Current student, Isobel Llewellyn Jones, shares what she liked about living on campus in her first year.
Going into University life as a student can be daunting, and one of the first things you have to decide before you even get there is where you’re going to live. By far one of the best and quickest decisions I made before my first year was choosing to live on campus. Read on to find out why!
Firstly, living on campus is incredibly convenient. I found that, personally, studying a humanities subject where most of my lectures are on the Streatham campus made it far easier to get to lectures and seminars. East Park is near the centre of everything, and being close to the Forum and Sports Park has made it easy to get involved in societies and intramural, which was really great during Freshers’ Week when I didn’t know anyone! I also spent a lot of time and money on transport getting back from rainy night outs, so living on campus saved me time and stress, allowing me to focus more on my studies and getting to know other first years.
Another huge benefit of living on campus is the sense of community. Not to brag, but I’ve made so many friends since moving on campus, which was something I was really worried about moving from my hometown. I definitely feel like I’m part of a close-knit community. Living in East Park, there is always a flat gathering somewhere, and it’s so easy to meet people and get involved. Plus, living on-campus means I also had the opportunity to meet people from other accommodations and get to know people from all over the world, which was really exciting!
Additionally, living in on-campus University accommodation means everything is included in your housing fees and your bills are fixed, which was a big relief for me as a student living through the cost-of-living crisis. It’s also easier to take advantage of the resources and support services the university has to offer. Knowing that there’s 24/7 security and staff available to help with any issues gave me a lot of peace of mind.
Before I wrap it up, I wanted to add a little more about my personal experience. Being away from home was really difficult for me, and I was worried about moving in and missing my family, with Exeter being so far away. I really think that the communal setting in East Park not only eased that worry, but taught me how to be more independent, responsible, and better manage my home sickness. It’s helped me make friends for life, meet housemates for next year and overall, just be a more confident and positive person. I couldn’t recommend living on campus enough. It’s been such a positive experience for me, and I believe it could be for you too!