Eliot College (Halls Of Residence At The University Of Kent At Canterbury)

Member Name: kimm

Product:	Halls Of Residence At The University Of Kent At Canterbury
Date:	30/08/01 (1554 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Spacious, facilities, accessibility to campus

Disadvantages: Thin walls, cooking facilities

As an undergraduate, my first experience of halls was in Eliot College.

My room was reasonably large and had a small hallway where there was a cupboard and a sink. There was ample storage space. Having a sink in my room was brilliant, because it would have been horrible queueing up to brush your teeth in the morning. It was also great when you had to do handwashing...when you seriously ran out of clean clothes.

I had an excellent view looking down the hill onto the city and the cathedral. The windows are massive and one piece of advice, is never to mess about near it when open. I was sitting on the back of a chair and almost fell out once! Also, when it snows close your window or you may receive a few snow pressies (yes, we all did it).

It's nice and warm in the rooms and the free heat is good compared to realising that one has to pay bills, at such an early age.

Furnishings were reasonable, although I'm sure the curtains and blanket were the original ones from when the uni first opened. Everyone brought their own anyway as you never know if they have been cleaned for that length of time either. But, if you don't have it or are unable to bring it, it will do. You get clean sheets once a week...if you canbe bothered to change your bedclothes that often.

There is a very tiny kitchen (cupboard like) where you are allowed to boil water on the 2 ring stove. There's also a kettle. Of course we tried to cook 3 course meals on this stove! Just don't fry as it sets the fire alarm off. There isn't a fridge, so many people hung plastic bags out of the window. Its ok, for making pasta, but difficult for anything involving more than 2 steps.

Breakfast is included and you get a meal card which gives you huge reductions. The breakfast is OK in Eliot, but you can eat at any of the other colleges. Keynes is the nicest. It's worth dragging yourself out of bed for. The food varies,
and Eliot happened to be the worst. So, as I was a veggie I went to Rutherford. The meals work out really cheap with the meal card.

Washing facilities, if you can't take it home to mummy is in the basement. If you can find it! Eliot college is a maze. The machines are old and complicated. It's easier and less scary to take your washing to Rutherford where you only have to decide if it is white or coloureds.

There is a small shop next to the JCR. Its OK, but they used to drop the cakes on the floor, so be warned. Events are not bad, and the bar is OK. If you live near these places, it can be a bit noisy but you'll probably be out anyway.

The major advantage is its at the centre of the campus. Excellent for rolling out of bed in the morning to a lecture. Sometimes it's in Eliot and that's just downstairs. The library is a 2 minutes walk, as is the Computer Centre etc. There's a computer centre and library in Eliot too.

Drawbacks are that the walls are very thin and the cleaner comes in and cleans your sink etc even if you are still in bed.

It's also really easy to make friends as you are in corridors and there's about 500 people in Eliot to choose from. I had an excellent time.

UPDATE

I've just got back from a reunion at Kent Uni and I stayed in Eliot College. It is mostly the same except they now have carpet in the corridors.

The bar has been done up, but they have painted it in psychodelic colours and its quite painful to look at the walls. They used to leave the JCR open all night so you could go down and play pool to all hours, bu now they kick you out at around 11.30 and lock it all up!

There is a small shop in the entrance and it sells the essentials. There are also photcopying facilities in the Porters Lodge. A short walk across the walkways is a new set of shops. Beware though it is very expensive! The UKC merchandise
was expensive too. The new Student Union Building good from the outside. We didn't get past the reception desk though because they didn't believe we were ex-students who were paying taxes to upkeep the damn thing! So, generally there is an improvement in facilities although it still lacks car parking spaces. I would still recommend it as a place to live in, but the food is still the same (undercooked eggs etc).

Summary: