Accommodation Review: Arthur Vick

If you are one of the lucky people who has already made their decision about their firm and insurance choices and you’ve decided that Warwick is the place for you, then congratulations!!

Unfortunately, the big decisions are not over for you yet, as one of the next things you need to decide is where you’d like to live! Most Freshers live on campus in their first year, although it isn’t compulsory if you’d prefer to live off campus or are planning to commute. However, I lived on campus in Arthur Vick halls, so I’m just going to tell you a bit more about why I loved AV and why you will too!

Arthur Vick was my first choice, so I was really lucky to live where I wanted to. Remember that your first choice of accommodation is not guaranteed, so please don’t just rush your choices in the hope that you’ll get your first choice! You need to think carefully and ensure that you choose accommodation where you would be happy in any of the choices (even if you’d prefer some of them more than others).

I chose AV because it was one of the cheaper ensuite options, costing slightly less than some of the newer accommodation, such as Sherbourne and Bluebell. I won’t mention individual prices as these change every year, but you can find them on the Warwick Accommodation website. I would have been fine with a shared bathroom (after all, I grew up in a house with three other people sharing the same bathroom so it’s not like it would be that different really!), but as I had the money for an ensuite I decided that this was the option for me.

Arthur Vick consists of three separate blocks, each with about ten different flats – which we informally called ‘kitchens’ e.g. "I’m going to see Puja in Kitchen 1", or just "K1". I was in K5. Your key will only get you into your own block, but AV is built in a corridor style, a bit like a hotel, so you can easily get around to all of the other ‘kitchens’ to see your friends, so it’s a really sociable atmosphere.

I was in a kitchen with 13 other girls. This was a complete coincidence, but because of the corridor style, it was easy enough to make friends in other kitchens if you wanted a change of company! 14 people might sound like a lot, but we were the biggest kitchen in the block (I think they ranged from around 10 people to 14) so you won’t necessarily be with that many people. However, it was never really a problem: the kitchens have two ovens and two hobs, two tall fridges and two tall freezers, as well as a microwave and a kettle etc. You might think that you’ll always be waiting for someone else to finish cooking before you can make your dinner but that is rarely the case! The fridge/freezer and cupboard space usually works out that you have one shelf in the fridge, one in the freezer, and two cupboards (one below the unit, one above). It’s a bit tight sometimes but it’s fairly average for university accommodation.

The kitchens also have a social lounge area attached to them with a table and chairs, as well as some beanbags. This makes for a really nice place to hang out with your flat mates at any time of the day, and is the most common place for everyone to be in the evenings.

The bedrooms are really lovely and spacious, with a single bed, large pin board, long desk and chair, plenty of shelving, a chest of drawers, wardrobe with lockable cupboard, and a beside table. I loved my room – I spent the whole of my first day decorating it and making it feel like home. This is really important – the room will look bland when you arrive, but it’s your own space for you to make into a little home away from home! You’re going to be spending a lot of time there, so make it somewhere you feel comfortable and cosy. I recommend lots of posters, decorations for your pin board and a bright bedding set to warm up the room.

The bathroom is probably smaller than what you’re used to but has everything you need with a shower over a bath (don’t underestimate how much of a luxury a bath is in university halls!), a toilet, sink, and a cupboard above the toilet.

AV also benefits from having its own laundry facilities downstairs, with two washing machines and two tumble dryers. This can get really busy sometimes, but you soon get to know the times when it’s more likely to be free. Of course, many people just take all their washing home to their parents! There’s also a website where you can check which machines are free from the comfort of your room.

Overall, I really loved my time in Arthur Vick. I really felt at home there and I met so many lovely people: you definitely won’t regret it if you decide to make it one of your accommodation choices!