University Halls

Sarah-Ellen_2

I recently signed a contract to live at university halls. However I have become very homesick and have decided as I live about an hour away by train that travelling will be the best option for me. However, the university have said that I need to find someone to take my place or else I will have to keep paying the rent for the entire year. The only way to terminate my contract is to leave the university. I really really need some help and advice.

Thank you.

N79

Your option is to pay the rent for the year (whether you live there or not) or find someone to take over the room, if that is what the contract states.

Have you advertised around the university etc?

moneybunny123

I would imagine that nearly all students feel home sick at first. It's a big change in your life and there is lots to get used to. My advice would be to move in, but advertise your accommodation in the local press, and stick flyers up in local students bars and hang outs. Someone sooner or later is bound to show interest, but by the time they do you might find you enjoy living away from home and the whole student life, and that finding someone else to have the accommodation is no longer an issue.

Good luck x

poppysarah

I bet if you leave uni you still have the debt.

Put an advert up. You're more likely to find someone if you actually look.

Try student accomodation office. Halls themselves (ask people if they know anyone who wants to move in)

kazwookie

Asked at the student union?
Is there a notice board and you can put a card on that?
Is there some form of internet uni news letter? if so can you add something to that?
See the housing manager and asked if anyone is on a waiting list of some sort, and contact them.

pimento

There's usually a waiting list of student who want to live in halls.

Idiophreak

I don't know about the legalities of this, but I'd strongly suggest you try and stick it out in halls.

Being away from home, making it on your own etc is a key part of the university experience. The homesickness will pass and you'll be glad of your own space soon enough.

whitewing

I agree with sticking it out in halls. It is still very early days; I'd expect to still be homesick through Nov. Dec isn't so bad with the prospect of Christmas.

If I were you (and I was you once!), I would do the following: sleep-wise:

Sun - sleep home/travel in Mon
Mon - sleep in hall
Tues - sleep at home
Wed - sleep at home (with a view to be sleeping in hall by Xmas)
Thurs - sleep in hall
Fri - sleep in hall
Sat - sleep in hall

You need some boredom/homesick time in hall to force you to try out some new stuff. You also need to be around a bit at weekends if you want to make friends.

Don't worry if the people aren't to your taste right now - it takes the first term to work out who you want to hang around with.

From a personal development point of view a year in hall won't kill you and will actually do you the world of good. Are there any friends who can come to hall and stay with you for a weekend? You just need some stuff to look forward to. Also maybe get your family up on a Saturday and spend a day with them in town but still sleep in the hall on Sat night.

What happens if you meet someone special? You may be glad of some privacy, lol.

paddyrg

+1 for giving halls more of a go - it's where you will end up meeting a lot of your future uni friends.

If you do decide to move out, you will find a lot of people who have moved into shared houses in their second years who want to move back to halls once the reality of washing up and bills hits home - get postcards up and talk to the uni accom office before Christmas as the break before the new term is when a lot of that will get sorted

lkmc01

I say move back to your parents as it will be cheaper in the long run anyway. Advertise the room out asap.....

• online at Uni
• online at facebook, and get in with as many uni groups as posible
• word of mouth
• posters in all usual student hanging around spots - outside lecture rooms, in bars, in student union - say

WANT CHEAPER ACCOMMODATION?
WANT TO LIVE CLOSE TO YOUR STUDIES AND NIGHTLIFE?

I want to give up my room in ....(hall)...... as I have decided to live at my parents an hour away instead
It comes with .............(gas, electirc, meals)...........
It will be £.... a month from .....(date)....... to .....(date).....

Accommodation services will allow me to do this

Interested?
Ring me on ...............
email me on................
plud whatever else you want to add

Students are typically crying out to get in halls as its cheaper overall due to no / few extra bills.

Good luck

WolfSong2000

oh sweetie! I know how hard it can be living away from your parents for the first time. When I was at uni I met a girl in the same position. She was literally in tears she was so upset as she'd never lived away from her parents for more than a night or two. It was a big change for her, but I gave her my number, told her to call me whenever she was feeling upset, and regularly contacted her to make sure she was okay. I also helped motivate her to get into uni societies/events, etc. Within a few months she was a totally different person - really happy and self-assured and had lots of friends.

I was kind of an unofficial mentor, but a lot of uni's run official mentoring services, where new students are teamed up with older students to help them settle in, etc. It's a great idea and would definitely be worth exploring. As I said to this girl - give it a few months, try your best and if it still isn't working out, you'll still have the option to go home. After a few months she was loving everything uni had to offer. If I still had her contact details (my phone deleted all of my contacts ) I'd put you in touch, but just know that it is possible to overcome the homesickness, even if it doesn't feel like it at the time!

If you want to talk, feel free to send me a PM.

(((big hugs))) and congrats on getting into uni!