What the Soton road you live on says about you

If you live on Westridge, you’re a sort x

4 years ago

Look, let’s all be honest with ourselves and with each other. When you meet someone new in Southampton one of the questions in that first conversation is always about where they live. You want to gage a little bit about them, establish how serious they are about university maybe or how important proximity to Jesters is to them. It’s important to understand what you’re getting yourself into with this new friendship or relationship. The place they have chosen to live out their student years. The road says so much it’s not even worth pretending you don’t make a judgment when you hear them say Osborne Road (like, where even is that?) or Ripstone Gardens (keen).

So, want to know what everyone else is thinking when you announce your road? From fairy light decor to messy kitchens and clubbing priorities – it’s all in here.

Alma Road

If you live here you like to party. There’s no denying it. You throw a sick house party, probably with a wavy theme like neon, and the decoration in the house is en pointe. When you aren’t hosting you’re at your neighbours. You probably have a garden so beers are at yours on summer nights and if you have to head to a club instead of a house party its probably Switch and you probably had pre’s. A chicken curry is your fav dish and someone in the house is 100 per cent a DJ. You probably do engineering or English and Brockhampton is always on shuffle on the speaker. Finally, you probably flex left, right and centre that you live there but it’s fine bc Alma actually deserves the clout it gets x

Gordon Avenue

You wanted to live on Alma but you couldn’t find anywhere so you had to go for the BTEC version. Sometimes there are decent house parties but nothing like the ones on the next road over. You do Economics or Psychology and if you’re a gal you are never seen without your flares on a night out. There are loads of bikes in your hallway too because you think cycling up Church Lane is a substitute for a personality. It’s okay though because you’re probably really nice, and you have a good location for Jesters socials and bar crawls. Dinner of choice is pizza and you’re most likely gonna get a 2:2 because you are always late for lecture thanks to underestimating how far you actually live from campus. Your housemates are your best friends and you’ll probably live with them for the whole time you’re at uni!

Westridge Road

So, you’re no stranger to a good night, but it’s more of a drinks in the garden (which is probs full of mismatch chairs and has an odd set up) all night vibe than an actual house party. You probably have a fire pit and are always running late to socials because you think you live close to everything but that’s not really true so you have to run down the street still tryna get your social attire on. On that note, you are definitely in Connaught Football or Rowing and also you are never caught dead not wearing your stash. You drive a Kia and you love offering lifts but then ask for petrol money even though it was your idea. You go to ten per cent of your lectures but it’s fine because you do geography and that’s just colouring in anyway. Also, your kitchen is a state but you’re a 10/10 so it’s cool.

Belmont Road

You made a smart choice living here. Perfect distance from Saino’s, St Denys, Jesters and campus. You can’t go wrong. You definitely rent with Student No Fee and you probably study something random like Education or Oceanography. You probably lived here in second year and third year because the location was sick and you are a hypochondriac who lives at the doctors surgery on the road. Fajitas are a staple and Ocies is a must on a Wednesday. Though you probs also go on a Saturday when the locals are out because you proper rate the cheese room – questionable decision but its fine cos you’re with your gal pals. You can’t go wrong with ABBA or HSM.

One of the house drives a Fiat and someone has loads of fairy lights in their room – also the kitchen is decorated with pictures of your housemates and antics. Downside? Most people haven’t heard of it and it’s the longest road in the world so sometimes you Uber just to get to your mate who lives 20 doors down.

Granby Grove

Quiz and curry is your jam. An ideal night for you. Sometimes nursing a hangover but probably just for a wholesome end to the week. You are also a society president and are loved by all. Always there for friends when they have on-campus meltdowns. Stags is your local which is not ideal but not awful and movie nights are regular occurrences at yours. About seven things in the house are broken but the landlord won’t fix it so you learn to live with it. You love a cheeky bit of Hartley, and you’ve got a good location for getting in early and leaving late. Odds are you spend 40 per cent of your time in the library watching The Office but it’s okay because the effort was there x

Shaftesbury Avenue

If you live here, or Highfield Crescent/Holyrood, you are social sec and you get clout. You flex that you are social sec but it’s fine because your socials are legend and you always go all out with your costumes! You are definitely a final year who wasn’t ready to let go of Portswood but also wanted to pretend to yourself you’d be more serious about your studies, so you found a decent in between. You don’t have to walk up Church Lane anymore so that’s a plus but it’s also of a bit random place. You have a weirdly spacious living room with dead uncomfy furniture. Odds are you have three traffic cones and two street signs in your house.

Avenue Road

You literally do not care about lectures and seminars. You study History or another humanity that doesn’t really require your attendance. You are a regular Switch attendee and Manzils is your bestie. You always have spontaneous Friday nights in Jesters. You live ages away from most other things and people but it’s fine because your housemates are all sick so that makes up for it. You always have cash on you because you live near the Tesco Express. At least one of your house is a nurse/medic and you have a bus pass.

Portswood High Street

You live above Betfred or on one of the weird houses at either end. You think you are so cool because you live on the high street and you literally flex it all the time. Unfortunately, this is a weird flex and its not okay. Lasagne is a classic and you are always hungover, like 100 per cent of the time. You have a good group of friends and you are proably in a sports society – something intramural. You shagged on the first night of freshers and you are really proud of your body count! You are a nice person and always bring the party so you always get invited everywhere. Also, you’re a boozy legend.

Tennyson Road

You’re a second year who kept hearing about people living on this road so you thought your rep would improve by living here. A bit of a wannabe but you gotta love a trier. Bulking is your thing, and you cycle everywhere, including to Sainsbury’s to overfill your backpack with groceries. You study something like Geology or Marine Biology and actually work quite hard. Your house is a mess tho and you won’t get your deposit back but it’s cool because you made memories, right? You are probably in a long term relationship.

Hawthorn Road

You study Physics or Computer Science and love turning up half an hour early to lectures. You love uni so much you chose to practically live on campus. You do hockey too and love The Crown Inn even though the regulars are a bit odd. You come home in between lectures for naps and don’t have much food in your house because you can’t be asked to trek to Sainsbury’s. You worship Bad Boy Pizza Soc and probably have fat speakers in your living room. Everyone loves each other in the house, odds are there’s at least one couple.

Church Lane

You won the game. You realised that Church Lane is the perfect place for everything and, depending on whereabouts you live, the walk up the hill isn’t too bad. You love playing video games and probably have a flag hanging in one of the front windows. You are part of one of the student media platforms and your go to outfit is baggy jeans and a graphic tee. You are such a good person with a good heart and everyone can’t help but smile around you! You’ll probably get a 2:1 and you know its what you deserve since you worked hard but you could’ve worked harder! You don’t go out often and prefer to to get boozy alone.

Broadlands Road

You definitely didn’t really realise where the road was until move in day. It’s sort of close to campus but not wildly and it’s not great for any pubs or clubs. You drive everywhere and never actually do a weekly shop, you just go when you’re hungry or crave something. Your hallway is full of fliers from the post that no one moves and your glass bin is always full of empty vodka and beer bottles. You are the life and soul of the party. Always up for a good time and everyone loves to see you walk into the club or house party. Nobody in the house really likes each other and you’re all living with different people next year!

Hartley Avenue

The keenest of the beans. And the laziest. You are desperate for a first and spend every day in the library. You have the perfect location for exam season as you can just pop home for a quick dins before heading back to Hartley. But you are lazy which is why you chose to live so close to campus and you study something you can’t make a career out of like Philosophy. Whilst you never miss a lecture, you are always late because you think you can get away with leaving 5 minutes before but you’d be wrong. You are fuming at all the cars constantly parked on the road, probably from people living on Broadlands since they drive everywhere. A cold one in Stags is ideal, but you love the six nations so always head to the Mitre. You probably meal prep and then forget what you have in the freezer.

Burgess Road

Not much to say other than, why? Such a random decision, you probably left it last minute with your mates or did a year abroad and had no one to live with so you had to move in with randomers. Yes, you are close to campus but that’s where the perks end! A cheesy Netflix original is your idea of a good time but you are also super wholesome and genuine and all your friends love you. Stags karaoke is also a fan favourite. You are the mum of the group and will probs get a first!