As most Nottingham students know, the time you spend in halls is often some of the craziest, most fun filled period of your university career. Whether you live in Cripps or the infamous Rutland (yes even Rutland!) everyone feels a fierce loyalty towards their hallowed halls of residence and no one is afraid to show it.
However, there comes a time for most of us where that time comes to an end. You watch your beloved hall recede into the distance along with your status as a Fresher as you head towards Lenton and your new supposedly responsible life. Depressing as this prospect sounds however do not fear! There are many pros to second year life in a house versus that of halls (as well as cons) and here are I few that I have discovered.
CON: THE CLEANING
Remember just leaving your plate on the trolley in halls? And the kind cleaners that hoovered your rooms? Yeah that’s a thing of the past now. Living with four other people all cooking their own meals results in an intimidating mountain of pots, pans and plates that appears to grow of its own accord. Any attempt to tackle this Everest of dirty dishes is then foiled an hour later when somehow it has regrown twice as powerful and you fall to your knees in despair. Enjoy the service while it lasts Freshers.
CON: THE COLD
For those living in Lenton winter is coming… and boy do we know it. With an unspoken rule that the heating does not go on until November, this change from living in constantly heated halls is truly painful. The fact that having on at least three layers in the house is considered normal is sad, but we are stingy students so frostbite is on par for the course really.
CON: THE DISTANCE
Ahh the days of rolling out of bed 10 minutes before a lecture and still making it on time. Being ripped cruelly from sleep at 7:30am to make it to your 9:00am is as horrific as it sounds – and that’s just the beginning. Getting into campus either involves the Derby Road dash or pouring your life savings into the 34 bus one pound at a time – people living in Cripps don’t know how good they have it.
PRO: THE FOOD
As someone who didn’t brave self-catered life first year this pro was an unexpected bonus. The oven being an unknown monster and the hob it’s equally elusive friend, I had psyched myself up for the challenge of feeding myself being a Herculean task. However, what I forgot was that I had experienced a year of hall food. As it turns out compared to the mass of fried potato I had eaten for a year in halls, the food I can make for myself (with the help of a cookbook and a kind housemate or two) is far FAR better. Goodbye questionable curry and unreasonably early dinner times! Life is good.
PRO: FOMO NO FOMO
As a student the general expectation is that we should go out every night, to every club event and drink until the vomit dribbles out of our nose. Because that’s what young cool people do right? Well whether that’s true or not, that is how it can sometimes feel in halls. And it might be uncool or lame but you know what? Sometimes I just want to give the big O a miss and to stay in my pyjamas with my catch up TV – and that’s okay! FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is real, but in a house there is less pressure to go to The-Girl-You-Spoke-To-Once-In-Freshers-Week’s ‘huge’ birthday bash and that’s relaxing.
PRO: THE PEOPLE
In my personal experience this is far the best advantage to house living, though others may not agree. While the social element of halls is amazing and I miss living so close to some of the people there, living in a house with four close friends is just as good if not better! You can wave goodbye to that crazy neighbour with the blaring music and the uncomfortable dinners making awkward eye contact with last night’s conquest across the table. Home life with your best pals not judging your odd habits and making drunk fried eggs at 3 in the morning after a night out truly cannot be beaten.
Edited by Mackenzie Orrock
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