Best place to live in first year?

[FlyingCucumber]

Hi!

After lurking around for a while reading other people's posts I've finally decided to post one myself! I'm starting medicine in September (applied last year, deferring entry) and now it's possible to start applying for accomodation, which has lead me to 1) freak out about where I want to stay 2) freak out about the fact that I'm moving to another country soon, which might be why I'm freaking out at all

I know there's been a lot of discussions about this before, but where is the best place to live in first year? Is there anyone else starting this autumn who's made up their mind?

I don't want to spend more money than necessary on rent so places that are relatively cheap and good for meeting people seem about right I'm thinking of putting either Murano Street large flats or Student Apartments as my first choice, but maybe Student Apartments aren't very good for meeting people? They seem so convenient though!

Is it easy to get to know people when you start med school in Glasgow? I'm moving from Sweden so I'll be really lost if I don't!

[Faye101]

It really depends what you want from your accommodation. I'd definitely say that Murano is the best place to meet people. I've been a freshers helper for the past 2 years and always wish I'd stayed there in my first year (I stayed in QM halls) when I see people up at Murano. Student apartments are convenient but you might end up sharing a room with someone, this can end up being a good or a bad thing depending on your room mate. They're also a lot smaller than Murano so less people to meet, but then again that could mean a more tight knit group. Even though Murano is a bit further away from the uni its a pretty easy walk to get there and there is always other people walking down to classes when you are-another good way to meet people!

Its really easy to meet people once you're in Glasgow. There will be freshers week which means that the student unions will only be open to first years so you should take advantage of what they have on offer. Everyone is in the same boat during this week so its a great time to meet people. You'll also have your flatmates and the people you meet on the course. You'll be split up into your PBL and VS groups, and the people who are in these will probably become some of your best friends.

Sorry this has been quite long-hope it helps though!

[FlyingCucumber]

Thank you for your reply! Definitely not too long

I'm very much leaning towards Murano Street, now I just have to choose between small flats or large flats... I guess it's easier to get to know people if you're in a large flat but that it's easier to get to know people well in small flats? And probably more clean and quiet in small flats?

Either should be fun though! I'm glad I'm doing a degree like medicine, it seems like one of the easiest courses to make friends in from what I've understood

[Rex The Red]

DO NOT CHOSE SMALL FLATS - you'll end up in a cramped rubbishy flat which is often joked about as being "modelled on a finnish prison " :P

Large flats seriously!

Murano has the best social life for sure, Victoria halls (not an official place to stay with glasgow uni and out of town) is good for social life this year as alot of medics were dumped in thier due to lack of places haha.

Just keep well well away from Wolfson halls and all will be good!

Re student apartments - Sure they're convienient, but would you rather have alot of friends on your doorstep or your uni on your doorstep?

Also id strongly suggest you make an event on facebook for a pre-freshers get together, perhaps in Ashton lane (nude) - this way you'll have friends before freshers week and probably end up being friends with them for a good long time!!

[FlyingCucumber]

Very reassuring since I did indeed choose Murano Street large flats as my top choice I take it you live there?

Pre-freshers get together sounds like a great idea, thanks for the advice!!

How's life as a first year Glasgow medic? Is the course/city/people/accomodation like you thought it would be or even better? (or worse, but I'd like to think that wouldn't happen!)

[Rex The Red]

Haha i do indeed! Im in the 'posh' end of murano street. But wherever you end up You'll have fun

The course is brilliant - lots of stuff that you can actually use to 'advise' other people when they start asking you if they know anything about stuff; Popular topics including alcohol and contraception Also includes common diseases like asthma/stroke/CHD/Depression etc with added 'sociology' haha.
Only downside is that some stuff arent communicated very well, such as the community diagnosis project this year which wasnt actually explained very well if at all - but to no real disadvantage to anyone in terms of grades (perhaps?) just it'll make you sweat a little bit haha. Oh and the Labs tend to be boring as you like - exceptions beings Dissection and ones involving breathing into big plastic bags for 10 minutes... haha

City is amazing - literally EVERYTHING on your doorstep, and i mean everything. lots of disease to busy yourself with when you're 'studying' and lots of nightclubs to end up in when you arent

People are ridiculously friendly here, well at least, compared to southern english people that im used to (known for being particularly unfriendly ) mainly little things are different, like i was on the bus and some old guy started talking to me and asked what i was listening to!
Also the people on the course are especially friendly, me and my friends have all said that being a medic is like being part of a big family you have yet to meet! Perhaps that sounds pretentious, but as of yet it seems pretty true.

Accomodation (@ murano large flats) pros and cons:
-Pros: Huge social scene with flat mates/block mates/ other medics in murano, cheapish
-Cons: Mess, Mess, Mess, Dishes not being done, People using your butter/milk, Flat mates playing ring of fire in the kitchen at 4am whilst blasting out lady GaGa on the speakers, Damage you end up having to pay towards the repair of when said flat mates headbutt the strip lights whilst dancing to said music (haha!), Angry Woman (Psycho cleaner woman!), Fire drills at 6am (now and then!), And the park by murano haha.

The cons make it out im not enjoying it, but i really am. The bad bits ive mentioned (albeit damage which depends on your flatmates*) is pretty universal wherever you stay, the only difference is that murano has a better social scene - so really you get the default bad bits with the added bonus of having 11 people to hang out with!! ;]

*: For example My mate who lives in large murano flats with 4 other medics and 7 other non-medics (all girls) have only one tiny bit of damage costing them about 40 quid in total, however my mate living with 9 other non medics (all guys) have destroyed: three doors by headbutting/kicking/shoulder barging, a comm phone, the kitchen wall by throwing stuff at it, about 6 roof tiles, the shower curtains by tearing them off and the peephole on a couple of doors. costing them about well over 600 pounds in total!

For some reason everything in murano costs about six million times more than if you bought it and did it yourself, probably because of the 'obvious' costs of getting someone in with a screwdriver for 10 minutes and magically making it fireproof.

Its a good place for any first year to start as it gives you a good base of friends to hang with so you dont get lonely at all, but i promise you'll only want to be there for a year, but then again, thats part of the halls experience! ;]

[fortysixandtwo]

....

Hey thanks for all the great info. I cannot wait to get over there and get started. I loved the city when I was over for interview (I also have a cousin who lives there and her and her husband were able to show me around).

We certainly have to organise a get together for freshers week.

One question: I'll be 26 when I start the course so are there any halls that are more 'mature friendly'?

[Rex The Red]

No problem!
The best halls for graduates (ie older people) is Queen margaret halls as thats where all the post grads are, but its really up to you as to what you want; if you're the type who doesnt mind partying with 17-20 year olds then murano is just fine, as my flat mate is the same age as you and he gets along great

ps. Kudos for being a Tool fan!

[Faye101]

Here's all the info about accommodation at Glasgow:

University of Glasgow :: Accommodation :: Accommodation

I'm pretty sure there are halls specifically for mature students/postgrads.

[fortysixandtwo]

No problem!
The best halls for graduates (ie older people) is Queen margaret halls as thats where all the post grads are, but its really up to you as to what you want; if you're the type who doesnt mind partying with 17-20 year olds then murano is just fine, as my flat mate is the same age as you and he gets along great

ps. Kudos for being a Tool fan!

Tool are the best

Is there many graduates on the course? I heard figures of around 50 or so.

I'm in school at the minute with 18 year olds and I don't mind it at all. I've found out that age has very little to do with whether I get on with people or not.

Although I'm in 2 minds at the minute! Queen Margaret Halls look great too.