Hi guys,
Here's an email from Amelia. Answers anyone?
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To the Malaysian Society of the University of Essex,
Hi! It's nice to hear from someone i can identify with, and thanks for the warm welcome.
I'd like to take you up on your offer of bombarding you with questions about the university... so, here goes..
what dorm rooms are available? I'd like to get an insiders opinion on which rooms are better for university life or privacy...
when do I have to book accommodation by?
when do classes actually start?
will there be an orientation week prior to starting classes?
what about books and lecture materials?
i know in australia you have to sign up for tutorials and extra classes, is that standard procedure in the university of essec as well?
when are the holidays, and is it possible for a malaysian to travel around europe while being on holiday from university, do we need extra visas?
what is the community around the university like? is it possible to get a job in the surrounding areas?
thanks for your time!
Amelia
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Hey Amelia! Okay, I'm taking this opportunity to answer your questions just to change the pace of revision a bit - been stuck in a horrible monotony the whole day. Right, onwards:
1)All of the university accommodations cater for different types of preferences. Most freshers opt for the Towers - they're party central, and the huge common space (ie the kitchen) that everyone shares in the middle of the flat enforces interaction between flatmates. Rooms are fine - just the right amount of space, I'd say. It can get pretty sempit but then it depends on how much stuff you bring with you to Uni. I really loved being in the Towers during my 1st Year, mainly because it felt homely and there's just constant activity. However, the bathrooms are communal (two showers and four toilets among 14-16 people, I think), but if you're fine with that (as we have cleaners in every single morning), then it should be no problem for you. (Markus should be able to give you a better opinion regarding the Towers, he lived there last year)
Then you have The Houses. These are very homely, although if you're the type of person who loves adding on to their amount of junk, the room size might be a problem. They're quite small, unless they offer you the corner room (which would be Room 4), they're slightly bigger. There's more privacy in these parts (only 6 to a flat), and admittedly the kitchens in the Houses are the cutest. I live here this year, although for me it gets a bit too quiet at times. The view we get from our rooms is gorgeous though - we're closest to the park grounds and in the summer you're just a step away from green grounds (translated: water fights, slip and slides, frisbee games . . . all those summer activities lah).
And then, we have the Quays and South Courts. Both these accommodations have the largest rooms in Uni, and bathrooms are en-suite, so every years there's a high demand for both these accommodations. 8 to a flat, with a large kitchen - they're very generous with space.
The Quays is cool - I was there last year - although the only downside is that it's located off-campus. There's a 10-15 minute walk from Quays to campus through a cute little field (not so cute in winter, but the view's still fantastic). There's also a weird pedestrian bridge they constructed that you need to cross, quite tedious but necessary if that's the only form of exercise you'll get (as it was in my case, HA!). The area around the Quays makes it self-sufficient tho - there's another accommodation office located there, a cafe, a launderette (oooh very important), B&Q (DIY/homeware shop), and some sundry shops. Most student apartments are located next to the Quays too, so there's always a lot of people around.
The South Courts? I only have one word to describe it - Perfect.
2)As soon as possible, they'll tell you when you receive The Package from Uni (sounds ominous doesn't it? Haha)
3)October, either in the 1st or 2nd week.
4)Yes! And of course, the whole Uni takes advantage of this week - parties parties parties. I suggest you take the opportunity of Fresher's Week to get out, get used to the campus, meet as many people as you can (bc that's the best part), and try settling down. At the end of Fresher's Week there's a huge Fair, where you'll be able to sign up for clubs/societies and basically just mingle with the rest of your batchmates.
5) Youll be given a reading list online/when you attend introductory lectures to your courses, and most of the compulsory readings can be found in Waterstones (it's on campus), or at the library (no, really!). Lecture materials are mostly online, although some departments (like Law) do have them available on paper. It's all very easy-access.
6)A list of your classes will also be available either online or from yr department notice board, so pick out the ones that fit your daily timetable best and sign up. In some cases, you'll be assigned classes (Markus, was this for Econs? I forget . . ).
7)Three major holidays - Winter Break from December-January, Spring Break from March-April, Summer Vacation from June-September. No extra visas, once you're on your UK Student Visa you're fine to visit any European country for the duration of yr 3 years. Aren't we glad we're Malaysian?
8)The Student JobShop on campus is a big help - sign up with them during your first week, and they'll update you with job vacancies in and around Colchester. Additionally, you can work on campus in any of our clubs/eateries/bars (check the Student's Union website).
That's about it, hope this helps. I'm pretty sure I left a lot of things out, but I'm sure the rest of the M-Soc will contribute with more appealing details of Uni :)
i have totally no intention of answering on topic, but i must warn you of the horrible things that stalk the campus. it walks in the night, you can hear their voices echoing from anywhere you are, when you see one, there are sure to be many more unseen, trotting behind you.
the ducks.
well, ducks, geese, swans, rabbits, some thrushes, pigeons, crows and robins, and one cat.
the student life here is wicked! just last week there was these ducks mating on one of the squares. highlight of the year! brought the whole uni down to a stand still, it did! wild animals, those ducks.
Wan is jobless.
. . . But while we're on that topic, has anyone seen those tourist ducks lately? Theyre the ones always on Squares 3 and 4, looking lost. Someone should direct them back to the lake, poor things :\
I just want to get rid of the ducks mucking around south courts. Bising giler... On another note, good luck for finals guys!
Hi,
My name is Siti Norbaiti Abdullah (Baiti), 26 years old. I'm coming to essex most probably this coming oct (if i secured a scholarship) for my phd.
need some info on halal foods available there + choices of private accommodations that available as most probably i will bringing my family to essex as well (a hubby + 2 gorgeous kids, eheh ;) ).
how much can i get (cheapest) for a furnished house/apartment with at least 2 bedrooms?
i really appreciate the help + Markus, your info on essex really helps for me in getting some ideas about essex. My friends keep saying essex is pretty damn boring--> i guess different people will have different perspective, eh?
anyway, thnx in advance..
regards,
Baiti
Dear Kak Baiti....
Hi,
halal foods?
need no worries, we've got one halal food store that sell frozen halal food and other halal stuff at reasonable price.
its located behind tesco, which takes only 15mins by bus or approx 20mins by walking from campus.
sometime,some of the families here would prefer to go to ipswich becoz there are several shops that sell fresh halal meat as well.
You don't have to worry about that, for further information, you can contact some of the students that live with their families here to get more info on this.
There are also several halal restaurant in town and we have one as well in campus.
choices of private accomodation...
I am afraid i can't give futher info on that. you can take my email address, and email me later.
I can give you some of the sisters that live with families here.
Currently, there are 4 families here at essex. Most of them are doing phd.
I would say that the accomodation here quite expensive for family compare to other city such as Manchester but its still affordable.
Greenstead would be the cheapest( £500 with 2 bedrooms).
Wivenhoe would be a wonderful place to stay.(approx £700 with 3 bedrooms....)It is depend on your budget actually and the figure is only an estimation based on how much some of the families are paying now....perhaps it will increase in the near future~infaltion!ahahha..
That, you may have to deal with the estate agent.so, no worries,insyaAllah ok nye...=)
Here is my email: nahmadb@essex.ac.uk
Boring as hell? it depends actually....
well, i would say that Essex is brilliant! haha....bias huh?
i like this place, because its peaceful...well, maybe because i enjoy the nature-lakes, ducks, swans.... and most important thing, the people!!! I would say that people here overall are friendly....well, i am saying this based on my experience. I don't know about others.heheheh...
hope this might help you, Kak Baiti..
Do contact and I will be more than happy to help.
Warm Regards,
Norzakiah
hello amelia....
Accomodation at Uni.
Right now I'm living in South Court and has been living there for the past 2 years...
like most of the people said, its perfect! This is some photos of my room. Mind the mess ...heheh....just wanna show how the room will be looked like...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zaya/sets/72157600225781174/
Warm Regards,
Norzakiah
Hi Baiti and Amelia!
Baiti, zakiah is right. 500 pounds a month is as cheap as it gets for 2 bedroom flat/house. this normally excludes bills (elec, water, gas). hmm, you might be able to cut a little cost if you share a larger house with others.
you can run a couple of searches on the internet for houses to rent in colchester and if you want one of us to pay it a visit to 'inspect' a house, just let me know lah - markusncy [at] gmail [dot] com.
amelia,
the towers? they're quite a nice place to live in, depending on the flatmates you get. i was fortunate to get very nice flatmates. we always had someone's birthday or some event to celebrate together. we also hung out in the kitchens a lot. it's nice especially in the first year here as you get to make many new friends. drawback is that i found it kinda hard to study. with friends all on the same floor you tend to just chat and chat. and if you have a tv in your kitchen..
i've heard some horror stories about living in the towers though. if you're unlucky (or lucky?) and your flatmates like to host parties, it'll be normal for you to have a kitchen full of visitors and noise.
this year i'm in wolfson court (diff from south courts). 7 of us sharing 2 showers and 2 toilets. it's a nice place to be in. quieter than towers, and it's much cheaper than the houses or south courts. u get a wash basin in your room too.
yup neena, econs dept assigned us to classes. we had to pick our own for govt dept.
hey guys,
it's been a great help reading all this extra info on the university and university life - but i still have a few more questions...
Call me neurotic, but shouldn't the info pack have arrived yet? I can't even apply for my visa without some of the information in that pack...
I'm guessing it's cold there? So pack heavy? Or pack light and buy heavy when I get there?
Thnx Norzakiah for the photos, i like your bedspread;P
I heard something about a representative from the uni to help students travelling from overseas to acutally get to the uni from either the airport or the train station... what's the story with that?
Maybe I should wait for the pack...
amelia
p.s. don't worry - i'm well accustomed to fighting seagulls, ducks shouldn't be a problem...
well, one thing i know is to absolutely positively not buy a leather jacket. a fashion faux pas of mine. terrible stuff. plus its got cords with metal ends on it that knocked my teeth in when i tried to run. not good.
shirts are pricey, so i guess you can bring more than your fair share of clothes. a heavy coat and a sweater should see the winter out, but then again, a heavy coat takes up a lot of space.
truth be told, i wear something like four shirts on constant rotation. not the neatest beast on campus, i have to admit.
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