Hey hey! Hope I'm not too late but a few thoughts on your questions and what else I would've wanted to know, from a year living on St Raphael's wing:
- Most of the Uni Hall kids I know in ensuite rooms prefer studying on campus because the rooms are comparatively smaller. There are heaps of good places around that you'll get to know through the semester.
- Half of the Raphs block backs onto a nature strip and the huge windows make the rooms quite conducive to study, if that's your thing. Raphs also has a library and study space shared with the boy's wing, which are pretty much always free.
We're definitely the quietest of the blocks on Saints, so if you're feeling like some revision Friday night (not that I'd ever recommend it), there'd be nothing stopping you
- Meeting people is not difficult at all on college, more so during mealtimes than anywhere else. Wouldn't be too different to Uni Hall I imagine, though their common room is shared with more people which I guess can make meeting people easier but making close friendships a little harder. I stand to be corrected though.
With more classes going face to face this year compared to last, keep in mind you'll meet plenty of people in your cohort outside of accommodation as well. There are so many clubs and societies both on campus, and within Townsville if you wanted to broaden your scope even further.
- If security is ever a concern, having an RA living at the end of each corridor at Saints provides some peace of mind. Uni Hall's ensuite rooms are effectively individual demountables, separated by external corridors. Both colleges have RA's though, and they're fantastic people to get to know!
- Undeniably, the best part about living on Raphs are the people. They'd all chosen this accommodation setup for the same reasons I had, and our like-mindedness has easily founded really good relationships. I was welcomed with open arms and finding everyone super sweet and helpful was such a pleasant surprise.
Hope this helps