Living in Halls

Whilst living in halls its very likely you’ll be sharing spaces and amenities with fellow students. This can be a great opportunity to make friends, however it can also involve setting boundaries and balancing everyone’s different needs and daily schedules.

Here are some top tips for respecting your fellow flatmates and setting boundaries: 

• Be respectful – everyone has different sleeping patterns so be mindful when making noise. 
• Keep shared spaces clean – tidy up after yourself after you’ve used something, and try and make a cleaning rota for shared jobs 
• Communicate with your neighbours and flatmates – set up a WhatsApp group to keep in touch with each other. Make an effort to find out more about the people you are living with, this is a great way to make friends at University, and also helps to create an environment where everyone is included and looked out for  

Check out the UoR Student Blog for more advice from a fellow student on how to live happily and harmoniously in shared accommodation.

When living in a shared living environment, such as halls, its important to be mindful when making noise. 

Some helpful tips to help you avoid disturbing your neighbours: 

• Be mindful of slamming doors and running upstairs as these things can increase noise level for your neighbours
• Late-night phone calls - it's important to keep in contact with friends and family. Please just be mindful that late night phone calls can seem much louder. Consider moving to the kitchen or a communal area to chat 
• If you're a musician in need of a space to play your instrument, please be mindful of the halls designated quiet hours, and consider booking a designated space on campus and checking out the RSU societies webpages

It's also important to remember that communication is key, when some is making noise or asking you to keep your noise down, its important for both parties to be polite and have an open discussion. 

Experiencing excessive noise? In instances where you might be experiencing excessive noise, or being continuingly disturbed by the noise of others, we encourage you to contact the Halls Hotline by calling 0800 029 1984. A member of the Hall Warden team will be in contact to support you.

Remember: Your Student Residency Agreement includes important rules about noise (see Clause 2.8.2). If you breach this clause, you could face an investigation under the Student Discipline Policy, which might result in a fixed penalty fine (starting at £100). None of us want that, so please be considerate and keep noise levels down.

Your kitchen space also offers a great social hub, and a chance to connect with your flatmates over a cup of tea, or maybe even sharing a meal together.

It’s also important to respect this shared space, and ensure it is a welcoming and tidy space for everyone: 

• Keep surfaces and utensils clean –  make sure the kitchen is left clean and tidy once you’ve finished using it. Although its tempting to leave the washing up until later, it’s important to ensure the sink is clean and ready for the next person using it. 
• Respect everyone ‘s space – it’s a good idea to decide in advance who gets to use which shelf on the fridge and kitchen cupboard, so everyone has a designated space when storing their food.
• Food safety – be mindful when storing foods such as raw meat. Check-in with your fellow flatmates to see if anyone has any specific dietary requirements or allergies, and be considerate when storing and cooking these foods. The Food Standards Agency has lots of helpful advice on storing and cooking food at home.

If you’re looking for some cheap and warming recipe inspiration to make yourself, or with your flatmates, check out the UoR Student Blog.

There are also nutritious food options available on campus and within our Halls, head to the Clever Cuisine website to find out more about the meal plan options available to you.