I am studying for a Masters in Economics at the University of Edinburgh. I live in university-managed accommodation, Mylnes Court, which is within two minutes’ walk from Edinburgh Castle.
This is the oldest student accommodation in Scotland with a fantastic location. The Royal Mile is outside of my window and I can hear the fabulous sound of the bagpipes all day long. Princes Street is two minutes walk and the George Square campus is a fifteen minutes’ walk.
This building is traditional, which makes me feel like living in a castle, however, the facilities are new. There are elevators, a laundry room, a computer room (with printer) and a common room where residents can socialise.
My room is one of the four bedrooms in my flat and we share two bathrooms and one big kitchen, with all the necessary furniture and kitchenware. The kitchen is our social place where we usually come together to eat and enjoy each other’s company. I am lucky as my flatmates are all from different countries, this gives me a chance to learn other cultures and traditions, and also other perspectives for understanding this world.
This year because of the pandemic, the social life in the accommodation is quite limited. Although there are lots of restrictions, the Resident Assistants have worked hard to organise many interesting and fun activities online. My favourite has been the cooking lessons, whereby I have learned to cook new delicious recipes. Because of these online activities, I meet a bunch of lovely neighbours and we are good friends now.
There were many reasons why I chose university-managed accommodation, one was that you don’t need a guarantor, which is really helpful for students who are not from the UK. I have also made friends really easily as all of us are attending The University of Edinburgh.
For those students who want to meet new friends easily and close to the university’s campuses, University of Edinburgh student accommodation should be your first choice.
Please note, this student stayed in this accommodation during COVID-19. Guidelines on household numbers and socialising are likely to change in line with Government guidance.