Friend’s DS only wants a catered uni!

[Breakfastbars]

Rather than filter unis by campus vs city, distance etc, my friend said her Y12 son is only picking ones that offer catered accommodation. This is ridiculous in my view and, even when I pointed out that he will only live in halls for the first year, she got cross and said she thought it was a perfectly valid filter. AIBU?

I was in catered halls in first year (early 90s) and loved it. I could already cook, so it wasn't due to a lack of life skills! It was very sociable and convenient.

I'd be more than happy for my DC to stay in catered halls too - dependent on cost.

I picked a university on three criteria: self catering halls; campus based and good nightlife. To pick on the basis of catered halls is also perfectly valid and no one else's business.

I suspect it is something of a self-selector so the more sociable students are more likely to opt for catered whereas the quieter introverts more likely to opt for self-catered, so in terms of finding your tribe it's probably a pretty good filter. I went to the Fen Poly and the subsidised caff (3 meals a day) was a godsend, particularly for students with big appetites, really full on timetables and a lot of other commitments. Could rock up, eat a full meal in 20-30 mins and be on your way.

Glad to see that is still going at Nottingham, I used to make a sneaky sandwich at breakfast for my lunch. It was actually very good value , meant I had a decent hot meal every day even when I was running out of money at the end of term.

I stayed in hall all three years in the 1980s and loved it.

Yes, most people only live in halls for the first year, but they can actually choose who they share with in later years. For first years, they're allocated into flats by the Uni, so have no choice as to who they're sharing the kitchen with, which can lead to arguments as to who has the best "time slots" to use the kitchen etc - the quieter students can end up not being able to cook their evening meal until 9 or 10pm if the others bag the prime times!

Maybe he is really anxious about leaving home and having his meals catered is one way of stepping down the anxiety.

I stayed in halls for all three years, because I got involved with a couple of committees at hall. It's as valid a filter as a 75 mile radius, which was mine!

@Mixkle I hate it when people post pure bollocks like this.
You think Oxbridge is fully catered? Fundamentally wrong. It's not. (FYI I went to Ox).

I mean surely it’s up to him to decide what living arrangements suit him and what his priorities are. His own mum or dad may have some right to input or influence over his decision making if she is contributing financially but other than that it’s literally no one else’s business. Strange thing to start a thread on tbh.

The Oxbridge colleges which do not have a “hall” are a very small minority. The vast majority do, and promote it as an important aspect of College life. It’s usually canteen style lunch and early evening, with more formal dining later or on special occasions, all strictly optional.

I’m not sure what you’re trying to achieve by making some aggressive comment about my saying that Oxbridge is catered is wrong? That doesn’t detract from the fact that the vast majority is catered. Why not just politely point out that there are a few exceptions of which I wasn’t aware. (I did my undergrad in Cambridge and postgrad in Oxford by the way, I know a lot of the colleges at both).

@piedbeauty
Actually very few offered catered now, instead many offer a meal plan aka you get credit on your account each week to spend in the university catering outlets but it's not catered as in boarding school style (which I had). The meal plan is helpful for students on full loans who would be tempted to spend money at the beginning of term and would have nothing left later (mine are on minimum loan and I gave them a monthly allowance for food)

@tentinginmarch

Most oxbridge colleges are catered though have a cash cafeteria rather than traditional everyone eats boarding school style these days. Been to the open day and they were stressing they offer catering!

http://apply.oxfordsu.org/colleges/compare/kitchen-facilities/

Overview of access to kitchens at Oxford colleges here if anyone is interested. Looks like it has improved a lot since my day but in most colleges it’s still the case that full self-catering isn’t really practical.

One kitchen space for the entirety of the JCR at Wadham sounds genuinely hellish!

I remember the rank catering in halls back in the 90s

Blancmange eggs
Cabbage salad

Potato with rice filling

Most students were buying their own food and swerving the dining room by the end of the first term

I hope for his sake they have improved by now

Although not likely with rising food prices

YABU he can make whatever choice he likes. A lot of people choose their uni based on the night life or choose a uni close to home (also valid reasons).

YABU to think this has anything to do with you or be so invested in it.

Get a hobby.

with 2 inches of fridge space each, who ever has the space to buy a milk bottle??

This is the first time I have heard of catered halls. Why did no-one tell me? I guess it's too late 25 years after graduation.

It's a valid filter if that's what wants. But I would be slightly concerned by what it might say about his attitude to domestic labour when he gets into a relationship.

I have a relative with CF who chose a catered hall for health reasons. Totally not U in my opinion.

I bet it’s not his only criterion. It’s an acceptable one as loads have catered accommodation in the first year. So it’s hardly reducing his options hugely.

I am relieved my three had catered in their first year. One less thing to adjust to.

Mind your own business.

I used to visit my friend across town who lived in catered halls to get a good meal, my ex poly Uni didn't have them.😁

That's ok - it's his choice. He may or may not regret it later, just like any other decision he makes as an adult.

If he gets a degree out of it and then has enough about him to get a job he enjoys beyond that, what does it matter where he goes.

Nothing is set in stone. If he chooses one and then regrets it, he's not stuck there - if now isn't the time for him to make a few questionable choices and learn from them, I don't know when is.

And there's always the possibility that it's the right choice too - he might love it, thrive and flourish - in which case, great.

I had catered halls of residence in my first year. Was a nice middle ground at 18 when leaving home for the first time. I had to do everything else myself for the first time but food was covered. Moved to a house share with friends in my second year and it wasn't a big deal to start doing food myself but it wasn't all at the same time so less overwhelming! I didn't filter universities by this but to be honest it didn't occur to me that in that first year it would be any different! Self catering halls for first years were not at all common at my uni