Did any of you share a room at university?

[LivBonas]

I wondered if any of you shared a room at university. It is one of the accommodation options at the University of York that my DD was considering. Any experiences, positive or negative, please let me know! 😊

Yes she'd rather spend a cheaper amount on accommodation, otherwise it takes up a large proportion of her student maintenance loan. I don't mind helping her pay for a single room, and to be honest, I've encouraged this. I've told her all the horror stories from this thread and warned her, so I'm hoping she changes her mind! Also, her cousin had a wonderful experience sharing a room - met her best friend, now her bridesmaid etc. I said this is quite rare and having your own space is much better.

Also, sometimes she can be quite shy at first, she's outgoing when you get to know her and she says so confident in her group of friends. However, she think ps a room mate in those first few weeks would give her confidence, someone to do things with in that unfamiliar first term.

I'd also be wary of the size of any shared room. Back in the dark ages my shared room was enormous. It was in an old building and had very high ceilings, a little sleeping area, sitting area, studying area.

One of my son's friends shared at a London uni to keep costs down and the room was apparently tiny.

So much of uni accommodation is purpose built to cater for the huge increase in the numbers going to university, I imagine space will not be generous. Certainly the first year single rooms my dcs have been in have been tiny. If the planners allocate double the space for 2 sharing, I imagine that would be quite challenging.

I shared a room my first year. It was great- my room mate was my best friend, and we got to know one another so well and so quickly.

Thank you for your warning about the room size. Actually, she had told me there are two shared options. There is a studio, where you have a shared kitchen and bathroom (for the two people in the room) and a shared bedroom of course. It sort of sounds like a bedsit, although they call it a studio flat. To be honest, that option sounds better than sharing a room, at least you'd have some separate space to retreat to?

God no. Shared house yes, but everyone needs private space. What about all the private things people do in their rooms? Even just getting changed? Short term with a friend maybe, but honestly I think it's A terrible idea.

Student accommodation is often in the form of flats. So although you apply for a single room (en suite or not) you'll probably end up in a flat with others. DS3 is currently in a student flat in halls which has its own front door and comprises 8 single rooms and a shared kitchen. The rooms are all en suite, but there are similar flats with shared bathrooms. DS2 had a very similar arrangement a couple of years ago. Everyone gathers in the kitchen so plenty opportunity to socialise. There's probably some sort of communal area in catered flats too.

It's very common, as far as I can tell, to go out as a flat, and to make friends with other flats at least in the early stages.

It's also not uncommon to share with the same people in 2nd year. DS3 is going into a private flatshare next year with most of his current flat mates. DS2 did the same and, in his final year, is still sharing with one of his first year flat mates.

With that in mind, unless she really wants to save money, your dd might be better with a similar set up. She would have the privacy of a single room but also, unless she locks herself away, she will have lots of opportunity to interact with those around her. If she's going self catered she'll have to go into the kitchen if she wants to eat!

Your dd needs to remember that most people don't know anyone and are keen to make friends. We'd barely got DS2 into his first year room when his next door neighbour came knocking to introduce himself. Similarly, with DS3 people who'd arrived ahead of us were hovering wanting to help him bring his stuff in, make coffee etc.

I know exactly how your dd feels (I can remember being really upset before I went to uni because I was worried I wouldn't make friends). Wish I could nip back and give my 18 year old self a good talking to!

A much younger friend of mine started uni this year and shared a room. She could hear the other girl masturbating at night. Imagine. Definitely not a shared room!

Yes, not for long because she dropped out.

We were matched because we were on the same course, but were totally different people. I was a grungy indie introvert, she'd spent her Saturday's working at Top Shop and had maxed out the staff discount.

Shared houses is one thing, but shared rooms is quite another. No space to call your own or retreat to.

I did, back in ‘98 and we went on to share a room together the year after in a private rent (£45 a week!), although we didn’t get on at first.
Looking back though it seems a bit odd, but it was cheap and I was paying my rent.
I wouldn’t have my children do that unless they really want to; you’re a bit stuck if you don’t get on.

Omg blackbird. I remember someone in my first year complaining about her roommate doing the same

Oh bluesy and blackbird, that's grim! The girl isn't still sharing with the other girl is she blackbird? I hope she got her own room 😳

It might be worth bearing in mind that even if your dd doesn't want to share the pressure on accommodation is such that she might have to - neither of my eldest two asked for shared rooms but were allocated them anyway. So I wouldn't be too negative about the prospect when talking to her unless you really feel that it would be better not to go than share a room.

She was able to change after Christmas in the new term thankfully and is paying a little extra for a single room- but it's money well spent for your sanity I think.

What shared rooms are there at the University of York? They seem to advertise shared bathrooms, not surprisingly, but shared room accommodation is not obvious in any hall of residence from the web site.

House share is fab. But sharing a room? Good God no!!

My friend at York shared a room with a girl she got on well with. Another boy shared with an anti-social drug using guy who was drunk for most of the year.

My advice to her would be, think of a girl in your year you are not particularly friends with, but is fairly average. Would you choose to spend your first year at uni sharing a room with her? Now imagine the best person in your year to share with, and the worst. Throw the three names in a hat - is the cost saving worth the risk?

It's in the college called Derwent College that room sharing is available.
I'm showing her this thread with the posts on, and I'm ensuring she considers everything. I think she's coming round to my viewpoint now that sharing a room isn't necessarily a good idea, and definitely does not work out as well as it did for her cousin!
And I'm pleased that your friend got to change rooms blackbird!

@BrownTurkey ooh that's interesting. Were the girls that got on matched by a questionnaire or something?

I turned down an offer from St Andrews because they wanted me to share a room. They asked if I would prefer to share with a smoker or a non-smoker, emphasizing that a non-smoker couldn't be guaranteed! I have never regretted not going there, even for a moment. At Oxford (where everyone had their own room) it was bad enough being in halls of residence with hard drinking all night party animals, and I think sharing a room with such a person would have been intolerable. FWIW I started university in 1995 and student social mores might have changed for the better since then - I hope so, anyway. There are also personal safety risks when you can't control who is invited into your bedroom. I would honestly advise someone not to go to university if sharing with a stranger was the only option.

My only student experiences of room sharing with randoms was at summer schools in the two long vacations before university. The first I don't remember, so it can't have been too bad. The second time I asked for a transfer to get away from two girls who were basically fine, not antisocial really, just annoying giggly bimbo types who got on my introvert nerves. I succeeded in bagging a spidery single room with a leaky Velux window, which I was very well pleased with!

I shared in my first year. Had never met the other woman before moving in. My main objection was being woken by clouds of hairspray. Her main objection was probably the time I brought back someone for a shag (we went back to the pub again after a couple of hours...) But we had separate desk areas and wardrobes, and mostly, it was fine. We both had part-time jobs and different timetables, so there was quite a lot of the time when we weren't in the room together.

It can be fine, but I wouldn't recommend it as a first choice.

Agustarella. That’s where I had to share!

Greenhouse and Augusterella - me too!

Derwent says “economy shared bathroom from £106”. I cannot find any reference to a shared room in the pricing structure. If they have a shared room option, they have not priced for it.

They do have a black tie event though, so it might be a cheap room, but it’s probably not full of students who are poor - looking at the photo!

Liv, I don't actually know. Whether they chose to share or just got allocated I am not sure. I think they were on similar courses and both 18.