Norfazlina is further along the academic road than most residents, living at Beaumont House while completing her PhD. She had visited London twice before moving, so she arrived with expectations, and five months in she told us how the reality compares, and shared the one piece of advice she wishes every incoming student would take seriously.
“The Beaumont House staff are really helpful and made everything easy.”
At a glance
Home country: Malaysia
Studying: PhD
Room: 6-bed room at Beaumont House
Time at Beaumont when we spoke: 5 months
The interview
How long have you been living at Beaumont House?
I’ve been living here, in a 6-bed room, for the last 5 months while completing my PhD.
Does London live up to your expectations?
I had visited London twice before moving here, in 2016 and 2017, and really enjoyed both visits. Living here is fun, it’s the best place to be studying I think.
What’s your favourite thing to do in London in your spare time?
I like to go sightseeing with my friends. There’s always something new to try doing, lots of museums and sights to see.
What made you choose Beaumont House over other accommodation in London?
I found out about Beaumont House through the website and spoke to a friend who had stayed here before. After all the good things I heard from my friend, I chose Beaumont House as the price is low and the house has everything I could need. It’s also really close to public transport, like buses and the London underground.
Did you find it difficult to settle in when you arrived?
Not at all. The Beaumont House staff are really helpful and made everything easy. Everyone living here is easy-going and it’s easy to make friends with them all.
What do you wish you had known before moving to London?
My biggest piece of advice would be to find accommodation before moving to London. It can be very difficult and stressful to do it when you’re already here, especially trying to find somewhere not too expensive.
Norfazlina’s advice about sorting accommodation before you travel is exactly what our guide to finding student accommodation in London is for.
From the team
A PhD student who researched her accommodation the way she presumably researches everything else, through the website and a friend who had lived here, and landed on price, facilities and transport links. Her hardest won advice is the practical kind: sort your housing before you arrive, because doing it under pressure in London is stressful and expensive.
This conversation, like all our student interviews, is with a real Beaumont House resident, and her answers are published in her own words. We ask the questions, our students say what they think. And if you live at Beaumont House and want to share your story, let us know and we’ll put the kettle on.
