Capital Summertime Ball 2024

[Jono]

I have a bit of a headache about university. I've spent the last two years travelling in and living at home. It's served me well, I've stayed out of debt and everything I have needed has been given to me. University is thirty miles away though so it does mean if I have a 9am or 10am lecture I have to be up at 6am ready to leave by 6.55am. It also means I have to kip on people's sofas or get taxis back due to the limited public transport running in evenings back home. As I've been working weekends that's not been so much a problem in terms of cash. I qualify for a full student grant due to my parents' low income which I have contributed to paying off tuition fees.

Now for next year I've been offered a place with some female friends and they have a really nice pleasant place. It's £75 a week (so about £2500 in total) and it would obviously mean less travelling, more chance to socialise, a five minute walk to university and the chance to be more independent.

But it's a lot of money - money I don't have and may not really have - just for a social aspect of life in my final year. Part of me wants to say "well it's my last year I might as well live it" but there is no way I can make a decision like this without being able to convince my parents I could afford it. They're quite old school and do not like the idea of debt as they probably feel they would have to scrape to help me if I did get into a cash problem. I would probably be forced to work every minute of the summer holidays to pay for it and even then I would be short.

I would value some input on this one! Or if you have a winning lottery ticket feel free to send it this way.

[Bumble_85]

That's not expensive rent, especially for Norwich. I'd go. Ooh I just italicised things and have no idea how...

[Ratscallion]

What a pickle!

I'd try and find somewhere between the two: Not too far that you have to get up at excruciating times to get to Uni on time, and not too expensive that you can't afford the rent.

[Chippy]

Go live with the females.

+ How much do you spend on travelling 2 miles each day anyway.

[Jono]

Go live with the females.

+ How much do you spend on travelling 2 miles each day anyway.

Where did the figure 2 come from?

What a pickle!

I'd try and find somewhere between the two: Not too far that you have to get up at excruciating times to get to Uni on time, and not too expensive that you can't afford the rent.

It's more a case I can't afford any rather than naming a price. £75 is cheaper than campus though.

[JonathanEx]

Don't you get more money from Student Finance if you're not living with your parents? That should just about cover accommodation. Mine's tight, but technically I can afford it.

[Chippy]

Where did the figure 2 come from?

Oh, I meant the 2 hour drive/bus/train or whatever time or transport it is.

[Emma]

I'd do it. Where I am here I think it's around £80 a week and I manage fiiiine. I'm pretty sure you can apply for a maximum loan so you definitely don't get into trouble with money (only when it comes to paying it back ). In the long-run, moving closer will save you a lorra lorra money on travel expenses, won't it?

And yees, you probably will have to work almost every day in the summer, but I reckon a large amount of students have to, it's the done thing.

[Jono]

Oh, I meant the 2 hour drive/bus/train or whatever time or transport it is.

Oh! £10 a day which still works out a bit cheaper than £75 a week excluding bills.

[Lucinda]

I'd say go for it. Third year is more work, a lot more, and you'll appreciate being close to campus so you can work on campus on days when you haven't got lectures. One of my 3rd year housemates was in the same situation in first 2 years but then she got a house with us in 3rd year. Living away from home is a good experience, you learn useful life skills. You'll be able to claim more loan. And you'll save money and be less tired and have more time to work/socialise. So I think it's worth it.

[E*F*4L]

if you are living closer wouldn't that mean you would have time for some sort of part time job ?

i know it may eat into your social time also which you want more of, but if a few hours bring in a few pounds it will all add up, i know jobs are hard to find at the moment though, will you also have to buy food etc as that will also cost.

i haven't been to uni but i would go for it & stay with them closer to uni

i'm not sure i should be asking this, but i know you said your parents are a bit old school as they think they may have to end up bailing you out if you get into debt, but if they are financially secure why not just ask them if they could help you out with some of the cost's involved, i know it's difficult but if you think they would be ok about you asking then it is worth a go.

trying to think of ways you could go about raising some cash.

[augusta92]

Jono, I love the idea of living independently and can see the attraction of wanting to have your own place, but If you have coped for 2 years at home without a problem, and managed to end up without owing anything on student loans, why not stay there for another year?

surely the third year at uni is about getting your head down and studying, so being able to stay at home and not worry about money, makes a lot of sense. If you have plenty of good friends whose sofas you can sleep on you arent really missing out on the social life in any case.

You can start to be independent and run your own place next year when you have a ppoper job!