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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Halls of residence and noise

11 replies

user1490903005 · 01/04/2017 14:22

My DD is starting drama school in September Smile for a Foundation course and there is accommodation available with the University of Essex. DD is very worried about being able to get enough sleep. They work from 9-6pm plus rehearsals and performances and she struggles to sleep at the best of times.
She thinks that getting a studio flat might be quieter than a standard room in a flat. I am worried about her being isolated without being able to wander into a kitchen and say hi to fellow flatmates. She worries about drunk flatmates coming in at 2am and waking her up.
Any opinions??

OP posts:
roarityroar · 01/04/2017 14:52

Really?!

It's her first year of university. She needs to enjoy herself and immerse herself in uni life. Living in a studio flat would leave her alone and less likely to make friends.

Living with people might also teach her resilience

tropicalfish · 01/04/2017 15:02

she could look into noise cancelling headphones. I dont blame her for being worried about it.

GoldilocksAndTheThreePears · 01/04/2017 15:07

A white noise app on phone or ipad can really help balance any noise. It's worth looking into the type and age of the offered accommodation, I know back when I was looking to go to uni some places had new halls which would probably be a lot quieter than older places built with less restrictions?

SauvignonBlanche · 01/04/2017 15:12

I was worried about this when DS was starting out in Halls, he has Asperger's and is pretty noise intolerant.

I got him some disposable ear plugs cheaply off Amazon and he found them really helpful, he's bought himself some more this year though in his first year there was only one student in his flat that got a noise nuisance warning and that was him!

WallToWallBastards · 01/04/2017 15:14

I'm currently in very quiet and unsociable halls compared to last year and I'm feeling very isolated because no one interacts with anyone else. If she's not bothered by the social element then let her make her own mind up. If it gets too out of hand then security do step in, great when it's someone else's noise but not so much when it's your own Grin
I have lived with acting students and because the course was very full on they all became very close, the rest of us didn't make many friends on our courses or with other flats. Each accommodation will have its own reputation and if she doesn't enjoy living on her own (I thought the quiet would be nice but it's driving me mad and I can't wait to move out) there's always the option of a swap, as I did last year.

ForTheSakeOfFuck · 01/04/2017 15:56

She might have to try it and see. Everyone has different reactions to the same variables. I utterly hated halls for the sheer noise level and inconsiderate arseholes slamming their (heavy, loud) room doors at all hours. I finally lost my shit when one of my flat mates had a communal kitchen on the Sunday night before exams week that went on till 4am, and then she left a bunch of strange men in our women-only flat who started going through everyone's cupboards looking for food because they were hungry. My meagre week's worth of food that I'd just bought the day before vanished down to the last crumb. Fucking hated it. There were seven of us in there but I'd say that only two of us really talked. The rest were too busy with mates from their own courses. So just living with people is no guarantee of a feeling of inclusiveness. There are many other ways to make friends and also retain your sanity. Overall, I would have ripped someone's arm off for a quiet studio in town.

ForTheSakeOfFuck · 01/04/2017 15:57

*communal kitchen party.

dreamingofsun · 01/04/2017 17:19

you can apply to go into quiet halls. these have strict rules apparently about noise levels. my son is in a very quiet hall (not an officially quiet one) and hates it as everyone is very anti social and stays in their rooms/doesn't go out. he has now made friends, but initially found this very hard and has made no friends from his halls. as others have said - first year is about making friends and settling in, not doing tons of work

LIZS · 01/04/2017 17:26

Ds is in a lively block but 2 floors up so he has n't complained. There are often late night gatherings in the kitchenettes but he only hears chairs and murmur of voices. Theoretically it is supposed to be quiet after 11pm.

HereThereThen · 02/04/2017 00:36

It's so tricky but at the end of the day it's just a matter of luck. I'd do as much research as possible and visit if you can and then see what you think. It might be helpful to call the Uni accommodation dept. as they might be able to give you more info.

As your DD has such intensive days I think I would be erring on the side of a studio flat. She can still socialise elsewhere (clubs, common areas etc)

user1457824083 · 02/04/2017 09:17

You can request to be put with other people on your course. My son is at a drama school linked to a uni and all of his flatmates are on his course. The work is very intense, long days and lots of 'homework'. It helps that they're all in the same boat!
They do socialise and have flat parties but not midweek ones (as far as I know).

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