Why I say yes to another year in halls

The big internal debate

You may be in your first or second year and there’s an internal debate raging within you: whether to move into halls for another year or move into a house. I, for one, could not get enough of halls. I lived there in my first year, so I decided to apply to live there again for my current second year. The bonus was that I was able to get a job there as well as a residential assistant, which made it very easy to get to work. So, here are my top reasons why moving into halls for another year may be the best option for you.

There is always an event

There’s always something going on in halls. It may be a cookery class, a day trip to another city, a silent disco in the common room or just a movie night. Something is always going on. It’s a great way to meet friends and create some great memories of your time at university. Or perhaps you could just meet up with a group of friends and book the common room out exclusively for you. The choice really is yours.

It’s great living in halls with a pool table and a gaming console. It provides a place for you and friends to gather around to unwind. I’ve had some great nights in, just chilling in the common room or around a kitchen table in the flat over a round of drinks and having the most absurd, funny conversations that I possibly have ever had.

Bills are all inclusive

As a student, the last thing you want to be worrying about are bills. With a house, there may be a separate charge between rent charged by the landlord and the different bills that the residents would have to foot such as electricity, Wi-Fi and heating. The last thing you want to be stressing about is overhead bills at the end of the month when there’s an essay deadline looming over your head. Solution? University of Derby halls’ rent includes all of your bills, meaning that utilities are charged within your rent payment. Plus, the living areas get cleaned once a week, meaning one chore, that isn’t particularly fun to do, is kindly ticked off.

Many room options to choose from

When you go into your second or third year, you may want more privacy in terms of space and amenities. The University of Derby Halls have many different rooms to choose from. Perhaps opting for an en-suite room instead of a shared flat is the option for you. Not forgetting our adapted rooms, which cater for people with various health or mobility needs.

Security

Security is a major plus when living in halls. With a dedicated security team that patrols the sites at night, you can rest assured and have a good night’s sleep knowing that someone is looking out for you. Also, should any situation come up where you need some support, you can also be assured that halls staff such as on-duty residential assistants will also be on call, or the Hall Manager may come round if the situation demands that much attention.

Closer to the Unibus

As the second and third year roll around, you’ll become part of the library furniture as you press on with assignments and steam your way towards deadlines. Trust me, that’s my life right now. With that, getting to the library can be a daily ritual. The great thing about living in halls is that they are conveniently located near the Unibus bus stops. This is great if you’ve had a late night at the library and dread the trip back home wanting just to slide into bed. With some halls, the bus stop is right in front of the accommodation. It’s basically stepping out of the bus and into the halls courtyard.

The ‘good room’

Picture the scene, you’ve banded together with a group of friends. You’ve done the house viewing and you’ve signed the letting agreement and now the is tension so thick in the air that you can slice it with a knife. The question is asked: “Who gets what room?”

There’s always that one room that everyone wants, and people are possibly willing to fight to the death for it. Years of friendship are put to the test over a room with a couple of metres of extra space. You’ll be glad to know though that, in halls, everyone gets the good room. Depending on the boarding option you choose, the rooms within will be very similar. Friendship disaster averted.

Take a look around

In conclusion, whether you are a prospective student who is about to apply for their first year at uni, or a current @DerbyUni student who wants to either move into halls for another year or possibly move from a house to halls, there are many ways to have a look around and see which room choices or sites you may be interested in.

The University Open Days, which many prospective students attend, host scheduled halls tours that enable you to view them in person. This is a great way to see first hand the type of room you may be interested in, what the kitchen looks like and just have a general feel of the atmosphere that the space gives off. If you can’t make it to the Open Day you need not worry, there is a Virtual Tour on the University website where you can view 360 degree videos of each option. Happy room hunting.