Hillhead Student Village

Having chosen Aberdeen University, one of the main things I was excited about was choosing my accommodation. I knew from the start that I wanted to live in Hillhead because it's where most of the student halls of residence are and where the majority of first years live. I thought that it would be the best place to be for meeting other first years and getting to know people. Friends who were already living in Hillhead told me that they wouldn't recommend it as a location and other friends said that I shouldn't stay in student halls because they'd be too noisy, but none of that put me off.

I chose North Court because we went to see some of the accommodation blocks on an open day and North Court seemed really nice: it had recently been renovated so everything was new and the kitchen was very spacious and well equipped for 4 people. It was also right at the back, away from most of the blocks so I thought it might be quieter. The only thing that I didn't like about it was the fact that the flats were only for four people - I wondered if it would be better to be in a bigger flat where you meet more people and there's more chance of getting on with at least one of them!

Having lived there for the past 7 months I can now say that I am very happy with my choice. The flat is really nice and you get a lot more kitchen space than most other flats I've seen - one fridge between two people and three cupboards each. One of the greatest assets was the fact that we each have a sink in our bedroom so there is never any pressure on the bathrooms. I had never wanted an ensuite and visiting rooms in the ensuite block New Carnegie only confirmed this: the bathroom takes up a lot of the bedroom space so you end up with a smaller room and if you have any visitors over they have to go into the bedroom to use the toilet. Plus, in New Carnegie you get a 3/4 size bed which further reduces the floor space. Having a flat of only 4 has its pros and its cons - on the bright side the chances of getting the kitchen to yourself are pretty high and you have to put up with less people making noise and mess but on the down side I didn't particularly bond with any of my small selection of flatmates. My hopes that North Court might be quieter because it's tucked away round the back proved to be unfounded. There were parties next door, my flatmates came home late and woke me up, I heard the bins being collected outside early in the morning and people shouting outside on their way back from a night out. But it wasn't every night and, with a good pair of earplugs, I got used to it.

Despite other people's warnings, I grew to love Hillhead. One of the main complaints about it seems to be that it is a long way from uni but it is only a 20 minute walk away, 10 minutes if you've got a bicycle and it's a lovely route through Seaton Park so really nothing to complain about in my opinion - it gives me a bit of fresh air and exercise and the chance to see the new plants coming up and the dogs out on their walks in the mornings. It is a long way from the centre of town but I hardly ever need to go there anyway so that's not a big problem. Hillhead is also just up the hill from Lidl so very convenient for shopping and it's only 15 minutes walk to the beach.

The main reason I love Hillhead is the central building. This is a building that is very underused and I think if people made more use of it they would appreciate the benefits of living in Hillhead a lot more. Firstly there are the study rooms. These are great for evenings or weekends when you aren't on campus near the library but you don't want to be in your bedroom. I've always been able to find a space there except during exam time. Secondly there's the Works. This is the canteen/bar that serves food and drinks every evening. It's a great place to meet friends as it serves relatively cheap drinks and has a varied menu. They often play good music there and it can even make a good study space if the study rooms are full or if you want a more relaxed atmosphere.

Beyond the Works, there's the Community Centre. This is comprised of a TV room which can be booked for watching films or group viewings, a music room, a lounge (with arts and crafts supplies, books, sofas and a pool table) and a large communal kitchen. The best thing about the community centre is all the activities put on by the SRAs (student residence assistants). There are cooking classes at least once a week which I often go to because they usually make something that I wouldn't bother making for myself, it's sociable, the recipe is often vegan or from a different country and it gives you a free meal. I've learnt to make bread, lasagne, gnocchi, hash browns, kimchi and pumpkin brownies. There are also other activities such as yoga classes, virtual reality taster sessions, ceilidhs, cultural evenings, gardening, craft sessions, concerts, comedy nights, film screenings and talks from guest speakers to name a few.

Finally, the central building has a big sports hall which, as well as being used regularly by various societies, is also available for playing badminton and table tennis. You can borrow all the equipment and it's very underused so I've found it to be available almost every time I've wanted to play. We've also used it for Scottish dance practise and as a study space in exam season. It's a great space and something I'll really miss next year.

I really couldn't imagine a better place to live for first year. It has made it so easy to meet up with people from my courses, both to study and to socialise. There have been such a lot of events put on by the SRA team that have allowed me to meet people and given me something to do in the evenings. I'll definitely be coming back next year just to use the facilities!

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