As my second year is drawing to an end and I look back over my first year, I’m grateful for the friendships I’ve made and the positive environment I lived in. This could not have been possible without living in University accommodation because I have made best friends for life that, despite their inability to clean, are a joy to live with.
Having received my confirmation letter for my place at Chester after my A-levels, I looked at the accommodation options to see which would best suit me. There are three options to choose from: self-catered, semi-catered or full board. I decided to choose self-catered as I wanted to experiment with cooking for myself and have that independence (turns out beans on toast isn’t considered cooking).
When I received my offer, I was put on Parkgate Road Campus, in a long row of terraced housing that backed onto the University. The house was clean (until we moved in) and if we had any issues the Porters would be with us straight away. I wanted my own little house that was affordable and homely.
Moving in day seems like forever ago, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was apprehensive but excited, more about whether myself and the other five girls I would be living with would get along, rather than actually moving away from home. It’s a funny feeling moving away for the first time but I settled in really quickly. I think moving to a smaller city like Chester helped me settle in as quickly as I did.
I thought our accommodation was in the perfect position – close to campus so you can roll out of bed in time for your 9am lecture; close to the sports facilities so netball training was a 5-minute walk away, and Chester city centre was just a quick walk for everything you needed. One thing I am really grateful for is being able to walk everywhere, so there’s no need to pay for transport and I have money for the student essentials (food, nights out) and I’m doing my little bit for the environment too!
First year is filled with many happy memories for me, and I would definitely recommend living in University accommodation because you make so many great friends, and although it might take you out of your comfort zone, it is definitely worth it!
Alix is one of our online student ambassadors, so you can ask her any questions you may have, or chat to one of our other students: chester.ac.uk/ask
