Halls of residence- catered or not catered?

[mrsmootoo]

DD1 due to start university next autumn. I am keen for her to live in fully catered accommodation - I think it will be more sociable than in a small kitchen arrangement where she might not find anyone to get on with. Plus, she's not used to cooking for herself etc, so I think that will be an added hassle on top of everything else new. She's keen to self-cater, but I think that's partly nervousness about having to mingle with lots of people - I think she should leave her comfort zone! Any suggestions? Thanks

Catered keeps you in touch with your acquaintances, rather than just a smaller group.

Sharing a kitchen when you have to feed yourself is better later on, when you've had a bit of say in who you are sharing with.

DD went for self catered. The plan was that she'd keep her card topped up and eat in the canteen a couple of times a week, but in practice it hasn't happened.

I don't think catered is more sociable at all unless you're sociable to start with. Much easier to chat to someone as you're cooking or washing up together. The number of times I've sat on my own in canteens...

Lots of the catered halls we've looked at just give you credit for the campus canteens (so long opening hours, not too much worry about missing meals), perhaps with a small discount. Which is practical, and means you don't have to worry about them not having money for food, but doesn't make it any more sociable at all. Halls which have their own dining set up, and set mealtimes would be more appealing to me, but obviously aren't so flexible.

DD1 is in a fully catered hall/college at Durham and loves it. The college has its own pastry chef and the food is great. If they will be too busy at lunchtime to get back to hall they order a packed lunch the day before. She usually goes to meals with her close friends but if they are not around there is always someone she knows to sit with. Visitors pay per meal but are very welcome. DD2 went to stay and was very impressed.

Much easier to chat to someone as you're cooking or washing up together
Absolutely. DS is very shy and could easily I suspect have spent all his mealtimes sitting alone. His flat mates have very different interests and social lives to him but they mix very well in the kitchen. He has also learned much more about food shopping, cooking and budgeting than he would have done in catered which again should be useful for second year off campus. He has been spending far less than he anticipated, partly because it works out cheaper to cook for 6 or 7 people once a week than for one person every day.
(Though if anyone had told him he would be cooking meals for 7 before he went he'd have run a mile).

I would suggest self catered. Doing the rounds of open days with DS last year I was tempted to encourage him with the catered option, but he wasn't happy that those he put on his 5 had dedicated times so didn't want this.

When he firmed and confirmed accommodation we spent the summer in the kitchen with a student cookbook, we went shopping with a very limited budget for himself (he had to buy his own drink, treats etc as well as food) which really helped him understand the reality.

I send him his 'top up cash' weekly on a Monday so I know that he will have some money for food, we often top up his student's sainsburys card as well to ensure that he eats (his loan only just covers rent)

His diet isn't fantastic, but its getting better (when he came home for xmas his first demand was 'real' mash and gravy!) but he has learnt to cope by himself, make good friends with those in his halls as they share the kitchen, cooking (sometimes) and have to organise themselves. Next year he is sharing a house and therefore will definitely have to cook, so putting it off doesn't make sense IMO.

I lived in a catered hall for three years while at uni and I think I made it to breakfast once! It finished at an hour considered totally ungodly to students. Ate evening meal nearly every day though so worked fine for me but bear in mind the likelihood of eating the meals provided if You decide to go for catered!

I can't imagine DS coping with catering for himself but his AS also means he's very picky about what he'll eat so if he doesn't like the catered option it would be a waste.

I was in a catered hall.

It was a total waste of what little money I had. Timings were inconvenient (though it probably meant I went out less than I otherwise might have), and as a strict vegetarian the food was pretty rubbish and I could have done a lot better for myself.

The social eating side was kind of fun though.

Self catered.

I wouldn't make a decision solely based on food issues.

The key thing is what most 1st year students at that particular Uni are doing. If most are in catered halls on a campus, where the social life revolves around hall bars and parties, then being in a self catered flat off campus, makes you a bit isolated.
Definitely look at the ratio of 1st years in catered and self catered at that particular Uni.

A catered hall means they will meet loads of people and although they may not be best mates with everyone, they will have many options of who becomes their closer friends. Self catered can mean a group of 6 or 8 and it might not be that easy to meet others.

Consider where the accommodation is - which types of accom are closer to the centre or where most stuff goes on.

If everything is equal and balanced, then being in catered can be good in terms of meaning cooking and bills are one less thing to worry about. Most catered halls will still have little kitchens with a kettle and baby belling, so cooking the odd easy meal is still poss and of course people in catered halls often have kettles and toasters in their rooms.

Unis which are collegiate are often fully catered, at least for 1 or 2 years. If a non-collegiate Uni has a similar Halls based social life (often on campus Unis) then it is good to be at the heart of it for a year. Many will move out in their 2nd year, with friends (rather than being placed with strangers, which is what happens if you are a 1st year) so there is plenty of time for the learning to cook and manage a house together thing.

Whilst in catered, DS1 is only charged for what he actually eats, or puts on his plate to be strictly accurate. So although 22 meals a week are on offer, he can choose to go to anywhere between 0 and 22. If he chooses to eat any meal elsewhere at least he is not paying twice.

It really is personal preference. Eating in hall/a canteen is not everyone's idea of a relaxing meal.

That's a really good point Bonsoir, thanks.
It's DS' decision but he hates the noise of the school canteen (due to his AS) so he needs to bear that in mind.