Were catered halls a worse experience during COVID as compared to self catered?

[Tenpastseven]

DS is looking into accommodation options for Bristol which will likely be his firm choice. He wants to be in Stoke Bishop and was originally keen on a catered hall. But I somehow have got the impression from posts on MN that those in catered halls suffered isolation disproportionately badly because they were considered households of 1.

With all the uncertainty of how things will play out come September, I'm wondering if this is something for DS to consider when choosing preferences accommodation. What do others think?

Bumping this to see if anyone has experience to share...

My DS could have chosen either last year and my DH was of the opinion that catered would have been better for socialising but because of dietary issues my DS opted for self-catered. We were all relieved he had made that choice, as with covid he was able to socialise with his 4 flat mates at all times. We heard tales of people in catered halls having to queue and sit metres apart and felt that was a riskier environment re catching covid as well as being a poor experience.

Oooh a reply. Thank you. Yes, that was my impression. So maybe if we feel covid isolations will be enforced again in the next academic year (which I imagine they will), then self catered is the way to go.

DS opted for self catered, but it's also the size of the household that has been make or break this year. Flats of 6 or more seem to have fared better than smaller ones, as there is more chance of company and making like minded friends. My advice would be to target the bigger units.

I would go for self catered in these times!!

My daughter wanted self catering and ended up in catered. Whilst not being a big fan of the food she is happy with where she is. It's meant that she's been able to meet a much wider group of people.

Depends how the university is organising things. You'd need to ask. DD has been in catered halls - households of eight, seating in the dining room was spaced out, but not ridiculously so, and they've been able to meet people from other households at mealtimes. And it breaks up the day if you have to go to the dining hall to eat. In fact DD made more friends in the dining hall than in her official household.

There is a lack of communal space in their household though. So if they'd had to isolate (which thankfully they haven't) it could have been quite lonely.

On the other hand, one of DDs friends came home because they were placed in a self catering flat with people that were really incompatible and they needed to escape.

Swings and roundabouts.

From what I have read on here and on the WIWIKAU Facebook page it seems that self catered students have had a better time of it.

DD opted for self catered and was in a flat of 8. She was lucky and got on with all of her flatmates, but made actual friends with half of them, who she is sharing with this year in her second year house.

I think self catered accommodation outnumbers catered at most universities these days, and IMO is a better option. DD has a friend who was in catered in the first year, and she always had to rush off after a late lecture so that she wouldn't miss her (not very nice) evening meal. A good many students pay for a breakfast they never eat, and anyone with dietary requirements aren't very well catered for.

DD is vegetarian and would soon have got bored with the limited vegetarian options.

Ah thanks for these replies. My experience at Uni was self catered and it seemed like those in catered halls had greater opportunity to make friends more widely. But it looks like it’ll potentially be different this year. DS will have to learn to cook pronto!

I do think we’ll enquire about how Bristol specifically has managed the situation though.

@Tenpastseven DS at Bristol in Clifton in self catered in a flat of 8. Having a really good time and made good friends including people from other flats. It's worked very well and he's very happy. Obviously not the normal fresher experience but this year everyone has had to make the most of it and a few of his friends on gap years regret not going straight away as they are quite bored at home. Bristol had pubs open for most of the time and it's a really nice City geared up for students. Academically his tutor has kept an eye on him, with regular check ins, and they've arranged lots of group work so the DC meet virtually. Message me if you have any questions.

Thanks for sharing these experiences. DS is one of those people who loves food but does not love to cook (unlike my other DS's who love cooking) so he had always thought he'd go for catered. I think I might encourage him to have a good think before deciding.

Self catered flats are much better. Catered halls can be very isolating, particularly those where they have just been handing out meals to be eaten in your room. They often have very poor cooking facilities.

My friends DS found that they had shut down all the communal spaces in his catered hall, so he didn't meet anyone in his first 2 weeks as all their lectures were on line. He was totally alone and at the point of quitting when he managed to get moved into a flat with some other students for company.

Thanks @elastamum. I think I need to get DS to double check on the communal areas in the particular halls he's interested in, but it is sounding like it might be a safer bet to go self catered for 2021 entry.

My DS has been self catering in a flat of 6 and it has worked well. I have drummed into him to always make sure he has store cupboard and freezer food in stock though in case he needs to isolate and can't get a delivery.

I don't have experience of this year as my son isi n private rental in Bristol but in Wills Hall (Stoke bishop) my son was in a section with a front door which went up about 3 floors and that was about ten boys in that bit and I would imagine that group of 10 who in effect lived together would be counted as a household of 9 or 10 or whatever the numbers are. I cannot see why it would be one.

I just checked

www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/coronavirus/catered/

Oh thanks for checking that Xenia. It does look like being catered was a bit of a miserable experience IMO.