For my first year of university, I chose to live in private student halls.  There are loads of private providers of student accommodation in Manchester, as well as lots of accommodation provided by the University.

My accommodation is really central and is not that far from MMU. In fact it is an exact 10 minute walk, on Oxford Road, to and from university. Even though I do my shopping online from ASDA, there are still a few shops located nearby. Directly down the road from my accommodation there are 2 supermarkets, as well as a few takeaways. Up the road by about 5 minutes is a Chinese supermarket, with a restaurant above it where you can purchase relatively cheap food or just go for a meal (which I haven’t done yet, but I want to). Now up the road past Travelodge, there are a few more shops and a Tesco petrol station. As for travelling to town you can get bus, Uber, drive which take about ten to fifteen minutes or you can walk which takes about 20-30 minutes.

At my student accommodation, unless, you choose an en-suite room. You  only have to share an apartment with one other person, which if you ask me is beneficial and it makes it easier to handle  if you’re more of an introverted kind of person, like me. We talk when we see each other in the kitchen and shared living space, but if either of us want some time to ourselves we have got that option, which suits me . The rent is not too expensive, but prices will go up depending on what room type you choose. I am in a standard type room and I only have to pay £104 a week. The payments you can set up are weekly, monthly or termly.

Here’s just a little preview of what you get included with the room, obviously the PS4 and TV aren’t included. However, you do get the wardrobe, desk and bed so a pretty basic room to use and make your own. There is a TV in the lounge/kitchen area. Even though the kitchen is small, once you’re used to it there’s easily enough room for eveything you need. In the closet space you’ll find an iron, ironing board, vacuum, sweeping brush and dust pan. The bathroom is small but it has a shower toilet and sink, it is exactly the same size as an en-suite bathroom.

There is 24 hour security surveillance around the accommodation and to enter you must have a fob which is used to scan at the door for entrance and a green button on the inside for exit. The fob can be used at every building entrance within the accommodation. The launderette is in the corner of the courtyard underneath the stairs  a normal wash cost £2.70 and drying is £1.10. Even though you can top up your launderette card online, you have to use a pin machine in the launderette itself or you can download the laundry app to your phone and do that instead and also just in case you lose your card!

The receptionists are so helpful and easy to talk to, you can speak to them about problems for feeling homesick or relationship problems or if you need to change room and even for just a general chat. The maintenance staff are equally as nice they will take care of any damages to your room as quickly as possible.