I can’t believe this has crept up on me so quickly, but it’s that time of year again when I have to start looking for somewhere to live for the next academic year. I was planning to stay at my current abode, but that’s no longer an option because someone is moving out and the person who is replacing her is not a student (nothing against non-students but everyone I know who has lived in mixed households of students/non-students has said it was a bad idea). I’m also not overly keen on living with couples either.
Anyway, I’m currently house (or more likely flat) hunting in the Fallowfield/Withington area. So far I haven’t really found anything but the Manchester Student Homes web site is down (probably the best resource for this sort of thing) at the moment so I can’t do all that much research.
One or two people have suggested moving back into halls, but I’m not overly keen on that idea for a number of reasons. Firstly, I hated the first year in halls—I didn’t enjoy it at all and went home pretty much every weekend as a result just to escape. I also don’t really fancy getting put in with a bunch of freshers because they’ll want to be out partying every night when I’m trying to work (yes, it will be my final year so I might have to actually do something!). If I could be guaranteed one of my choices and be put with some other non-freshers it might be okay, but I know I won’t get that sort of promise from the accommodation office (and to be honest I haven’t been overly impressed with their performance in the past either).
Anyway, all is not lost, as usual I have a plan B (and a plan C) so even if I can’t find anywhere I won’t have to quit my course or live in a hostel.
I’m moving house at the end of this year too. The house I’m in now has been getting on my nerves for one reason or another. One of my mates who lives in another house is going to try and go abroad for a semester. That means I’ve taken his room. That means the lads who I’m in a house with now will have to go and find another house mate. I’m not really arsed though. I was nervous at first but once you’re sorted then there’s nothing to worry about.
The people at the moment aren’t getting on my nerves (well, occassionally they do stuff which annoys me, but then so would anyone I lived with at some point), but next year I can see it being a mess so I’m bailing out now whilst I have a chance. 🙂
A room swap is a good way to move, at least you don’t have to do any house hunting and you know what’s happening now rather than three months down the line. I know someone who’s doing a room swap because everyone in her flat is going abroad (or something like that) so it can be an ideal solution if you have a situation like that.
You could always move in with us if you like. We are looking for a new house this year too, so could always find a 5 person one. Could be fun.
Put it down as Plan D 🙂
Well now I have found someone who I might be living with next year, and possibly someone else, so the whole thing has been thrown up in the air once again. 🙂
I’m sure you’ll sort. I’m guessing that there is a date you should be sorted though? IS it something like 14th of Feb? I can’t remember.
I went round to my future accomotation last night. Lets just say it isn’t going to be very quiet! Dear God…. 🙂
There’s no date that I have to be sorted by, although if I want to apply for halls tomorrow is the deadline. Last year we didn’t get everything done until about May I think, although that was partially because we were messed around by the landlord (or rather his son) at one property we were interested in. Obviously I’d like to get everything sorted in the next couple of weeks purely for peace of mind.
So are the people you’re looking to move in with on your course? How many years would it be for? 2? That may mean looking to try and figure out what to in your last year incase others have finished their course.
You’d be very brave to move in with haslam either way though! (only messin!)
One of them is on my course, the other is on a placement and will be going into her final year when she gets back (haven’t heard from her in a while though). It would only be for one year unless we all wanted to stay in Manchester after graduation.
Next year is my last year! 🙂
Not too bad just sorting for one year then. I don’t know what I’m going to do in my fourth year. Do I do a masters? Do I just go straight for a PGCE (or whatever initials they are?) and if so then where do I go? I’d like to go somewhere like Durham. I’ll have to book another careers interview.
I’ve just sorted the bills out this morning. (what people owe etc… if I don’t do it no-one else will) It turns out the idiot who was living with us but has left uni now changed the electric company. I knew he did. A bloke knocked on our door asking if he wanted to change. He gave them his name and everything. He’s an idiot. You’re meant to just tell them to bugger off! That really annoyed me. He was 19/20 but it was like he’s a child at times.
Anyway, general rant over.
I think you should go straight for the PGCE, the country could do with some more good teachers at the moment. 😉
I can’t remember the last time I had a careers interview. I’ve always been fairly comfortable with what I’m doing now and planning to do in the future, the careers people always told me what I already knew or asked if I wanted to do things that I had already ruled out (e.g. going to Oxbridge).
Ah, that’s why I like the setup we have here—my name is the only one on all of the bills so no-one can mess things up by changing the supplier or anything like that. It also means I know all the bills are paid on time, although I am going to have to transfer everything to whoever is living here next year instead.
If the country needs more teachers then coming to me may not be a great idea! 🙂
My careers interview was quite good. I didn’t know really what I wanted to do. She didn’t tell me what to do she just weighed up opions and showed what I could do. I want to go back and find out where I can do a PGCE. She said only place for higher education in north west is Bolton but I find that hard to believe. i’ll have to sort out.
I made sure all of the bills were in other people’s names. For the simple reason that I knew I was going to pay the bills and incase other’s didn’t pay their share then it has nothing to do with me. I don’t want any balifs round!
I’m sure you’d make a good teacher, you’re patient and know your subject well (I presume you’d be teaching Religion or Theology or something along those lines?). I would say you’d make a better teacher than I would, but that’s not really difficult. 🙂
I can’t believe there are only places in Bolton—although of course it depends what you want to teach. If you are doing maths then you’ll probably find someone from the government knocking on your door desperate for you to fill the places they have available.
Cheers for the compliments! I’d like to think I’d do well at it. I did a bit last summer at Holy Cross and enjoyed it. I could be the next Mr P!
I can’t believe there’d only be places in Bolton. I’d imagine that L’pool would do it since there are 3 uni’s. Two of which a huge and the other specialises in theology and education. I’ll has to get an interview with careers or do my own research. I don’t think I need to find out though until next year but it’s nice to have an idea.
I don’t really want to go to Bolton anyway. My mate (john) said it’s not too good. Only reason I’d really go is that it’s close to home.
Sigh, Justine (one of the people who I was thinking of living in with) texted me last night and said she has found somewhere else. So it’s back to the drawing board for the moment. 🙁
That’s a shame.
What about plans B through to D?
Well, if I can find someone else to live with me then I can still go with plan A which is to find a three bedroom house/flat somewhere. I also know someone who is thinking about buying and then renting a one bedroom studio which might be within my price range, so that’s another option.
Not sure what I am doing yet. Not really thought about it too much. Maybe you, Vlad and I could get together? It would possibly be a bit geeky, but it could be fun. Just think what would happen to CompSoc if our flat got bombed! Ha ha!
But seriously… how about four people (i.e. Xx)?
Well, I’m looking for houses with Kirk for the moment – the plan was to move in with him and Justine but obviously now we’re looking for someone else for a three bedroom house.
If we could find somewhere with five rooms and everyone was up for that I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I will sound Kirk out about it later and see what he thinks.
Nothing, because we probably won’t be running it next year.