Oakley Court is UoB’s most underrated accommodation

Pritchatt’s Park is an enigma to Vale residents past and present, who are always wondering why we’d put our first choice accommodation anywhere but Tennis Courts. Having to explain that not every UoB student lives on the Vale can get a little tedious, but let me tell you why we Oakley kids love where we live.

We have twice as many people than the average flat on the Vale

Oakley Court flats have a decent amount of people in them: up to 13 per flat. Of course, a smaller group may be fun if you all get on really well, but let’s be honest, that’s a big risk to take. What if one of them claps when a movie finishes? What if someone sounds like they’re swirling fish guts (yum) when they eat? What if someone breaks the flat mate rule? In a bigger flat there’s a bigger gene pool, so you’re more likely to find ‘your people’, as well as dissipate any awkwardness that may occur from cupboard space scandals or post-Snobs shenanigans. Plus, with a birthday pretty much every month, there’s always an excuse to celebrate. So the assumption that living anywhere but the Vale is a one-way ticket to social isolation is a little dramatic.

Can you tell we love our flat?

We live next to Tesco click-and-collect

We all have weeks when the thought of trekking to Aldi makes us vaguely ill. The convenience of a Tesco click and collect service steps from your door on Pritchatt’s is pretty drool-worthy, even if it takes a few more pennies out of our purses (not as much as meal plan though). It also gives us the illusion of feeling relatively adult when we have to sign for a food order.

17p lemonade is a yes from us

Have you seen the Oakley Court kitchens?

Yes we may have a window which basically covers the entirely of our front wall, making dressing gown mornings on the bottom floor a spectacle for all to see, but have you seen the kitchens? With 13 people we need all that cupboard space, but realistically barely any of us are in there at one time, making dinner prep a dream whilst providing a decent dance space for pres. The sparkly ironing board is also a big part of the charm, and after a few weeks you even start to appreciate the luminous green notice board, and learn how to avoid smacking your head on the extractor fan.

It’s a good feeling seeing people run past your window to their 9ams while you’re still in your pyjamas.

It’s really close to campus

A short walk along Pritchatt’s Road, down a little path and Bob’s your uncle – you’ve made it to campus. We have that extra ten minutes in bed, making 9ams slightly more tolerable. We’re also ridiculously close to the train station and Harborne for when we need to escape student life and explore the magical land of Home Bargains or conversely dream of a life where we can afford to shop at Waitrose.

So there we have it – you might not have heard of Oakley, but we’re pretty pleased with where we live, especially when we can hit our snooze button a few more times in the morning.