deck the halls

So a couple of months ago I finished my first year of Uni...that feels so weird to type, I'm 20, and didn't even have a fun gap year filled with adventure, unless sweating your bigger-than-average bum off in a (will remain nameless) bakery 9-5 counts as an adventure.
Anyway, I was so happy to have finished my first year and be returning home, for various reasons..

1. I hated Uni.. but stuck it out! What a trouper I am...
2. My semi-long-distance relationship drove me closer to insanity, (there's only so many nights you can put his t-shirt on, listen to 'your song' and cry while looking at old pictures, trust me)
3. Halls..............I'm not sure I even need to expand on that point.

For some people, living in halls is the best time of their life. Non stop partying, hundreds of random new friends popping in, freedom! For others it can make you wish you were back at home, being shouted at for coming home too late by good old mum and dad.

After a couple of months away, I've started to think 'hmm, was it really that bad?...Am I making a mistake moving in with the boyf?', so just so I'm not tempted to beg for my cute little room back, I've compiled a list.

Reasons not to live in halls

1. Noise. Oh god the noise! I admit living at home wasn't the quietest experience, but at least my parents had the decency to shut the hell up at four in the morning. It's all well and good being loud and wild during Freshers, and yes, I love to go out as much as the next person, but sometimes all you want is a quiet night in. This. Is. A. Rarity. If you're living in halls, get used to no sleep. When I was up at 7am and the 5am parties became too much, I invested in ear-plugs, and ear muffs. They failed.
2. Dirt. No one likes to live in squalid conditions, oh no wait, my flatmates did. First, I cleaned up after them a lot, but when I got sick of this, I tried everyone's favourite method, doing nothing. I would clean up after myself, but as I had now cancelled my maid business, the dishes piled up, the kitchen counters grew mould, and I don't even want to talk about the fridge. Speaking of food, prepare to have yours stolen by hungry flatmates.
3. Pettiness. Eg, your flatmate 'confiscating' the washing up liquid because he was the 'only one who washed up'. It went too far when he confiscated the toilet paper...

I'm not sure if the pro outweighs the cons, and I didn't get along with everyone, but there was something so nice about coming home to a flatmate who cared about how your day had been. Think gossiping, watching films, ordering takeaways, indoor assault courses, flat parties, fancy dress, birthdays, cooking together, getting ready together and having someone just next door who you could speak to at any time (even if we did text rather than knock sometimes!) Uni nights out are the best nights out, and even though I'm not looking forward to going back, I can't wait to be nursing a hangover from an amazing night, with my boyfriend on call to bring me chocolate ;)

What did you think of halls?

x