By Jess Excell
On an Open Day, I had meticulously visited every hall of residence open for viewing and rated them all from 1-10 (spot the student who clearly had far too much time on their hands). But what do you do when you don’t get your top 1, 2 or 3 and end up somewhere that you really don’t want to be?
From the moment I got into Loughborough University, I had my heart set on a self-catered room. When I found out that I had actually received a catered room in Rutherford, I was apprehensive and instantly starting searching for ways I could swap with someone else or change it. Despite my parents reassuring me that it would be fun to try the catered experience, I was upset that, after years of mum’s cooking, I wouldn’t be able to use those student cookbooks I had received for Christmas and birthday from multiple relatives. However, now, 2 years on, I am going back to stay in Rutherford for the third year running and I could not be happier with the experience I have had.
From looking at the ‘Official Loughborough Freshers’ Facebook page, it seems that this is a fairly common problem, as it is full of students suggesting room swaps and asking for potential methods of changing rooms. However, my advice to freshers would be to stop trying to change fate and give the hall you have been given a chance.
Every hall of residence has its pros and cons, but most importantly, every hall has an incredible committee made up of students that have worked hard to organise an amazing week of freshers events. Wherever you are, whatever hall you are in, you will be in good hands. To be honest, whether freshers like their halls to begin with, by the end of the week, every single fresher ends up adoring their hall and will do anything to show their allegiance.
In my advice, and my experience, the best thing to do is to just give it a go. Wherever you end up, Loughborough will make sure you have ‘the time of your life’.
