What it’s really like living in a massive Rootes flat of 23 people

It can be a little overwhelming heading off to uni to live with a bunch of people you've never met before. And if you're lucky enough to end up living in Rootes, you could be living with over 20 people.

You'll start off as strangers, but you'll get real close real quick

The moment you fearfully walked into your kitchen with your mum and dad on the first day, completely intimidated by the abundance of unfamiliar students occupying your kitchen, quickly becomes a faint memory (as does the brand new kitchen utensils you just unpacked).

Within days you and your flat have played enough Never Have I Ever to feel more than comfortable around one another. Random boy cooking up a stir fry over in the corner? Who's that??? Oh yes, that's the boy who bit his dad on the way to get his stomach pumped!

The kitchen will always, unequivocally be a complete disaster

From dishes growing mould, to raw chicken dripping on your food from the shelf above. The only time you'll ever see the kitchen in a mildly presentable state will be those first 5 minutes after the cleaner leaves. And of course, there will always be passive aggressive messages about it in the WhatsApp group.

On the bright side, there are 22 culprits when someone's milk is mysteriously disappearing, so you're unlikely to get caught out if you just can't quite hack the walk to Rootes grocery store.

And the mess doesn't just belong in the kitchen

You may realise half way through the night that someone has squished a banana under your pillow, or return to your room to find you might be having a rather uncomfortable nights sleep.

You NEVER have to worry about a low turnout for pres

Even when you're sat in the learning grid at 10pm a few weeks before exams and begin to think Kasbah might be a good idea, you'll still be able to gather a good group together – even if you do have to drag them out of their beds.

And there will always be a strange combination of music

I mean, it's a battle between 23 different music tastes. So, don't be surprised when you hear ABBA followed by Krept and Konan.

Going on the pull can be a dangerous game

You have to accept that it's just not going to go unnoticed. You'll be interrogated for days. On a night out, 22 people are basically watching your every move, and one of them is most certainly going to catch that mysterious stranger leaving your bedroom at 8 in the morning.

You never know what to expect when you're popping back to Rootes in-between lectures

You could be walking in from a lecture at 3 in the afternoon, yet it is entirely unsurprising to find your flatmate still wrapped around the toilet in his cheer-leading outfit from POP! the night before.

I mean really what is going on here

The Christmas meal is a STRESSFUL experience

Ovens and chairs from across the entire block will have to be used, and making sure everyone has their Secret Santa is no easy task. But, when everyone commits to a night of decorating the kitchen til the early hours of the morning, the results are pretty impressive.

All in all, living with 22 other people is quite the experience. Although daunting at first, you've formed a family for life (and established an undying love for Rootes). It's likely to be the best thing that'll ever happen to you, the only con is the inevitable downsizing when it comes to moving to Leam.