Why freshers shouldn’t be scared to live on Smithdown Road

Halls life is pretty sweet! There aren't any bills to worry about, all of your mates are under one roof and – unless you're a poor sod at Greenbank or Carnatic – you can roll out of bed five minutes before your lecture. But, whether you like it or not, you have to move out of the safety of your first-year flat eventually and make a new home for yourself.

You'll be posting aesthetic pics of your street before you know it

If, like a lot of people, you're going to be living on Smithdown Road in your second year, you probably have your doubts after hearing the horror stories that get passed down from year group to year group. (Don't ask anyone about the red-haired ghost woman in Toxteth Cemetery).

But fear not, because life on Smithdown isn't all that bad, and here's why.

You won't die, I promise

You might have heard of the shooting and stabbing on Alderson Road this year, leading to its reputation as the cursed road. However, both incidents were targeted and to do with other crime issues that Merseyside Police are always working to try and resolve.

The graveyard opposite just makes it spookier

It can be quite disturbing living so close to a crime scene, but if you mind your own business and keep your wits about you, these incidents won't be something you have to worry about and you will definitely make it to your graduation.

That being said, if you fancy a midnight trip to Asda to get food to fuel your last-minute essay writing, it might be a good idea to drag a friend, just to be safe.

Bus stop hacks

The roads in Wavertree can be long. Unless you're lucky enough to live right on the edge of Smithdown Road, walking home alone from the 86 or 699 at night can seem daunting. But don't worry, because there are other bus services that might get you home quicker.

If you'll be living more towards Picton Road, the 79 Arriva bus will drop you off a lot closer to home.

Thank you 699, next

Also, if you're living around Sefton Park the 80 and 75 that drive down Ullet Road will run much nearer to your doorstep.

And even if you don't live near any of the bus stops, at least you have more choice to get you as close as possible before the long trek home.

Burglaries are rarer than you think

We all know someone who knows someone who's been burgled, but the reality is it's highly unlikely. Still, it's always better to be safe than sorry, so take precautions where you can.

If you lock up and set your alarm when you aren't in, avoid getting dodgy taxis straight to your doorstep and never leave your valuables just lying around, being broken into shouldn't be something you have to worry about.

It's just so damn cheap

Sure, living in a shared student house on Smithdown can be a shock to the system after a year in the luxury of ridiculously extortionate student accommodation. Sure, you'll live in the library because you can't afford to have the heating on for more than a couple of hours a day.

But in exchange for giving up a warm, clean flat, you get a much healthier bank balance. Hello student night at the Brookie and vintage kilo sales at the Guild!

Wetherspoons who?

We're all in this together

If you couldn't tell by all of the boys in puffer jackets and girls wearing flares, most of the people you see in Wavertree are students. Obviously there are families and professionals living here too, but the fact that most houses on a street are full of students just like you is kind of reassuring.

Home sweet home

Even stumbling home at 3am you'll probably be able to see another group of students. So, even though it might feel like the longest and loneliest street sometimes, you're never truly on your own on Smithdown Road.