Student tips for when you move into uni accommodation

For many students, university accommodation is a first taste of living independently. University of Brighton guarantees all eligible first year students a place in halls of residence, but whether you live in halls or rent privately in a shared house, living at university is an opportunity to make lifelong friends and have a lot of fun. Here 10 of our students share their experiences and give tips on how to choose the best university accommodation for you.

University halls of residence

Living at the new accommodation at Moulsecoomb was definitely one of the best choices I made at uni. I was able to meet people from other courses and backgrounds and get used to living alone away from home. There are residential advisers at the accommodation to provide various support and help with any worries or concerns.
Dana is studying a pharmacy degree.

Living in halls was a great experience. I met friends that quickly became family and we had so much fun living together! I met people that I wanted to live with for the rest of my time in Brighton. Living in halls was great for me as I was completely new to the city and it enabled me to make friends outside of my course – there’s always someone to hang out with too!
Lauren is studying a law degree.

Spending your first year in halls is the best thing to do in my opinion; I was so nervous about living with people I had never met before, but after a few awkward introductions and getting to know each other, we quickly all became friends and had the best time together. In fact we’re now in two house shares on the same street!
Kacey is studying an economics degree.

My experience in university halls was very social. My flatmates and I had lots of movie nights and got on very well. The halls were modern, comfortable, and provided a great place to live! It’s amazing how quickly you will make friends and get to know more people!
Joseph is studying a business management degree.

Looking back, I’m very satisfied with my choice to live in student accommodation for my first year. I found it to be an amazing way to meet new people from a variety of courses, and I have met some of my best friends from doing so. It made moving away from home more comforting, moving in with many people in the same position from a variety of different backgrounds and life experiences. Residential advisors were keen to solve any issues that cropped up across the year, and overall, I felt a great sense of community while living in halls.
Rose is studying a globalisation degree.

During my undergraduate degree I have lived in both halls of residence and a house share. Halls was a great way to start first year as it allows you to mix with lots of different kinds of people from different courses. Moving to university can be a daunting experience but the residential advisors are always happy to help and there is 24/7 help at reception in the halls of residence.
Amy is studying a sport and exercise science degree.

Private accommodation rents at university

I have always lived in house shares. There is always advice from staff and students to help you on your way, which I highly recommend to use. One of my best friends also lives in an amazing house share, with five other people who are just as cool and quirky as she is, and I’m now good friends with all of her housemates too – house shares are a great way of making friends.
Seniz is studying an ecology and conservation degree.

I found my house shares some of the most enjoyable parts of my Brighton life. I went into first year not particularly confident, but after meeting five strangers I’d met on a house share page on Facebook and moving in with them, I lost all worries about how tricky it would be to find people I get on with. The domestics of friendship are beautiful, and by third year I was living with five of my best friends, making dinner together, spending hours in cafes on our dissertations and sitting at the end of each others’ beds and laughing for whole evenings.
Ellie is studying a media studies degree.

I decided to rent privately in my second and third year of university, living in the heart of the city with like-minded friends. Sharing a home with similar people is a great opportunity to grow together, support one-another and learn what it means to be independent.
Kristian is studying a music business and media degree.

One of the things that surprised me the most about uni life is living in a house share, I was nervous about it at first but I absolutely love it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! One of my housemates is an international student from Turkey. Ee’ve become really close friends, I’ve learned so much about Turkish culture and she’s always bringing home tasty food for us to try. We’re planning on visiting her hometown in the summer and I can’t wait! It’s so fun to live in a house where everyone is friends; we hang out in the front room and talk and laugh and watch TV together, cook together, share the good times and commiserate on bad times. It’s really elevated my uni experience to have people to share my house with.
Eva is studying a pharmacy degree.