The student house is one of the defining, key elements of university life, acting as the social hub for the majority of uni shenanigans. Which is why it’s so important (and stressful) to find the perfect one to be your home away from home.
The first hurdle most of us stumble over is deciding who to live with. It’s not uncommon for arguments and some of the most awkward conversations you’ll ever be apart of to arise when you have to tell someone you don’t want to live with them. It can feel like a slap in the face for those being given the axe, but you should remember that if you don’t like living with someone you’re already living with, or generally not too keen on them, it’s better to be awkward now. This saves you from the usual resentment and friction that follows for a year when you can’t deal with their odd, gross or irritating habits. That being said, this isn’t always the case!
Next is the actual hunting, the hard bit. Before experiencing the pain that is student house hunting, I innocently and naively thought that our search would be somewhat similar to that of Location Location Location, minus Kirsty and Phil. I thought we’d maybe dislike a couple, think a few were moderately okay before finding that one gem that was perfect. This is definitely not the reality I was hoping for. Text and Facebook messages are now dominated with links of potential houses, constant calls to different estate agents and many failed house viewings into some of the dodgiest looking houses you’ll ever go in. House hunting can be tedious and frustrating. Trying to find a house that fits everyone’s ‘non-negotiables’ and standards can be a near impossible task, especially when there seems to be such a limited range of houses to actually view. And to make things worse, two friends that I’ll be living with have serious differences in terms of living location, with one voting city centre and the other voting outside it, closer to uni. For now, tension is low and I’m hoping it stays that way!
It’s not all bad though. Sometimes the worst viewings can generate some funny moments, plus, whenever we’ve been out viewing, we tend to take mini road trips too, visiting different local places we haven’t been to before and/or shopping which is always a winner. And there will (hopefully) be that time where you find the house you’re looking for and all are happy with! You may have tested some friendships finding it, but living in your new uni house will be ace!