From midnight Maccies to the joys of the deafening fire alarm: A love letter to Talybont South

Talybont South, the mothership of student halls. Everyone knows Taly South for being the most sociable and loud Cardiff Uni halls of residence, but there’s so much more to it than that. The thing is, when you’re actually living there, you don’t appreciate it for what it really is. But when you leave, you realise it was the best place in the world- aside from the silverfish.

So Taly South, here is every reason why we love you so much.

Big Tesco and Maccies are iconic

First things first, having a bloody huge Tesco Extra just a short walk away was a total LUXURY. The weekly food shop was no hassle and was miles better than having to trek across Cathays to Lidl, only to be met with some battered fruit and a limited alcohol selection. Nothing compares to this beast of a Tesco.

It had everything you'd ever want, a Costa, a pharmacy, a phone shop, makeup, an optician, clothes, biscuits and bevs. And, a midnight Maccies on your way home just topped it off.

A rare boring night in halls- Maccies? Essay break- Maccies? After a night out- Maccies? Hungover- Maccies? Uber Eats was not needed.

Zazu was a much loved legend

Second and third year are just DIRTY. Talybont South comes with it’s very own kitchen cleaner. Once a week, there was a nice clean of the hob and the work tops, the table and the sink, relieving the unsaid strain of trying not to piss off your clean freak flat mate.

Every Wednesday, the legend that is Zazu would come in and save the kitchen by doing a spot of cleaning. He’d whack the TV on, he’d ask you about your plans, sometimes he’d even have a little break and a sit down with a drink. Zazu is what Cathays needs for those times when you need a good old chit chat.

The luxurious en suite

Imagine rolling out of bed, taking two steps, and being in your shower. Imagine not having to get your feet dirty, going up or down stairs in a student house just to have a shit or wash yourself. And imagine your feet not being dirty the second you step out of the shower- warning to Freshers, sliders are necessary when you leave halls.

The privacy and convenience of a Talybont South en suite is one of the things I miss most. It was essentially a wet room, a bit mouldy, every single thing in the en suite soaked every time you shower. But it was my grotty little wet room. Plus, resting your leg on the toilet lid to shave your legs was a GOD-SEND wasn’t it?

The odd pet silverfish lived here now and again

The deafening fire alarm

It's the middle of the night, the fire alarm goes off, and it turns out some drunk idiot has burnt some cheese on toast. Annoying? Nope, not at all. Everyone would drag themselves outside half asleep, half-naked and a few one-night stands would be there too- it was a barrel of laughs, honestly.

A kid in my house once set fire to a tea towel, and I once left a dirty pan on the hob for an entire two episodes of Corrie – sorry lads, everyone outside. It’s funny, it’s inconvenient, it’s a good bonding exercise. There was nothing I loved more than seeing Irish Ross in his undies, in the rain, on a Sunday night.

Oops

The windows were the best methods of communication

Need to speak to your mates, maybe give them a ring? Not in Taly South. Window open, head out, shout. Shout them as they walk past, or shout to their window if you can bend your neck that far.

The windows were also great bin substitutes. Something mouldy? Throw it out the window. Something smell? Throw it out the window. Oh the joys.

Hungover gathering on the stairs

It’s the day after the night before, you’re hungover, you want to slob in bed, lie on the sofa and watch telly- FYI sofas don't exist in Taly South. But no, the best part about Taly was gathering in the hallway to discuss all the dramas of the night before. Sod beds, sod kitchens, sod quilts and blankets, I want to sit on the freezing cold stairs in my dressing gown, wearing the makeup from the night before, talking to the Bermudan kid upstairs that I barely know yet. That’s how I wanted to spend my hungover days, so that’s how I spent them.

One word. Pres

Need to find somewhere to go for pres but don't want to walk far and ruin your makeup? Not to worry! You could always guarantee there'd be a pres in 90 percent of the houses in Taly, so you were never short of options. Go next door, go down stairs, go upstairs, do it outside if you have to. A speaker and a few kitchen tables in the summer meant outdoor pres was sorted. Less mess, no sweaty kitchen filled with 30 people, an airy, loud, all inclusive outdoor pres.

Then again when they were inside they were just as fun, with tables and chairs from all the flats crammed into one. Stand on the tables, blast the music, put the door on the latch. But, careful of security being called if you've got a few wetties that complain about the noise.

Taly South you legend

All in all, Taly South has a place in our hearts, it was social, had a weekly cleaner, and was right near a Maccies- what more could we have wished for?