It is great, exciting uni experience with so much to do and see. Needs more study spaces, especially during exam period.

I believe the way we are assessed could vary a lot more as it is always the same way

Loved the experience but could be closer to a supermarket

The best aspects include socialising (in halls and on campus) as well as the access to great facilities such as Hartley Library. Lecturers also ask for feedback and implement it where possible. It could be improved by allowing students to bring their cars down

Lecturers are often engaging and provide sufficient content, and are available for extra guidance and support. However, in the Southampton Business School I feel as if some of the compulsory modules I take are slightly irrelevant to my chosen career. There is a good amount of contact hours (where the large majority are on-campus) but in the Southampton Business School, contact with tutors is poor. However this is not necessarily the case for other faculties (some of my other flatmates have regular tutor sessions).

The cost of living seems relatively average for a uni in the south of England, as student house prices are quite affordable. In general I feel very safe when walking around Southampton during the daytime and mostly nighttime (as a man). After nights out there are plenty of options for rides home depending on where you go, although buses stop running after 00:30. Part-time work opportunities are good - most of my flatmates have part-time work alongside their studies, and there are also work opportunities via the Student Union. I feel Southampton are very strong in providing many graduate opportunities due to the amount of career development fairs, schemes etc available to access. There is also a careers team you can go to for help regarding help for employment and advice on CVs etc. For a southern city I was surprised by how diverse Southampton was. Coming from London as a POC, I was expecting the city to lack diversity but there is always a mix of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds in the city. On campus, white students are the majority but you still don’t feel alienated (especially since there are many societies you could join to meet likeminded people from the same backgrounds, e.g ACS, Sikh society, Malaysian society).

I chose Wessex Lane since it was the accommodation with the cheapest ensuite. Overall this is the main advantage I saw, as well as the fact that the accommodation was very close to campus (15-20 mins walk or a 5-10 mins bus journey). However, these are the some of the oldest halls so most flats are not that modern. Other accommodations (such as Mayflower) are much more modern and up-to-date. They may also have fewer maintenance issues. For instance, there have been a few times where the hobs have stopped working in my flat. Wessex Lane feels extremely safe as there is 24/7 security and reception. The maintenance team and enabling services are also responsive following requests. Overall I am satisfied with my choice of halls, although I feel it is slightly overpriced.