A conundrum many university students of all ages and backgrounds face whether to live in shared accommodation, university halls or a private accommodation like studio apartments rooms. How can you figure out which one is best for you?
Whilst there are many pros and cons to all options, some will just be down to you as an individual person, the course you are taking and potentially even your long-term plans.
We have gathered up the pros and cons of why a studio apartment is great in your first year, or whether you should leave private living until after experiencing the halls.
Pros of living in a studio apartment
- You can sleep and study whenever you please – great for if you plan to work at the same time!
If you’re working a job or placement at the same time as studying, you may find that your study and sleep schedule will differ from those who you are sharing accommodation with. When you’re trying to sleep after a night shift but your flat mates are all awake and making a lot of noise, it can be frustrating.
In your own studio apartment, you have no distractions meaning you can get on with whatever work you need to do – whether that is 10pm on a Saturday night or early on a Sunday morning. Equally you can take a nap whenever you need without having to plan it around when your house mates will be around.
- Nights out and drinking aren’t your thing
Regardless of the stereotypes, a large chunk of students won’t enjoy nights out or clubbing, or equally some may prefer keeping them activities for Saturday nights only and avoid weekday ‘student nights’. If you’re someone who likes to watch a movie on a Saturday night with a take away and glass of wine then studio apartments may be better suited for you.
You can take that time to relax for yourself away from the noise of partying students.
- Tend to be very modern
The great thing about renting privately is that the accommodation tends to be all round very modern. The broadband will be much faster (BIG necessity for students), the décor will be looking new and neat, and the utilities would have been checked.
These can be a great advantage to those who like to put a lot of effort into how their place looks.
- Older or international students who want to do their own thing away from campus
It’s fair to say that a large chunk of the university experience is the social side of it, moving away from home for the first time and making a whole new bunch of friends whilst you’re in your early twenties.
However, it is also common for older people and those overseas to have a shot at university but purely for the educational side. Studio apartments are perfect for those that need to move closer to a university but don’t necessarily want to be in the thick of all the student events and societies.
- Cook whatever you like, whenever you like
If you fancy a curry at midnight, then have a curry at midnight! Living in your own studio apartment means your kitchen will be exactly how you left it and there is no one to accidently wake up when you’re clambering around the kitchen – or even someone else using it when you want to use it.
Cons of living in a studio apartment
- Won’t be in all the student action
A reason many students don’t want to live isolated is because they will be away from all the student action which for a lot of people, makes the university experience whole.
If you want to make memories the proper student way with the shared house, late nights and amazing memories, then maybe looking at studio apartments would be much more beneficial to consider as a 2nd or 3rd year option rather than a 1st year when you get a place in the halls.
- Harder to make friends.
This one will depend on the kind of person you are. If you have happy to get out there and put in the effort to create new friends and memories then living away from the halls should be no problem at all. Lots of studio apartments will be surrounded by other studio apartments with people in the exact same boat.
There are also loads of societies to join and make friends at with the same interests. We found some real wacky ones last year - take a look at them here.
However, you can create some amazing memories and lifelong friends by taking the risk and being thrown in the deep end of living with other students you haven’t met before. How you plan to socialise is definitely a deciding factor between studio living and moving into university halls.
- All the cleaning and bills are up to you to sort out
In halls, you get the luxury of your bills being included and sometimes even a cleaner to come and clean the kitchen, which is a great advantage! When living privately, you’ll need to take on a bit of admin in terms of juggling bills and making sure you keep your own space tidy.
However, studio apartments are small meaning that cleaning is a breeze. Providing you live a relatively minimalistic lifestyle, it shouldn’t take long to blitz the entire place.
There is no need to argue anymore over who’s hair was clogging up the shower drain!
Think that you’re ready for private property?
Is Bristol your chosen city? If you’re going to be attending one of the universities in Bristol this year, take a look at the properties we have waiting to be filled. Ranging from single studio apartments, to 6 bed houses ready to be shared, we’ve got something to suit your needs.
Alternatively, give us a call on 0117 930 8750 to discuss your options with us and we’ll be more than happy to help you.
