Campus rooms

Started a thread about the chances of getting a campus room a while back. Apparently you need to apply with a friend to live in Botany Bay, and I don't know anyone who wants to live on campus next year, so..
I was going to apply for a standard room with a shared kitchen and I think bathroom, but I was wondering how social they were? I only have about 7 hours of class next year so I'll be home a lot and I hate living on my own. If I'm not wrong there's not really a social space, people have TVs etc in their own rooms? Do people socialize in the kitchen?

What about Botany Bay? Can I apply there if I've already had 2 years in Trinity Hall? People I know who've lived there didn't really like the atmosphere, said it wasn't very friendly etc, which is the vibe I got, but it could have just been this girls flat.

Does anyone know about the NCI residence in the IFSC? It has lovely rooms but apparently its dodgy around there and I read in the rules and regulations that you are not permitted to have alcohol! Is that even legal?

xeduCat

IzzyWizzy wrote:

Started a thread about the chances of getting a campus room a while back. Apparently you need to apply with a friend to live in Botany Bay, and I don't know anyone who wants to live on campus next year, so..

Yes, you need to specify a partner for BB applications.

IzzyWizzy wrote:

I was going to apply for a standard room with a shared kitchen and I think bathroom, but I was wondering how social they were? I only have about 7 hours of class next year so I'll be home a lot and I hate living on my own. If I'm not wrong there's not really a social space, people have TVs etc in their own rooms? Do people socialize in the kitchen?

The only remaining standard rooms are in

a) 'sets' of two bedrooms, with a 'lounge' (living room / kitchen), which (depending on location) have their own shower/toilet or shared with other 'sets'. And you must apply with a partner.

b) there are also some 'standard twin rooms' which are big 'bedsittingrooms' with two beds, and all facilities (kitchen/toilets/showers) are shared with others.

c) single rooms with 'shared facilities', like the twin rooms except smaller. Socialising depends on the room - some kitchens are bigger than others!

Note that there are fewer of these with every building projects, so it's pretty much New Square and Rubrics (where there are few student rooms to begin with).

IzzyWizzy wrote:

What about Botany Bay? Can I apply there if I've already had 2 years in Trinity Hall? People I know who've lived there didn't really like the atmosphere, said it wasn't very friendly etc, which is the vibe I got, but it could have just been this girls flat.

You can apply alright, but your chances aren't great, unless you have a special personal reason for needing a third year of accommodation. Botany Bay is all selfcontained, so the 'vibe' is what you make it - the configuration is 2 or 3 people in a fully selfcontained apartment, including kitchen, living room, bathroom etc.

Another option is 'modern single' - Pearse or GMB - Pearse rooms are smaller but in less high demand ;-) and both are ensuite bedrooms (shower/toilet) with shared kitchens 'down the hall' (i.e. it's not like a shared apartment with a common front door or anything). Pearse kitchens are functional and don't have a table or seat or anything (or a proper oven), GMB are bigger and have a table and couch-like bench, and a bit more space. Having said that both rooms are recently done, nice wooden furniture (if a bit claustraphobic for some people), etc.

Goldsmith is similar to the above but with more sense of it being an 'apartment' shared with other people. You can, but don't have to, specify others (there are 4- per apartment) to share with. You can't do that for Pearse/GMB.

Last year, there were three price bands - standard, Pearse, and GMB/BB/Goldsmith.

Most of last year's info is still accessible at www.tcd.ie/Junior_Dean so you can dig around there in advance.

Also, don't underestimate the importance of the personal statement - have a think when you're bored about what you're going to put in there.

desertcircus

Was going to write a long post detailing all the differences, then xeducat goes and beats me to it...

GMB rooms are really nice if you like the idea of being self-contained. The rooms are big enough to fit two beds, a desk, and an electronic drumkit, with plenty of floor space left over. Having said that, they do get very solitary at the weekends in particular, and the shared kitchen tends to be very rarely used as a social space - I was the only person using my kitchen last year who actually ate in there instead of bringing it back to my room.

Botany Bay is really nice and apartments are really spacious. You have to apply with a person or persons for Botany, though - and remember that you'll be living with them for a year straight.

With regard to your chances of getting accommodation on campus: it depends hugely on your involvement in the college community. Involvement in the union, in societies or CSC, in sports clubs, in college publications are all taken into account, and if you have a strong application detailing involvement in those things then you have a pretty good chance of getting a room in the second round even if you don't get one this time.

Time Magazine

If I was to go for the Standard, do I get to nudge it either way? In other words, could I end up in the Rubrics if I wanted Front Square?

xeduCat

Well one half of front square is currently being renovated (which will make them 'modern' rather than 'standard'), and the other is scheduled to begin before the end of the current academic year*, so it's not really an issue...

* subject to change, of course