MY NAME IS LAUREN AND I AM A PUBLIC RELATIONS STUDENT, CURRENTLY ON MY PLACEMENT YEAR. IN MY FIRST YEAR I LIVED IN CHESIL HOUSE.

So, why did I choose Chesil House? Bournemouth University was the last university I visited, so I skipped the halls tour because once you’ve seen one student halls you’ve seen them all! When it came to applying for accommodation, I went by looking at the photos on the website, searching on google maps and the prices compared to other halls. As everyone knows Student Finance England are not the most generous of people so I was looking for somewhere relatively cheap – which wasn’t Student Village. At the time I didn’t know that Chesil has the reputation of being one of the quieter halls, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a good choice.

In most of the flats, there are 6 rooms all with en-suites. The standard rooms have single beds with a large desk, drawers, shelves and bedside cabinet. Definitely get a mattress topper – you’ll need it! Then there’s a kitchen with a table and benches, plus a little living area with two (very small) sofas and a table. You’ll need to get a kettle and toaster, plus its probably best to all chip in to get a hoover together as a flat, as you’ll need for post pre-drinks clean up. There is a Co-op right under the halls which is perfect for late night snacks. The bus to uni is around the corner from the halls and takes about 15 minutes on a good day. Being in Lansdowne means that you are only a 5 minute walk away from the Old Fire Station and a 10 minute walk from the town centre. If you fancy trying some different shopping and eating spots, it’s only a 20 minute bus ride to Castlepoint, where there are plenty of places to go. I recommend making friends with the security and staff, who are really helpful if something breaks or if you need any help at all!

Before moving, my biggest worry like everyone else was making friends. After a week or two, you will really get to know your housemates and coursemates, but joining a society (or Nerve!) is another really great way to make friends and make something more of your time at University.

While the nights out were great, some of my favourite memories were staying in the flat. There was a lot of Netflix binge-watching – we managed a season of Dexter in one day – which we are pretty proud of! Other than sitting on the sofa all day, we also had a flat Christmas, birthday parties, a flat awards ceremony and a Summer Ball brunch. Summer Ball was also one of my favourite memories of first year – it is one of the best nights of the year and is so much different to other uni Summer Balls.

What would I do if I was a fresher again? I would budget better as all those trips to Dylans and the shop soon add up. Plus, I would try something new like scuba diving or surfing, there are so many societies that you can you sign up to at Freshers’ Fair. First year is completely different to sixth form or college so it can take a while to settle, but make sure you go out as much as possible and not just to Lollipop. Bournemouth has so much to offer like the beaches and the Balloon, so make the most of it because trust me, the years go by so quickly!

By Lauren Martin

Originally published on Nerve Media

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