Living in a residence: Alone or in a shared room?

When we start working we have to become financially and family independent. We move out of our parents’ home and start to pay for our own way of life, many of us by living in a student residence.

Some of us have as a first option the occupation of a family house that is given to us to support us in this journey of starting to live outside the home where we grew up. Others have to opt for renting a place where they can finish their studies and start life without mum and dad.

This will probably be easier to assume if we move in with a co-worker or a friend from university. It is at this crossroads that we find ourselves when deciding about living in a hall of residence: alone or in a shared room?

Why is living in a hall of residence the best option?

A hall of residence is literally the space where you can live when you are a university student. So it is a space designed so that young people who are studying away from their parents’ home have a place to stay while they are finishing that stage.

They are usually located near the faculties and offer shared rooms for one or more students.

If you are a university student who is going to study away from home, it is normal that they will support you in paying for a place to live. And they will make you understand why the best option is to live in a residence. Because this option has many advantages, among these:

1. They are equipped to house university students, therefore, they have the characteristics and standards of a conditioned space for you to dedicate yourself to your learning without additional worries, that is to say.
2. They have study rooms, libraries, a computer room, a room for drawing and artistic activities, a room to meet with the study team, wifi service at no additional cost to the rental fee…
3. You won’t have to take care of the housework, prepare your meals, or make your bed, this is covered by your monthly fee.
4. You will be able to socialise and study with people who are in the same situation as you: they are university students.
5. There are also spaces to develop your sporting and cultural skills.

These are not the only advantages of living in a residence hall. If you want to know all of them, you can continue researching online or check the offer you are presented with.

Types of rooms you can choose from

• The main difference between the rooms you can choose from in a residence hall is whether you will share it with a roommate or you will be the owner of the whole space.
• If you are one of those who prefer to maintain your privacy, choose the one that is fitted out for only one person and includes a personalised bathroom.
• If this is not your condition and you are used to sharing your space with your siblings or other family members, then choose the one that allows you to have at least one roommate.

Advantages of choosing a single room

Among the advantages of choosing a single room when you decide to live in a residence hall for university students are the following ones

• You will be able to organise the space for your use and disposal at all times.
• It will always be more comfortable than a room designed for shared use.
• You will be able to maintain the order you are used to without interference from third parties.
• You will be able to dedicate yourself to your studies with fewer distracting factors.
• You can control your study and resting time according to your needs without relying on the position of others.

Advantages of choosing a shared room

Among the advantages of choosing a shared room for your university life are the following:

• You will meet students from other faculties and increase your social life.
• You will have help and an opinion to take into account for your study obligations.
• You will avoid the feeling of loneliness that comes at some point when you leave home.
• You will find it easier to adapt to change.

What should you take into account when making your decision?

After knowing all this, it is important that you know what you should take into account when deciding between a single or shared room during your university studies. And one of the most important is the economic aspect, single rooms are always more expensive and you should make sure you pay the monthly fee on time.

Another important reason to make this decision is your ability to live with other people different from your family. If you are one of those people who like to control your space it is better to choose a single room, otherwise choose to share your university period with a roommate, this is always more fun.