If you don’t get your first choice of accommodation

This time last year, I was anxiously waiting to find out where I would be living for my whole first year. I had spent quite a few hours carefully figuring out what I wanted, and had taken into consideration everything from prices, to distance to central campus, to en-suite/shared, to the number of people I would be living with, and I had my heart firmly set on Lakeside.

  Finally, I received my accommodation offer…and ended up getting my fifth choice! I had already been worried about starting university in a whole new country, and finding out that I would not even be living where I wanted was not the most reassuring thing to happen.

 But, I am writing this because last year me would have liked to know that not getting your first choice (and actually getting your last) is very much not the end of the world. It’s not the easiest thing to do but I think my best tip is to try not to think about it too much until you actually get there. I really wish I hadn’t panicked as much as I did, because none of the worst-case scenarios I had thought up ever came true in the end. Every accommodation has its ups and downs and you could grow to love yours once you get there. Additionally, it’s easy to see accommodations as the most important part of your campus life before starting university, but there is so much more to Warwick than where you live!

 I lived in Whitefields my first year, and while it was not the most luxurious accommodation Warwick has to offer, I really enjoyed my year there! I ended up loving my room, which was surprisingly large, and the location was absolutely perfect (especially when I found myself in urgent need of ice cream or shortbread from Rootes). I was especially worried about not having an en-suite, but it never ended up bothering me during the year. We had two showers and two toilets for 12 people, but I almost never had to wait to use them. Everyone in your flat will have their own routines and so it’s highly unlikely everyone will want to use the showers at the very same time. Additionally, there is no need to worry about dirty bathrooms, because they are regularly cleaned. My accommodation also wasn’t the most modern, meaning that sometimes things broke down, but there is really no better way to bond with your flat mates than by complaining about said things breaking down!

 And if you still end up not liking your accommodation, there is a system in place that allows you to apply for a transfer a few weeks into Term 1. I actually thought that I would definitely use it, but by the time it opened I was all settled in and felt really comfortable in Whitefields. 

 Overall, I wish you the best of luck with your accommodations, and to let you know that even your last choice could still become your home away from home