As an international student, one of the hardest decisions for me before coming to university was choosing my student accommodation. From not even knowing what Asda and Lidl were to choosing the place where you’d call home for a whole year, it really felt like one of the hardest decisions of my life.
Luckily (or unluckily depending on how you see it), I was late to the first wave of accommodation releases and was left with only one AUB accommodation, Home Park. It wasn’t my first choice, but after seeing the pictures online, the facilities and the free bus pass I got that year, I bit the bullet and, needless to say, I do not regret my decision one bit.
One of the things that made me most comfortable was the reception staff. They were always so helpful no matter what time of day it was, from the early mornings to the late, late hours of the night. Even if you have the tiniest problem or you really, really want to pick up your Amazon package at 03.00, they are always happy to help. I still remember some days where I had to drag myself out of bed for a 09.00 lecture, and be greeted by the receptionist’s warm greetings and even the occasional free breakfast in the common room, and immediately feel energised.
After settling in and unpacking, my next task was to get groceries and get to know my way around. Living in Home Park most definitely made that process way easier for me. With a bus stop that goes to AUB and town centre just five minutes away, and Lidl and Asda being around ten minutes away, it made my weekly grocery trips and my transit to university super convenient, even for me, who has never been to the UK before university and who gets lost constantly, even in my hometown.
The views you get while walking to and from Home Park during the early evenings and mornings are a plus as well. Additionally, the train station is only 15 minutes away, allowing me to easily explore other towns and use cheaper train tickets at later hours, with the comfort of knowing my bed is only 15 minutes from the station. This came in especially handy during Easter and Christmas break, making my trips to London and Bath stress-free and easy.
Excluding food and travel, another extremely important part of university life is, of course, socialising. I had my concerns at first. I wouldn’t say I’m the most extroverted type, and as someone coming from another country, my biggest worry was any cultural conflicts or differences, especially with my flatmates. However, although my flat never got super close, we were able to adapt and work around each other’s habits quite quickly. Even though I never got close with my flatmates, that doesn’t mean Home Park didn’t help me to make friends.
One thing that stood out to me while researching Home Park was its cinema room and its common room. The common room was quite spacious, with table tennis tables and the occasional puzzle laid out on the table, and the cinema room was open to rent out to anyone staying at Home Park. Thus, while making use of the incredible air conditioning in the common room, I was able to easily make friends just by staying by the sofas and picking at the puzzle pieces during Freshers' Week.
This slowly grew into a small weekly Barbie movie watch-along group that met in the cinema room. I never could have imagined that I would find this wonderful group of people to revisit our childhoods and sing karaoke with if I hadn’t used these facilities. It became something I looked forward to every week. Even if the movie was cringy or we had a hundred technical issues while trying to run it, the people I met there always made the room glow. Hopefully we didn't accidentally get too loud and wake anyone up! Not only that, but Home Park also hosts monthly events for everyone, such as movie watch-alongs, bingo nights, crafting workshops, and so on, with the most memorable event for me being a Lush workshop where I got to make my own avocado face mask and learn how to give a hand massage. It truly never gets boring there.
With all this in mind, a small piece of advice I would give is to step out of your comfort zone. Cliché, I know. All these conveniences and facilities are available to you, but it truly depends on you to use them to the fullest and put yourself out there! The cinema room or the convenient bus stops won’t physically force you to meet people or start a conversation, but they can definitely help. This is easier said than done, but remember that everyone probably feels the same as you – anxious and unfamiliar with this new environment. Plus, even if you accidentally do something you think is embarrassing, I can assure you no one will remember it in a week, especially if it’s during Freshers'. So don’t be afraid to start up a conversation.
After nine months, I packed up all my things and moved out of my cosy flat and said goodbye to my flatmates and Home Park. Although I will miss the air conditioning, my poster-covered room, the cinema room, and the reception staff, I am looking forward to my next year of studies, and I wish all the freshers who will move into Home Park have as good a time as I did while staying there.
