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What to expect: Living in Halls of Residence

, What to expect: Living in Halls of Residence, CARDIFF MET BLOG
, What to expect: Living in Halls of Residence, CARDIFF MET BLOG

I lived in Plas Gwyn halls for my first year of uni. I was really nervous about living away from home but I soon found out I wasn’t the only one to feel that way.

The wardens, security and reception staff are there to help you and talk to you if you are having problem, which I found reassuring. I remember sitting with the halls manager on the first day saying how nervous I was and she said “you find that you are crying now because you don’t want to leave home, but by the end of the year you are crying because you don’t want to leave here”, which is 100% true and is something that I always remembered whilst living there!

Although I found it hard to start with, for me living in halls is a vital part of the uni experience and I would recommend it to anyone. You meet so many people who become your best friends, and the social life in halls is something not to be missed. My flatmates from halls are now my housemates in my second year and I feel I have made friends for life with them!

To help you have a great year in student halls here is my top 5 survival tips:

  1. Make sure you get involved in Fresher’s week. Go and meet as many people as you can. For me I didn’t get involved with the partying side of fresher’s, which I regret but I went to a comedy night and a hypnotists night – so there are events you go to which don’t involve getting drunk. But this week is the opportunity to meet as many people as you can and everyone is having parties in their flats so if you hear music go knock on their door – I’m sure they will let you in if you come ready to party!
  2. Buy some earplugs! Although you may party hard and come back at 4 am singing Christmas songs in September; it can be annoying when you are trying to sleep and someone else is doing it. Halls inevitably will be noisy but it is easy to sleep if you have earplugs.
  3. Make use of the film and pool room at Plas Gwyn (if you are there). In my year no one really used it so my friends and I were in there a lot. There are beanbags and a large TV so just plug in your laptop and watch away. There is also a microwave for popcorn!
  4. Always have your coat and shoes to hand as there will be fire alarms during the night! I can guarantee that with all the drunken students trying to cook at 4am! You don’t want to be the one stood outside in the rain with no shoes or coat in your pj’s …
  5. Always try to be tidy! There is always that one flatmate who leaves their dirty plates out for a week and trust me it annoys everyone. So do your washing up and hoover now and again! 🙂

You can find out more about living in halls, here