1st Year accommodation question(s)

ldxo15wus6fpgm

Ok I read the FAQ, but I have a couple of questions:

Are Shanowen Square/Halls the only private apartment complexes for students? The other colleges seem to have loads and a grand total of 380 ish apartments (as per the FAQ) seems a bit small for approx 6,000 undergrads. I mean I know plenty of students would be living in houses etc. but even if every apartment was 5 beds you wouldn't even get a third of them in!

Where would you recommend to a first year? The arranging for guests in advance thing for on campus acc. is kinda bugging me, It's pretty extortionate paying a fiver every time you want to have someone over, never mind the fact that it would be a pain in the hole organising it every time.

How far are shanowen/larkfield from the local night spots?

I guess the first and last aren't so important, but I would like to know where you guys would point a first year to!

Cheers people

Nekro Man

Matteo Fluffy Spy wrote: »

Ok I read the FAQ, but I have a couple of questions:

Are Shanowen Square/Halls the only private apartment complexes for students? The other colleges seem to have loads and a grand total of 380 ish apartments (as per the FAQ) seems a bit small for approx 6,000 undergrads. I mean I know plenty of students would be living in houses etc. but even if every apartment was 5 beds you wouldn't even get a third of them in!

Where would you recommend to a first year? The arranging for guests in advance thing for on campus acc. is kinda bugging me, It's pretty extortionate paying a fiver every time you want to have someone over, never mind the fact that it would be a pain in the hole organising it every time.

How far are shanowen/larkfield from the local night spots?

I guess the first and last aren't so important, but I would like to know where you guys would point a first year to!

Cheers people

Larkfield is on campus and subject to the same rules and regulations as hampstead or college park.

shanowen aint that much further away from town because it's near enough to campus, they'r much more relaxed on security from what i've heard.

ldxo15wus6fpgm

Mr.S wrote: »

First year-> head to larkfield. Its only for first years, so you meet lots of people in the same boat as yourself, make lots of friends, lots of parties etc etc.

You'll get over the whole having to pay for someone to stay over rule, plus there are ways around it.

Larkfield/DCU is about 20mins from the city center, so taxi is only about 2euro each if your sharing. Drumcrondra is just down the road, but apart from Quins (late bar/club) theres not much going on there.

Ok, sounds pretty good. But I think I'd rather have a few people in the flat rather than just one other person... Oh well...

Benny Lava

Living on campus will mean you will have some ridiculous rules imposed on you (such as the fiver for a guest) and Larkfield is quite squalid.

However, from a social point of view Larkfield is the best place to go.

ldxo15wus6fpgm

Benny Lava wrote: »

Living on campus will mean you will have some ridiculous rules imposed on you (such as the fiver for a guest) and Larkfield is quite squalid.

However, from a social point of view Larkfield is the best place to go.

Are the apartments all in seperate buildings or is it just one giant complex? And if they're seperate buildings, which I'd assume they are, is there a security office in every building i.e. would they stop you from going to a friend's apartment after 12?

Daysha

Matteo Fluffy Spy wrote: »

Are the apartments all in seperate buildings or is it just one giant complex? And if they're seperate buildings, which I'd assume they are, is there a security office in every building i.e. would they stop you from going to a friend's apartment after 12?

They're 3 different buildings, all of which you go in through the one entrance where they check your student card to make sure you live there. But once you're in you can roam between the 3 different places all you like.

ldxo15wus6fpgm

Ok, thanks guys! I do have one more question though, I've read that the security guys can enter your apartment at any time, would it be common for them to do random spot checks and the like?

Nekro Man

Matteo Fluffy Spy wrote: »

Ok, thanks guys! I do have one more question though, I've read that the security guys can enter your apartment at any time, would it be common for them to do random spot checks and the like?

nagh, unless you'r having a party and you get reported, they have to knock each time tho so you'r given time to stash the consumables.

Nanaki

In 2 years on campus I've never had security do a "spot-check"

redout

Matteo Fluffy Spy wrote: »

Ok I read the FAQ, but I have a couple of questions:

Are Shanowen Square/Halls the only private apartment complexes for students? The other colleges seem to have loads and a grand total of 380 ish apartments (as per the FAQ) seems a bit small for approx 6,000 undergrads. I mean I know plenty of students would be living in houses etc. but even if every apartment was 5 beds you wouldn't even get a third of them in!

DCU website quotes 1,100 rooms for accommodation.

Think the breakdown was 1,000 undergrad and 100 postgrad.

Pygmalion

Matteo Fluffy Spy wrote: »

Ok, thanks guys! I do have one more question though, I've read that the security guys can enter your apartment at any time, would it be common for them to do random spot checks and the like?

Security have never come into my room or the room of anyone I know.
There are definitely no "spot checks" of the sort anyway.

They do have a few inspections a year, but that's mainly just to ensure nothing's broken and stuff, you get 2 or 3 weeks notice both by email and by a letter being put under your door.

Choc123

Ah the memories of Larko!

Firstly, I'd point out that if you get 500 points or above, they normally put you in Hampstead as a sort of reward...not always the case though.
Regarding the security, the majority of students would agree that the campus res security are bang on. You will get Eddie coming up to your window shining a torch now and then but they don't actively try to annoy students and ditto what the other poster said, spot checks don't happen.

Regarding guests, as long as you have them in by half 11 then you don't have to pay (probably more applicable to relationships ). Obviously if you are coming in from a night out, you will have to have them signed in!

The nightlife in DCU is quite poor but there generally is good craic around the place if you throw yourself into extra cirricular stuff.

And yes, Larkfield is a bit like a prison but for first years, what more do ya want than a place where everyone is a first year and all looking to get on and make friends. You won't be doing much study until the last couple of weeks in the semester so take Larkfield, guarantee you'll be glad you did.

ldxo15wus6fpgm

redout wrote: »

DCU website quotes 1,100 rooms for accommodation.

Think the breakdown was 1,000 undergrad and 100 postgrad.

That's what I mean, 1000 odd rooms for 6000 students... seems quite small.

EDIT:

Choc123 wrote: »

The nightlife in DCU is quite poor...

Is this a general consensus thing or do you just come from somewhere with a great night life

Noodleworm

A lot of people in DCU are from around Dublin so still live at home and commute. The on campus accommodation is only about 1000 people.

Shanowen is privately owned, along with a few other student places like Gateway, up in ballymun.

Im just in the process of moving my last few boxes out of larkfield and will be lining in Hampstead next year. I'm not sure where people are getting this "like a prison" stuff. Its still more freedom than living at home. Parties seem great untill its the person above you having one, when your trying to sleep for early class. I came to be pretty thankful for securities rules otherwise I think Id have killed someone in a sleep deprived state.


When people talk about a lack of nightlife Id say its just that theres no clubs around. Theres the campus bar which is fine. also joining as many societies as possible gives you options. After a while I found myself leaving the apartment at 9am and not coming back till half 10/11 at night between class, hanging out with people and societies.

redout

Matteo Fluffy Spy wrote: »

That's what I mean, 1000 odd rooms for 6000 students... seems quite small.

Noodleworm wrote: »

A lot of people in DCU are from around Dublin so still live at home and commute. The on campus accommodation is only about 1000 people.

This would be a primary reason ^.

A racy brainrot

Any thoughts on Hazelwood??

MightyMighty737

Seems very expensive with the €15 a week for electricity and internet ontop of yer 95 a week or whatever it is.

Also, there's no chance in hell it's a 5 minute cycle to campus.

redout

MightyMighty737 wrote: »

Seems very expensive with the €15 a week for electricity and internet ontop of yer 95 a week or whatever it is.

Also, there's no chance in hell it's a 5 minute cycle to campus.

is €15 a week ESB per person ?

Remember the good aul days of fighting whose turn it was to buy the €5 meter card.

Had many a cold shower in the morning before college because of no electricity!