RESNdential: Advice for Moving Out of Home (Catered College)
a year ago
Stephanie is a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) student at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra after moving there from Moruya, a small town on the New South Wales south coast.
What type of accommodation(s) are you living/ have lived in (college, share-house, etc.), and what's your experience been like? What are the pros and cons?
I'm currently living at a catered college on campus which is very convenient for me and I really love being on campus because it's near everything and it's very central.
Living in a college, there's more people my age here than I've ever been in contact with and while it is exciting, it can be a lot, especially when you're first getting used to it because you're in contact with other people all the time.
If you're a bit more introverted, that's fine, because you can just retreat to your room if you want or you can go to a smaller college.
I've definitely considered other options but I'm happy with a catered college, because going into university is a big change and this has made it a little bit easier for me.
There are definitely some advantages to going to places like share houses or self catered colleges, because there's a lot more flexibility around your day and it is a lot cheaper and you’re a bit more independent as well, if that's what you're looking for.
How much does it cost per week for accommodation and living expenses? Were you able to access any financial assistance?
It varies a lot, you can do things like UniLodge or self-catered colleges, and they're much cheaper.
But for me, accommodation is $460 per week, which is a lot, but I'm lucky enough to be on a scholarship and if you can get financial assistance through Centrelink, I would strongly recommend it because it's very worthwhile.
I also had a job throughout high school which took a lot of the financial pressure of accommodation off and plenty of people have part time jobs at university but I couldn’t really fit that into my schedule.
I was lucky enough to have my mom sifting through the internet to help find the different financial options available because when you're studying, you often don’t have time for that sort of thing, so if you can get a parent's help you look that's very useful.
But if you can get Centrelink Youth Allowance, that’s very much recommended, it's a pain to fill out the paperwork but once you get it it’s good.
For scholarships, you will have to look at the university's website and find what's available. There are other options, for example, you can put your services and amenities fees for university on your HECS if you can’t afford them.
Are there any other living expenses at college that you were surprised about?
Well, textbooks are expensive, so bear that in mind. You don't have to have to get the physical copies but I like them and they're about $150 each.
Then there are the starting up costs when you’re moving away like getting a water jug, for example, it's important to have, and things like bed sheets because the bed is a different size, or new clothes for a different climate.
On a week by week sort of basis, laundry is about $6 which isn't too bad but it's more expensive than having it at home.
And if you want to go out with your friends that can add up quickly because there's a big culture about ‘Oh, just go get a coffee’, but $4 a day adds up, so as long as you keep on top of that sort of thing it's not too bad.
Have you got any other advice for anyone thinking about moving out for university?
I think just keeping a very open mind, because you'll have a lot of things that come up that you're not expecting but in the grand scheme of things, you can learn from every experience.
It is very different to high school and if you're coming to a large area, it has a different demographic, different social vibe. So if you just take everything, look at the fun side of things and do the best you can with every situation, you'll be fine and will have a great time.
If you’re keen to learn more about moving out of home, check out our Georgia and Annabel’s experiences in the RESNdential series! You’ve got this. ✌️