Catering or self-catering accommodation

[debjud]

Does anyone have experience/views on whether a DD should go for catering or self-catering accommodation in first year? First choice is Leeds, 2nd choice Edinburgh. I am concerned that if I pay for catering, she might often not get to refectories during the times they are serving meals and will be paying to self-cater anyway (she's not v organised). But on the other hand, I do want her to eat properly, so maybe having food available is better?

HercShipwright. DD3 has managed very well catering and cooking for herself although her mealtimes can be a bit haphazard. She did use the hob but it was electric so no option of setting things on fire . I also bought her some toastie pockets whicih she could use in the toaster. She was 21 when whe started uni so bit older than some students and had already cooked at home.

I meant to say one thing we did to help her. Was to get her to do a weekly shopping list then sent her off to the shops with £30 to see how much she could get. She actually got everything for £25. The downside was she took 3 hours to do it and the shops are less then a 15 minute walk from us,

Glad to read the positive views on catered accommodation. DD has been allocated a fully catered college at her first choice uni (so no other option) and was quite upset. I will show her this thread. Fingers crossed now that she gets the grades!

Definitely catered. I was half-catered I guess - had breakfasts in with the rent for halls. I NEVER went to breakfast as was never up on time and still feel massively guilty that my mum was paying for it! It also meant the equipment in our halls for cooking was barely there - we had a microwave, kettle and fridge in a cupboard for 7 people to eat from. So you couldn't even cook hob-type food or anything oven related which meant either microwave meals or buying food, so my first year in halls was expensive and very unhealthy. By about 2 months in I would have died for a home made spag bol!

Mitzie50. Where is your DD hoping to go? My DD always maintains that settling into the required academic standard, the essay writing, meeting deadlines, making new friends and the organisation of your new life means catered is SO much easier in the first year. One less thing to worry about! Her hall was 2 miles from Uni faculty but although the meals were average, to be kind, it was just so much easier than cooking and lugging all the food home. They had a shared kitchenette between 6 for snacks, drinks and lunches if required. All the self catered people get food parcels from home or buy microwave food so they don't learn to cook really! Sometimes DD and friends would go out for a meal but I wanted DD to have a life, not feel she must have every meal in the hall because we had paid for it.

MillyMollyMama - she is hoping to go to Durham. I think she will enjoy where ever she goes but is actually a very competent cook and generally very self sufficient so she was hoping to save some money by self catering.

" I wanted DD to have a life, not feel she must have every meal in the hall because we had paid for it." - this is how I feel though.

Interesting reading. Ds has been allocated catered and he is ok with that although he too is a competent cook. For me I'm glad though, as a pp says they can concentrate on other stuff. And yes I want him not to feel he has to eat in halls all the time.

My DD had an offer from Durham but rejected it as she was allocated a college out by the park and ride. Van Mildert I think. Durham have a habit of allocating students to somewhere they don't want!

Regarding eating meals in hall, I think they tend to go with the flow of their friends and how much money they are prepared to spend on the luxury of eating out. To have a meal, or not have a meal, tends to be a group decision. It is fun to go out on someone's birthday for example. Also, you cannot micro manage when and where they eat. At my DDs Uni hall, most ate in, most of the time, but they didn't get a Saturday evening meal and had Sunday brunch, so Saturday/Sunday was a microwave meal from Waitrose or a meal out. Occasionally a picnic! She will adjust and it will be fine.