I've got a problem

A tough one and one that you may not know the answer too until you try it. In my experience if you don't sign up for halls early you can lose the opportunity. Could you therefore start off in halls and if it is not working out move to be with the person you know? That way you may have already made some connections in your early days in halls......

That may mean a loss of a deposit or forfeit of some rent on halls - though if you explain your situation to the university and your concerns they may agree to waive any charges if you decide that you cannot cope in halls.

It is just so difficult not knowing who you will be sharing with and the lifestyle that they will wish to leave - you may be lucky and find people that compliment your needs.

Not sure if that helps - good luck with the decision and good luck with your study

Mx

Have you got some good friends you could share a house with? If being in halls and finding you have got noisy drunken flatmates the University should try to move you to other accommodation which they will have as people drop out. My daughter's University had a block of accommodation for people who wanted a quiet life but it wasn't advertised as such. Have you spoken to the special needs people at Uni?

The right accommodation is essential, and if you are tied into a years private lease and it doesn't work out you are stuck with it.

If you are gregarious and a good sleeper halls might be bearable If you explain your situation you might be able to go in post grad halls which are more civilised. When I worked in my uni I was tempted to be a hall tutor but ended up buying a house instead. Anyway, halls differ vastly, I've seen good ones and ones like NCP car parks. Strangely some students never venture off campus. The first two weeks are the noisiest, then they tire of letting fire extinguishers etc...ah, memories!