Are you wondering about the first year flats and dorms at Royal Holloway? Royal Holloway is not winning when it comes to accommodation – in fact, it barely makes it to the race. Considering it is quite a small campus compared to other universities, subtract the need for academic buildings for numerous departments, cafeterias/restaurants and on-site clubs and you are left with a little area for student accommodation. Below is a countdown of Royal Holloway’s worst to best accommodations with the main good and bad points of living there, taken from a survey of first year students.
Good: The closest to academic buildings so you can wake up as late as you can for your lectures, which is great if you have 9am lectures. The most lit pre-drinks and socials happen at butler, if there’s something going on there, best believe you will enjoy yourself. It is close to SU and Medicine (2 on-site clubs) so you do not have to drag your tipsy self too far before you get to your room.
Bad: It may get too noisy if you’re trying to sleep because most people pass your accommodation. If you are not the social type then it may be very difficult for you living here. It does not have a laundry room but Tuke which is next door to it does.
Good: The main thing is many people just love Wedderburn. It is all en-suite and still has a communal bathroom for those who want to soak in a bath tub and reminiscence about the essays they have not started. Close to the gym and sports hall which is great for fitness fanatics . Has a spacious kitchen shared by 8 people which is as decent as it gets for Royal Holloway.
Bad: It is far, a bit isolated and in the forest. Although it is only approximately 10 minutes away from the furthest lecture building so when students say it is far we mean “We are lazy and like to complain”. The little isolation means residents of Wedderburn (and Gowar which is opposite) have a bit more privacy. Security hardly come over for check-ups which may be good because parties hardly get shut down here but it may be bad for if an incident is occurring (campus security are very fast in getting to a scene though). So, in a way the bad points of Wedderburn are not really bad and Wedderburn is infact great and probably the best, BUT the fire alarms. Fire alarms regularly goes off at odd times in the night due to Wedderburn and Gowar beef (which is mindless because they are both isolated together and the issue between them is hereditary and instinctive. Although the hatred is just fun and nothing serious, the fire alarms are not). Laundry must be done in Gowar because there is no laundry room in Wedderburn.
Has the same good and bad points as Butler except it has its’ own laundry room which is a plus because you do not drag your laundry further. It is #3 because it is right next to Butler which kind of steals Tukes’ thunder because the socials at Butler are the best. Tuke is like the fine and smart sister who lives under the shadow of her finer and smarter twin sister.
Truth be told Williamson is irrelevant and unmemorable. There is nothing memorable about it. It is a very stable accommodation where the play hard and work hard motto seems to strive so if you like a little bit of everything this is the accommodation for you.
Good: Laundry room is in accommodation so do not have to venture far to do laundry.
Bad: It is opposite Wedderburn so similar but just not rated like Wedderburn. It does not have a communal bathroom. Unlike Wedderburn it has a common room, although hardly any socializing happens there (mainly yoga lessons occur there).
Good: The most beautiful accommodation in the whole of Royal Holloway. The beauty of Founders is known by students across the UK. It has been used to film scenes in Midsomers Murders, and Harry Potter (as Hogwarts). Some of the rooms are very spacious (East block). Founders is a very traditional hall.
Bad: The clock in Founders goes off every hour. It never stops working or misses an hour. This is horrible for having any good sleep during the day or night (of course you get used to it but if you are a light sleeper this is not for you). Security is very tight here so parties, pre-drinks, gatherings, anything causing noise gets shut down. This takes away the university experience, it is like your parent telling you to go to your room because you have a long day tomorrow. It has no kitchen which is sad but at least the common room has a microwave, toaster and kettle which is necessary whether you cook or not. It is catered for but the food is not highly rated (what do you really expect from a student cafeteria?). Shared bathrooms for all which is not ideal as the showers can get nasty.
Good: very decent price for an en-suite. Comes with a kitchen but a lot of people share a kitchen which leads to overcrowding making it hard to use the kitchen at the same time. Close to the Student Union shop and back gate (which is the quickest exit to the high street). People cannot see you using your kitchen like in Butler, Tuke, Williamson, Wedderburn and Gowar.
Bad: It is a bit hidden (which can be a plus depending on how you like things). It does not look as fancy or nice as the top 6 accommodations. More people living there so it can get cramped. Have to walk to Founders’ cafeteria for food (it is a catered hall) which is not ideal, especially during winter.
Good: Mainly international students live there so get to meet more people from different places and cultures which is a good experience.
Bad: It is a bit hidden (like Reid). It has a very small kitchen. Mainly international students live there which may not be ideal if you do not like the smell of international dishes.
Good: Close to the university campus (3 minutes away) but not in campus which is good for when you need to physically remove yourself from the university environment due to homesickness or just adjusting to the independent lifestyle.
Bad: Shared bathroom which is always a problem. No communal area so nowhere to relax and socialise in this accommodation. No table in kitchen so cannot stay there either to eat, chill or socialise – must eat in rooms or stand in kitchen.
Good: Residents of this accommodation make up their own community because they are so far away and isolated they all make the extra effort to have and maintain friendships. Free bus to and from campus is provided so you do not have to do the long walk.
Bad: Heating and water normally act up so you can be left cold or without a shower which the university does not compensate you for. The free bus has a strict schedule and is regular but not regular enough to be convenient. You have to wake up early enough to get ready and make it for the bus – this can be a pain for 9am lectures and does not allow you to sleep in-between lectures (that are 1 hour apart that is). If you apply to exchange or leave Kingswood 1 after being there for a while and get rejected or cannot find another accommodation, your time there will be miserable because residents do not take likely to people who want to leave the community. It is like an episode of Escaping Polygamy.
Kingswood 1 is worse than 2 because it is shared bathrooms only and has no en-suite which means it can be very nasty.
Sometimes, the university cannot provide accommodation for everyone and you are left without a place to stay even as the term starts in September. Do not be worried because you may be able to get a place in The Podium (which is opening September 2017) or The Pad. These accommodations are both owned by the university and are quite close (4 minutes away from the side gate of the university). They are quite luxurious and comfortable but very pricey. Another option is to join Royal Holloway Facebook group chats and message second/third year students who are looking for extra housemates to fill their house. However, this means that you will not be on campus and depending where the house is may be quite a distance. You will not have the full first year university experience and will have to try harder in making friends but you will be living with students who have already been through first year so will have a lot of good advice to give you. Also, the university hosts Home/Commuting meet-ups during freshers’ week for people who are not living on campus to meet themselves and make friends.
The ranking is made up of how majority of first year’s feel. Everybody is different and likes different things so what makes Butler #1 might make you rank it as the worst. Just look at the points in this article and the Royal Holloway website for the contract deals for each accommodation and best price for your budget to make your decision. If you do not get an accommodation in the top 5 do not worry because most first-year students love the accommodation they are in. Even former Kingswood residents that are now second and third year students claim they would not change having ended up at Kingswood because of the experiences and laughs they shared. A piece of advice, embrace whatever accommodation you get – except Kingswood 1, if you get Kingswood 1 run. RUN.
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