Why I Hate Student Accommodation

Hi everyone

Sorry about the big gap between posts but I have been doing exams and study and everything is just getting away from me a little at the moment.

So given that I am in this horrible state of increased tension, I thought it appropriate to give you the reasons why I hate student accommodation. 

I have lived in SA for 2 years now and plan on being here for another year at least, possibly 18 months (when my degree ends). I can see the good points, really I can. Its great living so close to university, in the same community as your friends, meeting so many different people etc. 

The bad points:

- It is as noisy as all hell. I am particularly gripey about this as it is currently the exam period. During exams and the week preceding, the Village has a 'strict no noise' policy. This includes gatherings after 9.00pm, loud tv/music etc and all that jazz. Is the policy ever followed? Apparently not. It is currently 9.37pm and there is a 'gathering/party' outside my window that is so loud I may as well be there. Last night I actually called the night manager to get him to shut a whole bunch of Americans up. They were having a party and someone was watching Harry Potter so loud I could follow the story from my bed. I am on the 4th floor. The sound carries like you would not believe. I don't want to complain about them too often because I feel like a whinger. 

- It is hot. I realise this is more of an Australia-thing rather than a Village-thing but the Village has one key aspect lacking - air con. I have a ceiling fan, which does little to alleviate the stifling heat. And I like to cool my room down at night by sleeping with the blind and window open, but alas, this is impossible as it is so fucking loud (see point 1). There is literally no escape. 

- I do not have an oven. You would be surprised how much you miss ovens when you don't have them. I used to make great food in ovens. Now I'm restricted to microwave and stove cooking. It gets old. 

- Crap flatmates. I actually don't have any bad flatmates at the moment thank god. But I have had some shockers in the past. An Arab whose core belief system included the fact that women were substandard versions of men. Yeah that went down like a lead balloon with me, as I am a firm believer in the fact 'Anything you can do, I can do better'. Also an Australian who we think was a World of Warcraft addict. Not quite sure as we very rarely saw him but still. Crazy. And you can't get rid of these flatmates if they turn out to be shit, you are stuck with them for at least a semester, maybe a year. 

- Living with other people. This has some serious perks. Having a ready made friendship group is cool as well as having someone to walk to uni with etc. But to be honest, if you count boarding school, I have been living in shared accommodation for 5 years now. I just want my own place. Where, should I so desire, I could walk to the bathroom naked. 

- Lack of space. It is so frustrating having only a shelf of the refrigerator. And one cupboard. And having to fight for room in the freezer. I'm the kind of person that would prefer to freeze a whole bunch of meals and have them ready when I need them - I'm a lazy kind of person. Can't do that here.  

- Having electronics in the bedroom. This is more of a personal thing - I don't think you should have electronics in the bedroom. I certainly never use them in bed. Bed is for sleeping and sex. Nothing else. Bedrooms should be peaceful places where said sleeping and sex takes places. Not 400 hours of assignments and countless browsing hours. Very hard to switch off from an assignment when it is sitting on your desk less than a metre away from you. 

- Paying for laundry. $6 it costs me to wash and dry a minuscule load of laundry. I don't have a washing line I feel comfortable using, as it means leaving everything out for everyone to see and steal so a dryer it is. Usually I try and do my laundry at the boyfriends house, but thats a 20 minutes drive. 

- Its very light. See point 2. I like to sleep with the blind open so the air can get in, but that lets in floods of light from the security lights. I have a little eye mask, but it is still frustrating. I feel the best sleeping conditions are cool, dark and quiet - I get none of that. 

Anyway, student accommodation is great for a while, but I am OVER IT. I can fully understand why people only stay a year. I have definitely overstayed but I am on such a sweet deal rent-wise, I can't afford to give it up (i.e. Dad pays hideous amounts for my rent then his company reimburses like 80% of that). Yes it is hideously expensive to live here too - despite all the wonderful things they tell you. My flat next year will be a whopping $175 a week inc utilities ex Internet. Thats a 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom flat. And each flatmate pays $175. Thats a total of $875 a week. Ridiculous. I could have a house in Applecross for that kind of money. 

Sorry for complaining, but its just been one of those days/weeks/months. Ready for exams to be finished. 

Ash xo