A group of friends partying

The seven types of flatmates you’ll encounter in halls as a Notts fresher

Get ready to meet the wild, weird, and wonderful flatmates of Notts halls


Moving into halls as a fresher in Nottingham is exciting, but it also means the uncharted terriroty of sharing your space with a a group of strangers.

Whether you’re besties by the end of term or just trying to avoid awkward encounters in the kitchen, here are the seven types of flatmates you’re likely to meet during your time in halls.

The Party Animal

group of friends partying

This flatmate is the life of every party, they’re always suggesting Ocean, Crisis, or any night out really. Expect pres in the flat every weekend with loud music music, and a new group of people each week. You’ll either love it or find yourself investing in noise-cancelling headphones.

They are always meeting new people, introducing you to friends from other flats, societies, and sports teams. They love group activities and will always be up to hang out. They are the ones that seem like they know everybody and stop every five seconds to talk to someone. You’ll never feel lonely with this housemate around. There’s never a dull moment, and they’ll get you into the best student parties. Sleep? I don’t know her.

The Ghost

You might wonder if this person actually lives in your flat.

They’re a master of stealth—vanishing to their room after coming back from lectures, rarely seen in the kitchen, and always keeping to themselves. You’ll occasionally bump into them doing laundry or cooking, but they’ll disappear as quickly as they appear.

The good thing about them is that there is no drama, no mess, and no fuss with them, but you might struggle to even learn their name by the end of the year.

The Clean Freak

The kitchen is their domain, and they like things spotless. Dishes piled in the sink? They’ll leave passive-aggressive notes. Bin not emptied? They’ll remind the group chat.

You’ll either appreciate their attention to detail or feel like you’re living with your mum all over again. They leave spaces clean, which we all love, but the struggle to reach their high standards can be real.

The Messy One

a messy kitchen

Unlike the Clean Freak, the Messy One thrives in chaos. Dirty dishes, half-eaten takeaway, and random socks are their norm.

Their bedroom looks like a bomb site, but somehow, they know exactly where everything is — or so they claim. The kitchen and shared spaces are always a mess because of them and they have an ability to leave dishes “soaking” —a classic move to avoid actually washing them.

The Borrower

No milk? No problem—they’ll just take some of yours. Running out of washing powder? They’ll just some.

This flatmate has the magical ability to always need something from someone else but rarely replace what they take. Their infamous “can I borrow…?” will become a running joke. They are social and friendly, but you may feel like you’re running a small charity.

The Chef

food being prepared in a kitchen

Whether they’re whipping up a full roast on a Wednesday night (rare) or experimenting with exotic spices, this flatmate loves to cook and they won’t let you forget it.

Your kitchen will be filled with their gourmet creations, and you’ll may even get invited to a meal or two. They are known to leave kitchen chaos in their wake.

Unlike the Messy One, they have the compromise of sweet treats and excellent food to cover their mountain of dishes left behind. They can be really messy. Just hope you get one that cleans up immediately after cooking.

The Night Owl

boy eating, reading late at night (12:56am to be precise)

This flatmate seems to operate on an entirely different time zone. While you’re in bed by midnight, they’re just getting started on assignments or catching up on some Netflix. You’ll can hear them clattering around the kitchen at 3am, making a snack or finishing that essay due in the morning. They might even wake you up with their late night shenanigans. At least they’ll always be awake if you need a chat.

No matter who you end up living with, first year halls is half the fun of your first year. You’ll definitely leave with stories to tell so make as many memories as possible.

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