Whether you want absolute freedom, a sense of community, or seek the ultimate student life experience, Hatfield hosts a variety of housing options to choose from. Deciding what place is best for you is an intimidating task, so for those who do not know where to start or need reassurance in their decision, here is a brief overview of what Hatfield has to offer.
Private Student Accommodation
Private student accommodations cater to students’ needs, boasting study centres, communal kitchens, furnished rooms, and amenities such as games rooms, gyms, and public pools. Students who want to avoid the restrictions and traditions of TuksRes often turn to private accommodation for a greater sense of freedom. PDBY asked Lesedi Padi, a third-year Information and Knowledge Systems student who lives at Hatfield Studios, why he chose private accommodation in his first-year. He said, “I was led to believe that when you’re in a private res, you have more freedom and you don’t have to participate in initiations, which sounded cool at the moment. As a first-year going into a new place, I didn’t want to be caught doing things I didn’t want to do, especially since it’s my first year of [university] and I’m trying to adjust to the location.”
However, private accommodation is not without its constraints. When asked if all of his expectations of freedom were met, Padi replied, “Not entirely. I didn’t expect private accommodation to have so many rules. The rules feel like I’m still at a UP residence even though it’s a private accommodation.” Padi noted that students enamoured by the student lifestyle may still find what they are looking for at private accommodations, saying, “There are sports, there is culture, there are activities – Hatfield Studios does feel like its own community… that everyone is together in everything.”
Apartments
Apartments offer students complete freedom as well as a wide price range, allowing you to make a choice that combines affordability with liberty. PDBY asked Keeshania Pillay, a third-year Law student living in a Hillcrest apartment, what influenced her decision. She explained, “Private residences were too expensive for the space that I was getting, so I thought that [by] getting an apartment, I would get more space and the price would match the space.” She later added, “I think the freedom is one of the biggest things I was looking for.”
However, despite the freedom offered, apartments seemingly provide little opportunity for student socialising, Pillay says. “There aren’t [any] student socials. It’s a bit more difficult to socialise… there aren’t opportunities given.”
Studying from Home
Students who study from home are seemingly greatly disadvantaged. Marvon Marasi, a first-year Accounting student, said, “There’s definitely more disadvantages than advantages.” Marasi spoke about the fatigue of the daily commute and further detailed that campus resources being inaccessible creates difficulties when studying. “It’s not conducive, if you have to ‘lock in’. I’m really productive in the library, but it’s not like I can take a five-minute walk down to the library. I have to be in my room or my living room, and sometimes people in the house aren’t considerate of that.”
However, Marasi details some of the benefits that come with staying at home, saying, “I never have to worry about food or having hot water or not having anyone to talk to when I get home. So it can be comforting as well, because I’m not paying for any accommodation or my own groceries.”
In regards to student life, Marasi ultimately laments the student experiences he missed out on due to living at home, saying, “Definitely… I feel like I’ve missed out. I think when you’re staying at res, being able to go out whenever you want, being free… it adds to the experience. Staying at home takes away from that student experience.”
TuksRes
The rules and traditions of TuksRes can seem limiting to some. Onkabetse Makgobane, a third-year Medicine student, recounts a notable restriction she dealt with during her first year at TuksRes – a curfew. She said that it would be made earlier or later depending on the first-years’ behaviour. Makgobane noted that the shared bathrooms and being limited to the residence’s catering may be an inconvenience to some.
However, residences take great effort in helping students assimilate into UP. Makgobane noted that tours of campus and the surrounding area were provided in addition to efforts to have students socialise through a mentorship programme and connecting students who study the same degrees. Makgobane concluded, “Res is just the space where you’re surrounded by people who are in the same boat as you, and you guys are doing this thing together.”
Whether you want the total independence of an apartment, the community offered by TuksRes and private accommodations, or even the financial freedom of studying from home, the university housing market has something for everyone. Ultimately, no matter what type of person you are, the choice is yours.
Visual: Mila Jordaan
