with. Here are some tips to ensure your second year is as memorable as the first. Who will you live with? This is quite possibly the most important factor to consider, and for good reason. It might seem straightforward, but just because you’ve studied with someone for the past year or lived near them in halls doesn’t mean you’re necessarily going to manage living with them next year. Consider how you both get on outside of studying, working or socializing. Are you a neat freak while they’re more likely to leave the washing up until they’ve run out of plates? Do they have a partner you don’t get on with who’s likely to stay over most nights? These are seemingly little things, but they’re important when you’re living in such close quarters with someone. If you don’t think it’s going to work out, there’s no harm in voicing your concerns. Far better to save a friendship by living with someone else than end up hating each other because one of you takes too long in the shower. Where will you live? This one’s really important. Are you in lectures and seminars 9-5 Monday to Friday? Then you’re more likely to want to live close to campus and avoid a two-hour round trip commute every day. On the other hands, if you’re only in a couple of days a week and prefer to study in your local town library, then you’ll be less bothered by proximity to campus. It’s also important to consider the financial implications of commuting. It may seem like a great idea to move to a house slightly further away where the rent and bills are cheaper, but if it’s costing you more to travel to university each day, then you’re really not going to receive any financial benefits. How will you find a house? There are a couple of options available to you when looking for university accommodation, but your first port of call should be your university itself. Your university is likely to have an accommodation site or board where it lists the best places to look for houses, as well as people who are looking for roommates. This will be an invaluable resource and a great first port of call if you have no idea where to start. They’ll also be able to help you with administrative issues and answer any questions about rent, bills or your contract. It’s also worth looking on local websites which have been designed to advertise accommodation in your local area. This can be helpful if you’ve just moved to an area and don’t have a strict idea on who you want to live with and can also be helpful if you don’t mind who you live with. It will also be far easier to find somewhere to live alone this way but be mindful that you’re likely to have to pay administrative fees. Also, moving into a house with no other students could be a bit of a culture shock after an entire year of being immersed in university life 24 hours a day. Jess Howard writes for Inspiring Interns, which specializes in finding candidates their perfect  internship. To browse our  graduate jobs London listings, visit our website.