What Matters Most To Students When Choosing Their Accommodation?
It’s a big deal to move away from home and live on your own at college. It’s a big change, and as scary as it is, it’s also exciting and fun. One of the most important decisions you’ll have to make before you start your course is where to live. So how do you decide where you should live and what accommodation is best for you? Read on to find out.
Cost
How much can you spend? Have you double-checked how much rent is in the area around the college you want to go to? If you want to move in with a group of friends, check out what private accommodation in your area is like right now. You might find a great deal on a flat with other people.
Once you’ve found the place you want to move to, make sure you can afford both the rent and your other monthly expenses. Consider how much money you will be receiving (from your student loan, or from a part-time job, etc.) and what you will be paying (you may be able to lower your student loan payments), and whether there will be enough left over after paying rent. Budgeting is an important part of being a student, so be as honest as you can about all of your spending from the start.
Location
One important thing to remember is that student housing isn’t always on or near the main campus of the university. You can get the best of both worlds by choosing a place to live that is close to both your university and local services. This will cut down on your travel costs and save you money on your weekly shopping, too.
Finding a place to live that’s close enough to walk or take public transportation to your university is one thing, but that’s not all you should think about. What about the train station, the grocery stores, and the other places you’ll visit often? Make sure wherever you choose is in the right location for you, whatever that might be.
Security
Most of the time, university-provided housing is on campus and is closely watched by security guards and CCTV. Private student housing is just as safe, and there are often people there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help students.
Before you choose which student housing to book, it’s important to go to the site and look around. How safe is the entrance? Do you have a key fob or a keycode? Are there people working there all day? How easy would it be for you to tell staff if you had any safety concerns? Think about all of these things as you look around, and don’t forget to ask the student-support team any questions that come to mind while you’re on your tour. If you forget something, be sure to do something about it and follow up to get the answers you need.
Comfort
Comfort means something different to each person. Some people have to have an extra-large bed. For some, a power shower is the most important thing. No matter what comfort means to you, it’s important to find a student housing provider who cares about comfort as much as you do.
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