When I was in Sixth Form last year, one of the biggest concerns for me was deciding whether I should move out into university accommodation as I already lived in London. But, once I made the decision that living at home would be the best option for me (after all, King’s was only a half an hour commute), it didn’t stop me from feeling like I’d be missing out on all the fun! I know this is a super common feeling for those of us that are living at home and that’s why I’ll be sharing my tips and reasons why you shouldn’t worry!
1. You aren’t alone
As cheesy as it sounds, it’s true! London is a huge place and there is a large community of students at King’s who have also chosen to live at home and really enjoy it. In fact, on the course I’ve got friends who also live at home that even live near me and we often take the tube home together.
Also, even if you do live at home – you can still go on nights out, meet up with friends outside of uni and have lots of fun! There are rarely any events that are specific to those who live in halls, so there’s plenty to get involved in.
Remember a lot of students might choose to get private accommodation also, so you will hardly feel like you’re the odd one out.
2. You will make friends
Whilst it’s easy to assume that those living in halls will make friends quicker, that doesn’t have to be the case!
On the course induction days, pretty much no one knows anyone very well and this is the perfect time to be socialising and meeting everyone on the course. I remember everyone I met to be super friendly and it was just a generally good way to talk to the people I see basically everyday now. That being said – you will have to come out your potential comfort zone and do your best to talk to people!
Living at home doesn’t restrict you from the normal freshers activities going on, but I remember there being a specific ‘Live at Home’ event from the KCLSU in case you want to meet fellow commuters and a few sessions run in welcome week, so definitely keep posted on your welcome apps.
3. Let’s be honest – there are tons of benefits!
Firstly, there’s the obvious – you save SO much money! I fortunately don’t have to pay rent for the house and this way I have actually saved a good amount already for once I graduate. It’s awesome! (I know that lots of people that live at home do still need to contribute to bills but trust me you’d still end up saving money that would’ve otherwise gone to living out costs).
You don’t have to give up your comfy bedroom or perhaps your current job! Before uni started, I had a massive redecoration of my new room and I would’ve been very upset if I had to leave it in order to stay in accommodation. Also, studying is way easier for me personally at home and where my desk is so I’m glad I didn’t have the distraction of living in halls. But, if studying is harder at home then don’t worry! There are a number of libraries at King’s that you can visit to get your work done.
This may not be the case for everyone, but my daily commute is actually the same/shorter than some people that live out. The London halls are very spread out and depending on where people choose to stay, your commute could even be shorter! And even if you have a super long commute, you could definitely utilise it by catching up on uni work or doing some set reading.
There are probably more reasons why living at home is great, but the truth is it doesn’t really matter too much. It’s important to realise that the university experience is entirely what you make of it, so whether you live in halls or live at home I hope that you’ll find your time here just as enjoyable. From one commuter to another, all the best!
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