What’s the best student area to live in? The Jesmond Question

It’s coming up to that time of year again. In the next few months you’ll either be arguing with your mates about where to move next year or secretly ruling out the people you definitely don’t want living next door to you for a whole 12-month contract.

The question remains, who’s finally going to man up and tell Mark that you’ve all decided on a smashing 4-bed and that there just isn’t room for him and his mess?

To give you the best chance out there we spoke to some third year students about their honest experiences in student living and asked them what advice they would give to their younger selves.

Jesmond

Jesmond is about a 25 minute walk from Uni and still stands as one of the most popular places to live for students. Despite the distance you can get into town on the metro in around 5 minutes and the busy bars and shops make for a great student atmosphere.

Who wouldn’t want rowdy students right outside their window?

However, third year Elliot, who is now a self confessed Sandyfordian, described Jesmond as “noisy, pretentious and expensive” and said he “paid £88 a week to live in cold, dark cave by a main road.”

Along with the expensive rent Elliot was also unimpressed with the “shit tap selection” in the bars and pubs…

English Literature student Grace was another brave soul who tested the waters with Jesmond in her second year, before then resorting to a cheaper way of life for her final semesters. She was unhappy with the level of crime in student areas, “I lived next to the poshest school in the North East and I still got f*****g robbed.”

Regardless of rent prices and distance there are definitely more than enough places to keep you busy procrastinating. Dene’s deli and Rehill’s corner shop, which become somewhat of a daily ritual whilst living in the area, are a brilliant place to start-not to mention pets corner.

Nothing like coming home to your pet wardrobe

Heaton

Two words – Butterfly Cabinet. If the large houses and cheap rent aren’t enough to sway you into moving to Heaton then this little gem of a cafe should push you over the edge. The Butterfly Cabinet should receive commission from all the local letting agents for keeping them thriving in business. Heaton is the new up and coming student area and still only about a 20 minute walk from City Campus, so still close enough to make you feel guilty for riding the Number 1.

Go on, treat yourself

Third year Abigail, who has now lived in Heaton for almost three years, spoke about her initial jealousy over students in Jesmond, “everybody cool lives there, I wanted to experience living in every area before the end of Uni but I just couldn’t afford it.”

Sandyford

Sandyford is in the perfect location, talk about waking up at 8:50 for a 9am lecture. It doesn’t get better than Sandyford unless you’re taking your sleeping bag into the basement-which isn’t a bad idea to save on rent and utilities.  Many students end up here after their adventurous and expensive year in Jesmond, sometimes you just want to stumble home after a night out and not pay  £9 for a taxi.

This is also where a few unfortunate freshers begin their University experience. Third year Geography student Alice told us “I didn’t get a place in halls so my first year consisted of three strangers and a maisonette, I hated it at first but in the end I had way more money than all of my mates. Sandyford is definitely the best place to live, it’s close to Uni and filled with students so you hardly ever get noise complaints.”

Be sure to hunt around, choose your nest wisely and try your best not to fall out with your neighbours on the first night. In some student areas you may be safe from noise complaints, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be safe from slugs…

Sid, the notorious 7th housemate