As the semester starts, most students have settled into their accommodation for the year, whether it be in a flat, university hall, or at home with whānau. This week, Craccum spoke to four students about their living situation and heard their thoughts on finding accommodation in Auckland.
Gina*, 21, Arts
“I chose to live in self-catered university accommodation this year because it’s in a great location close to campus and the city, has heaps of helpful support services and means I can live with my friends and be part of a bigger community. I am super privileged to receive the University’s Māori Postgraduate Scholarship, which means I receive a living costs payment that covers my rent. If I didn’t have a scholarship, there’s no way I would be able to afford to live in university accommodation paying almost $300 per week for a room in an apartment. Living in accommodation is really easy and convenient and I have heard from friends that getting a flat and dealing with landlords can sometimes be such a hassle, so I am extremely lucky and privileged to be in the position I’m in.”
Josh*, 20, Medical and Health Sciences
“I live with my parents because it’s cheap and easy. I want to get good grades while I study so I can get a job and move out when I graduate. I feel like studying at home is probably easier because there are less distractions. I do kind of feel like I am missing out on some of ‘the uni experience’ not flatting, but heaps of people in Auckland live at home because it is so expensive.”
Lily*, 21, Arts
“I was hoping that I could stay with my parents until the end of my degree, but a few lockdowns in, something snapped in my abusive parents and I knew I needed to leave. I emailed accommodation services explaining that it was no longer safe to continue living at home and asked if they had any extra rooms I could rent as I knew that many students had left halls to go back home. I received a reply from them months later. By that time, I had found myself an apartment which was discounted due to the shortage of residents.”
Devin*, 21, Commerce
“I live in a flat with five people. I love it because I get to come home from uni to my friends and have a social life as well as studying. We all get along well but sometimes we have to deal with shit from our landlord – stuff breaks, usual wear and tear, stuff like that and it’s really hard to communicate because he downright ignores us or tells us he’ll fix it but never gets around to it. But as far as landlords go he isn’t the worst of them, and I’m just glad to have a roof over my head.”
*Names have been changed.
