It is officially summer vacation as almost all students have finished exams and almost all academics are on leave. In this two-month respite before the academic term begins, students finally have time to focus on other aspects of their life! For instance, while my July will be spent preparing a first draft of my dissertation so I can get my supervisor to read it before she goes on holiday, I must spend August packing and moving. Yes, that is correct, it is also the time of the year when 52-week student accommodation lets are nearly over. While some people may be continuing to live in halls next year, since I am a one-year master’s student, this is my last hurrah with student accommodation for a while. I am moving from Aldgate East to Elephant and Castle and while I am excited about exploring a new part of London, I am already beginning to feel nostalgic about my student life here.
Elephant and Castle is a great area, and I am renting a flat with my best friend, so I am not too worried about the move. However, there are about four other student accommodations within five minutes from my place so the area I live in right now is very much catered towards students. As I gear up to say goodbye to my student life, my top tip for anyone starting now is to make the best of the freebies! It is a universal understanding that students are broke so feed into this idea and ask for student discounts anywhere and everywhere you go. Also, regularly check your accommodation reception because anybody with student deals is likely to send a flyer over to student accommodation. In fact, I am still using the sample L’Oréal conditioners I picked up from my reception! Student accommodations are also where most welcome parties are advertised so if you are new to town and no idea where to find a party, look out for posters in your accommodation. These range from freshers events, postgrad events, and just straight up student club nights with the cheapest drinks you can find in London.
Student halls are also compactly sized depending on your preference of room. However, be it an en suite or a studio, living in student accommodation means learning how to make a run-of-the-mill place your own. If my house hunt has taught me anything, it is that a student room is preparing you for the type of rooms you might have to live in if you decide to rent after. If you can keep your student room clean, you can make any place look clean! I have also realised that sharing a kitchen or a bathroom with other people is the best way to learn time management. If you can manage to survive a year without any flat mate drama, you are ready to move out of student accommodation and have adult neighbours. There were times when I could not wait to move out of my tiny cupboard-like room but now that the time is coming nearer, I am learning to appreciate it more. It could also be all the memories flooding back because now that I look back at my year, this tiny room has managed to give me a giant trunk full of memories.
