Who Goes to Queen's?

aidoh

Hi,
I just got offered an MSc in QUB that I really want to accept.
I live in Dublin and I'm trying to weigh up my options as to whether it'd be better to commute daily (I think there are taught modules on only 3 days for the first few months) or to stay up there in a gaff/flat for the year.
Does anybody from boards have experience commuting to Belfast from Dublin?
is it really as much of a big massive arse-ache as it looks?
What's the quickest commute?
Thanks for any replies.

pow wow

It is about as much as an ache as it looks - the trains are pretty slow and the traffic if you're driving can be heavy once you hit Sprucefield and on into Belfast from there. Will you have many contact hours? We only had 6 but everyone from ROI moved up rather than commute.

fasttalkerchat

If you start at 10am its going to be a drag sitting in traffic on the motorway everyday. Trains aren't too bad IMO but have got dearer than a few years ago. If you live on the M50 northbound and dont have 10am lectures you can be in uni in 1 hour 45mins or so.

NiallFH

I go to Queen's and have lived there in both private and university accomodation, I would recommend it, especially halls, it was brilliant.

5 minute walk to class or an hour and 45 minute drive aswell as missing out on the experience, not worth it imo.

HavingCrack

My lecturer does that commute 3 days a week in the opposite direction: commtues from Belfast to Dublin. The person in question has to be in for 9 30 or so so is up at 6 every morning and on the train by 6 30. They wouldn't get home until 9 pm or so at night. He's been doing that for 7 or 8 years now so it must be doable enough.

aidoh

Thanks a lot for the replies everyone.
I guess I'll have to find out what time my classes will be starting at each day.
My idea at the moment is to (maybe) commute up for the first semester. If my classes were to start at about 10 I could do it by train easy enough everyday since the Belfast train goes right past where I live.
But then I'll be doing a research project some time in semester 2, running through the summer so I suppose I'd have to live up there if I was in a lab/doing field work or whatever every day.
Any good websites to look at for gaffs?
The Queen's accommodation seems a bit pricier than private sector and if I end up only living up there for one semester I don't think that'll swing with the university owned flats, since they all seem to be year-long contracts.

fasttalkerchat

aidoh wrote: »

Thanks a lot for the replies everyone.
I guess I'll have to find out what time my classes will be starting at each day.
My idea at the moment is to (maybe) commute up for the first semester. If my classes were to start at about 10 I could do it by train easy enough everyday since the Belfast train goes right past where I live.
But then I'll be doing a research project some time in semester 2, running through the summer so I suppose I'd have to live up there if I was in a lab/doing field work or whatever every day.
Any good websites to look at for gaffs?
The Queen's accommodation seems a bit pricier than private sector and if I end up only living up there for one semester I don't think that'll swing with the university owned flats, since they all seem to be year-long contracts.

Best place to go is queen's halls tbh. The Holylands is the student area. Nearly every house advertised there will be for students.

HavingCrack

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

Best place to go is queen's halls tbh. The Holylands is the student area. Nearly every house advertised there will be for students.

The Holylands is an absolute kip, even by student flatland standards. Stranmillis is a much nicer area for much the same price.

NiallFH

Really do avoid the Holylands with a passion, its a dirty hole, the houses are terrible.

Also keep in mind the prices in Halls include, Internet, heating and electricity, thats all seperate in private rental

pow wow

...but the halls can be crazy crazy noisy. Good websites to have a peek at are gumtree Belfast, spareroom.co.uk (BT7 is around Holylands, BT9 is around Stranmillis) and daft.ie

NiallFH

True enough, if your a first year though that tends to be a good thing, I can sleep through noise so if I ever didn't go out and others did it never bothered me.

You can apply for Quiet living, non drinking and single sex if any of those appeal

munchkin_utd

pow wow wrote: »

...but the halls can be crazy crazy noisy.

BUT...

there is a reason why the postgrads have their own separate accomodation!
The OP is doin an MSc so fits in that category and can get into the more quiet sedate halls .

Now, regarding the minimal amount of taught classes.
I dont know what course you are doing, but I did the Computer Science Msc and the lecture hours werent too bad but there was an awful lot of practical work to be done in the computer labs out of hours (and sometimes into the early hours ! )
Not sure if theres even computer rooms any more or whether you have to do your practical exercises on your own laptop, but still and all, to do the practical exercises with the others was definitely a help.

And as the others say, accomodation in queens is so handy whether private or university ran. Everythings just a short walk from each other.

pow wow

munchkin_utd wrote: »

BUT...

there is a reason why the postgrads have their own separate accomodation!
The OP is doin an MSc so fits in that category and can get into the more quiet sedate halls .

This is very true and from experience the 'zoning' of postgrads at QUB is much more effective than it is at other colleges.

cassel16

I've been offered a masters in UUJ and seem to be stuck with the same dilemma. Only 2 or 3 days a week. I'd say best bet is to stay in Belfast. If I decide to take my offer its probably what I'd do!

mcpaddington

Hey there, I've also got offers from Queens and UU Magee campus, both of which I've accepted. I'm going to assume you guys didn't go to any of the info days that where on earlier in the year, so I'd just like to say that UUM and Queens accommodation (Elms Village) is roughly from €100-€120 a week. Both have nice accommodations and campuses too. I'd reccomend staying in the college accommodations though, lots of opportunities to meet new people, join some societies and take part in evening and weekend events. If you guys have any questions about either just holler.

aidoh

Thanks again everyone.
Yeah I reckon I'll live up there. It'd be much easier and probably good craic.
... now to get some money together

rojorolo

Honestly I would move up getting to and from Dublin would be a nightmare. I am from Dublin and moved up to Belfast years ago for University. The rents are cheaper cost of living is cheaper and everything is so compact there is little or no transportation costs except the odd late night taxi. There is also a better chance you may get work here if you needed to fund your time studying.

I second the post about Stranmillis lovely area right beside the park and nice coffee shops.

mac_iomhair

I'm studying up in Belfast too, Queens is a top top university. Really professional and helpful and a qualification from here is really well thought of by big employers in the UK. I would definitely recommend Queens to anyone. By the way if any of you want to arrange a house share in Stranmillis next year, maybe we can arrange something here?