Otago Halls of Residence

[Melsy]

Hi everyone : )

I went down to Dunedin for Open Day and got to check out a few colleges (Unicol, St. Margs, Knox, Aquinas, Carrington, Hayward), but unfortunately didn't get to see Studholme, which I am sort of interested in now after talking to my GP and a couple of friends.

I've spent an ungodly amount of time browsing forums (including this one) trying to find more info on Studholme, but I haven't found much.

I have some queries that you guys can hopefully answer:

• What is the social atmosphere like? I'm a relatively shy person, but I am looking forward to meeting new people and making some new friends (Dunners is a longish way from home) and I like to think that I get along with most people. Is Studholme a place that has a chill atmosphere, allowing friendships to be made easily? Is it big enough to meet lots of new people but small enough to know just about everyone? What sorts of people does Studholme usually attract?
• What is the academic vibe there? I know that the hall you get into doesn't determine if you get into med or not, but I still think it'd be nice to be around people who are at least somewhat academically focused, just so I don't have to look out my window while I'm studying, watching with sadness as my hall mates are frolicking with joy in the Dunedin sun (or cold in Winter).
• Is it a quiet or rowdy hall? I do value my sleep hahaha, but I do enjoy some fun, myself.
• How are the facilities? The rooms, dining rooms, bathrooms etc.? Also, what about the academic facilities like the library, computer/study room, tutorials?
• Is it close to where most of the teaching/learning for HSFY takes place?
• Is the food good? This is obviously the most important question, a girl's gotta eat lol.

I'm pretty sure that's all the questions I have. Sorry for the long post hahaha, I just want some quality info. I'm happy to receive any additional interesting info about Studholme as well.

Thanks

P.S. I'm pretty proud of myself for finally making a post after being a long time lurker hahaha

 

[Stuart]

Hi Melsy,

Welcome to MSO!

This isn't my area of expertise, so I will not say much. The hall is not the closest one, but it's definitely one of the closest ones. I wouldn't worry much about the distance.

I can't remember if we have a member who went to Studholme, but rustyedges knows a lot about residential halls (more than myself). Hopefully they can shine some light on this matter.

 

[cashew]

Hi, Im having trouble deciding between putting Aarrington or Arana as my first choice. which one would increase my chances of getting into med the most? Im also looking for somewhere as quiet as possible. what would be some good second and third choices for halls? Cheers

 

[Andromeda]

Hi, Im having trouble deciding between putting Aarrington or Arana as my first choice. which one would increase my chances of getting into med the most? Im also looking for somewhere as quiet as possible. what would be some good second and third choices for halls? Cheers

Your chances of getting into med are all decided by you, not the hall that you stay in. So to answer your first question, neither . As for good second and third choices, go for the 'safety net' ones, like Aquinas, Unicol, etc. Aquinas is 15 (?) minutes away but there is an hourly shuttle; from what I've read it seems pretty quiet, but you would have to schedule your day around the shuttle which may be a bit inconvenient. Unicol has 517 (?) people staying there, so if you want a quiet place it's probably best not to put this down. I can't think of any other ones off the top of my head - Toroa? Te Rangi? I don't know much about those so I can't help you there.

Note, if you're set on either Carrington or Arana as your first choice, don't put the other down as second/third because they are both notorious for being first-choicer halls. The same goes for, and feel free to correct me @ more experienced and knowledgeable people, Knox, Hayward, Selwyn and St. Margarets.

Honestly, I'd suggest St. Margarets as a possible option for you, since they are known for being one of the quietest halls. Carrington and Arana are both still good options and come with a good study/life balance, which is important to ensure that you don't burn out of HSFY . But yeah, as I said before, no hall will increase your chances of getting into med - that all comes down to you and the choices you make.

Edit: realised I never answered your question of Carrington vs Arana haha. Well, I have no idea because I don't know what things you like and dislike. I suggest you do some research into what their rooms are life, what criteria they have, what their food is like, their distance from the lectures, etc, etc. Anything that you have a particular interest in, look into how Carrington and Arana fare in those aspects. Remember that there is no real bad hall, and both Carrington and Arana are good options!

 

[rustyedges]

Hi, Im having trouble deciding between putting Aarrington or Arana as my first choice. which one would increase my chances of getting into med the most? Im also looking for somewhere as quiet as possible. what would be some good second and third choices for halls? Cheers

Hey, welcome

Neither is going to affect your chances of getting into med really. Quite a lot of people get in from both Carrington and Arana, more because of the relative competiveness of those halls than any advantage one has. People have great fun at any hall they're in, all halls have tutorials etc. and people from everywhere can get into med.

In terms of quietness, St margs is stereotypically more quiet, and Arana would be on the louder side of those two you're looking at.

 

[Croissant155]

Hey there,

I am planning on going to Otago next year, but am slightly undecided about the halls of residence. I'm wondering if anyone could help me out with a couple of qs pleaseeee

• Am I correct in assuming that Carrington, St Margs, Arana, Hayward, and Selwyn are all first-choice halls?
• I don't know much about Te Rangi, but I've heard it's quite popular due to the en suite bathrooms. Would it be considered a 1st-choice hall as well, and so would it be dumb to put it down as your 2nd/3rd choice? I'm kinda stuck in a dilemma because the halls I want to put down as my three choices are apparently all first-choice halls. :/
• For anyone who's lived in St Margs or Te Rangi in the past 2 years or knows someone who lives there, would you recommend this place and why or why not? Also, what is the environment like there?
• Also, which are the returning halls, and to be a returner, do you have to be an RA?

Cheers

 

[Andromeda]

Hey there,

I am planning on going to Otago next year, but am slightly undecided about the halls of residence. I'm wondering if anyone could help me out with a couple of qs pleaseeee

• Am I correct in assuming that Carrington, St Margs, Arana, Hayward, and Selwyn are all first-choice halls?
• I don't know much about Te Rangi, but I've heard it's quite popular due to the en suite bathrooms. Would it be considered a 1st-choice hall as well, and so would it be dumb to put it down as your 2nd/3rd choice? I'm kinda stuck in a dilemma because the halls I want to put down as my three choices are apparently all first-choice halls. :/
• For anyone who's lived in St Margs or Te Rangi in the past 2 years or knows someone who lives there, would you recommend this place and why or why not? Also, what is the environment like there?
• Also, which are the returning halls, and to be a returner, do you have to be an RA?

Cheers

Hey! Welcome to MSO

You are correct in assuming that those halls are first-choice halls. It is possible to get in off the waitlist, but I wouldn't decline an offer just to risk it. Basically, if you want to go to one of those halls, put it as the first choice or don't put it at all because from what I've read and heard, they get more applications than beds. Again, I don't recommend risking it by going on the waitlist.

I have very little knowledge about Te Rangi, only that like you said the ensuite bathrooms make it a reasonably popular hall. I don't think it's quite a first-choice hall, but I definitely wouldn't put it as my third choice. I'd say putting it second would be pretty safe, just make sure to have a good 'safety net' hall as your third choice. What three halls do you want to put down? And that sucks

I don't even go to university for a few years so someone else can answer this. Note: St Margs is (in?)famous for it's quiet and academically oriented atmosphere, but again I don't know that firsthand.

I can't remember all of the halls that allow returners, but the ones I can think of off the top of my head are: Knox, St Margs (?), Selwyn (pretty sure)... can't remember anymore . I... think you have to be an RA to be a returner? Not 100% sure, so someone else can clarify.

 

[Croissant155]

Hey! Welcome to MSO

You are correct in assuming that those halls are first-choice halls. It is possible to get in off the waitlist, but I wouldn't decline an offer just to risk it. Basically, if you want to go to one of those halls, put it as the first choice or don't put it at all because from what I've read and heard, they get more applications than beds. Again, I don't recommend risking it by going on the waitlist.

I have very little knowledge about Te Rangi, only that like you said the ensuite bathrooms make it a reasonably popular hall. I don't think it's quite a first-choice hall, but I definitely wouldn't put it as my third choice. I'd say putting it second would be pretty safe, just make sure to have a good 'safety net' hall as your third choice. What three halls do you want to put down? And that sucks

I don't even go to university for a few years so someone else can answer this. Note: St Margs is (in?)famous for it's quiet and academically oriented atmosphere, but again I don't know that firsthand.

I can't remember all of the halls that allow returners, but the ones I can think of off the top of my head are: Knox, St Margs (?), Selwyn (pretty sure)... can't remember anymore . I... think you have to be an RA to be a returner? Not 100% sure, so someone else can clarify.

Initially I wanted to put down St Margs, Te Rangi, and Hayward (from 1st to 3rd), but then I found out that Hayward was a 1st choice one. I'll maybe put something like Cumberland or Studholme down for 3rd choice instead.

Also, another q: I'm kinda picky about bathrooms and I remember hearing that some halls of residences have cubicle bathrooms (e.g. the ones you'd find in a swimming pool). I was never a fan of the swimming pool bathroom cubicles where people would shower or do their business at the same time - idk, I like my personal space, if you get what I mean. I know that St Margs, Te Rangi, and Arana don't have cubicle bathrooms, but would you happen to know which halls do have these (so I can maybe avoid putting them down as a choice)?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Verdigris]

You can come back to Margs as a returner without being an RA or exec member. I had a friend who went to Te Rangi to avoid an overly-rigorous environment, but ended up regretting it because she found it a bit too chill. Margs is good if you like a quiet, studious atmosphere. I'd say the only major con of Margs is that because there are a lot of health scis a lot of people will be stressed at the same time, which I personally found emotionally taxing.

 

[Andromeda]

Initially I wanted to put down St Margs, Te Rangi, and Hayward (from 1st to 3rd), but then I found out that Hayward was a 1st choice one. I'll maybe put something like Cumberland or Studholme down for 3rd choice instead.

Also, another q: I'm kinda picky about bathrooms and I remember hearing that some halls of residences have cubicle bathrooms (e.g. the ones you'd find in a swimming pool). I was never a fan of the swimming pool bathroom cubicles where people would shower or do their business at the same time - idk, I like my personal space, if you get what I mean. I know that St Margs, Te Rangi, and Arana don't have cubicle bathrooms, but would you happen to know which halls do have these (so I can maybe avoid putting them down as a choice)?

Thanks so much for your help!

Oof yeah Hayward as third choice is definitely a bad idea, no offence intended of course. Cumberland and Studholme from what I know are good picks for third, also Unicol (over 500 people so if you're more introverted I wouldn't recommend), Toroa (idk I haven't heard a lot of positive things about Toroa but really don't know much about it) and Aquinas (quite a distance away from where your lectures will be held, but there is an hourly shuttle and it seems very chill) off the top of my head. Te Rangi as second should be a relatively safe pick!

Yeah I hated swimming pool bathrooms (and swimming pools in general, swimming is just not my thing) with a fiery passion, so I completely get you . I'll do some research into the bathrooms as well, I also recommend maybe going onto the pages of the halls and checking out their photos + what they say about their bathrooms. I'm not a uni student so I don't know exactly :/.

Verdigris is right in saying that St Margs might be stressful because of all the HSFYers there. All of it really depends on what kind of environment, room, bathroom, food, etc you want. If you think you can cope with that atmosphere at St Margs then go for it! If not maybe do some more research

 

[Croissant155]

Oof yeah Hayward as third choice is definitely a bad idea, no offence intended of course. Cumberland and Studholme from what I know are good picks for third, also Unicol (over 500 people so if you're more introverted I wouldn't recommend), Toroa (idk I haven't heard a lot of positive things about Toroa but really don't know much about it) and Aquinas (quite a distance away from where your lectures will be held, but there is an hourly shuttle and it seems very chill) off the top of my head. Te Rangi as second should be a relatively safe pick!

Yeah I hated swimming pool bathrooms (and swimming pools in general, swimming is just not my thing) with a fiery passion, so I completely get you . I'll do some research into the bathrooms as well, I also recommend maybe going onto the pages of the halls and checking out their photos + what they say about their bathrooms. I'm not a uni student so I don't know exactly :/.

Verdigris is right in saying that St Margs might be stressful because of all the HSFYers there. All of it really depends on what kind of environment, room, bathroom, food, etc you want. If you think you can cope with that atmosphere at St Margs then go for it! If not maybe do some more research

Nw haha. Hmm yeah, I've heard a lot about Unicol and it's definitely off the list for me - size being one of the factors (Hayward being a small hall was what made me consider it back then + its bigger rooms).

Ooh ohk - thank you! Do you mind if I ask you which hall you stayed at when you went to uni??

I actually quite like the sound of St Margs - I feel like I'd get too distracted if I went to any other hall lol (I have rather bad concentration for self-study in a non-studious environment). Also, I've visited the hall before and I really really liked the architecture and gardens; it's so vintage and cosy

 

[apollos]

Hey there,

I am planning on going to Otago next year, but am slightly undecided about the halls of residence. I'm wondering if anyone could help me out with a couple of qs pleaseeee

• Am I correct in assuming that Carrington, St Margs, Arana, Hayward, and Selwyn are all first-choice halls?
• I don't know much about Te Rangi, but I've heard it's quite popular due to the en suite bathrooms. Would it be considered a 1st-choice hall as well, and so would it be dumb to put it down as your 2nd/3rd choice? I'm kinda stuck in a dilemma because the halls I want to put down as my three choices are apparently all first-choice halls. :/
• For anyone who's lived in St Margs or Te Rangi in the past 2 years or knows someone who lives there, would you recommend this place and why or why not? Also, what is the environment like there?
• Also, which are the returning halls, and to be a returner, do you have to be an RA?

Cheers

I was at Te Rangi both last year and this year and really enjoy it here. We’re certainly not a first choice hall yet, but we’re probably about a second choice, though we’re hoping to be a first choice hall in the next few years (that may change of course, given that we have the whole maybe being knocked down and replaced in the 2020s thing, but we’re good for next year!).

The en-suites are super convenient, definitely. I don’t know about the whole ‘chill hall’ idea. I think it’s what you make of it, and you can find a really nice balance of being chill and social but also working hard, if you want. Due to the mostly self-contained rooms, since we have a kitchenette too, you can really get into a nice study zone in your room, or you can do it in the common areas with others. Last year we did GLMs together in the common room, and this year’s lot is certainly doing it similarly but in smaller friend groups generally (I think they’re a bit more cliquey this year, relative, but it varies from year to year).

Of course being in a mostly self-contained room has its disadvantages - very easy to completely isolate yourself, yes there are floor events but they don’t have as many as other halls, etc, but personally I like it here. Just my two cents

 

[Croissant155]

I was at Te Rangi both last year and this year and really enjoy it here. We’re certainly not a first choice hall yet, but we’re probably about a second choice, though we’re hoping to be a first choice hall in the next few years (that may change of course, given that we have the whole maybe being knocked down and replaced in the 2020s thing, but we’re good for next year!).

The en-suites are super convenient, definitely. I don’t know about the whole ‘chill hall’ idea. I think it’s what you make of it, and you can find a really nice balance of being chill and social but also working hard, if you want. Due to the mostly self-contained rooms, since we have a kitchenette too, you can really get into a nice study zone in your room, or you can do it in the common areas with others. Last year we did GLMs together in the common room, and this year’s lot is certainly doing it similarly but in smaller friend groups generally (I think they’re a bit more cliquey this year, relative, but it varies from year to year).

Of course being in a mostly self-contained room has its disadvantages - very easy to completely isolate yourself, yes there are floor events but they don’t have as many as other halls, etc, but personally I like it here. Just my two cents

Oooh okay. To be a returner at Te Rangi, did you have to be an RA/exec member, or does Te Rangi have some non-RA returners?

Thanks you!

 

[apollos]

Oooh okay. To be a returner at Te Rangi, did you have to be an RA/exec member, or does Te Rangi have some non-RA returners?

Thanks you!

Na the new warden we got last year only let’s third year’s and above (or people with over a year’s age difference from first years, to be exact) to be RAs, so you don’t need to be a RA to return. I don’t know if there’s a set max though or how she’s decided to run it.

 

[Andromeda]

Nw haha. Hmm yeah, I've heard a lot about Unicol and it's definitely off the list for me - size being one of the factors (Hayward being a small hall was what made me consider it back then + its bigger rooms).

Ooh ohk - thank you! Do you mind if I ask you which hall you stayed at when you went to uni??

I actually quite like the sound of St Margs - I feel like I'd get too distracted if I went to any other hall lol (I have rather bad concentration for self-study in a non-studious environment). Also, I've visited the hall before and I really really liked the architecture and gardens; it's so vintage and cosy

Then for third choice, Aquinas seems quite fitting for you (further away, seems quieter than other halls) unless the distance and having to plan around the hourly shuttle is a HUGE factor.

I haven't gone to uni yet and won't for a few more years but my list would be something like this:
1. Arana (St Margs seemed cool but I get stressed really easily so I don't think I would do well even though it is academically oriented)
2. Unicol (I don't really mind the size and I feel like a more upbeat atmosphere might help me make friends since I suck at doing that )
3. Aquinas (don't mind the distance, seems chill + hourly shuttle)

I have a tendency to get distracted as well, but I also struggle with anxiety so St Margs is out for me. If you thrive in conditions like that, St Margs seems like a good choice! If you like the looks of the hall go for it! Good luck with picking

 

[frootloop]

Yay! Someone with UniCol high on their preferences!

I went to UniCol in first year then returned as an RA. It's got a really fun atmosphere, and not having to finish long days studying only to go home to lots of stressful HSFY talk is great. Half of the challenge of HSFY is shutting out the mind games, so not having to live with a heap of the 95%+ students is great (especially given that in HSFY you don't really 'need' group study - the content is largely self-explanatory and isn't hard to find).

The major drawback is the noise. Don't expect that just because you have a terms test on Saturday morning, the rest of the college won't be loudly drinking on Friday evening. You also have to be self-motivated. In some of the other colleges there are enough people putting in the required workload to guilt you into following suit. UniCol had something like 4 out of the 200-odd HSFYs in my year get into medicine, so unless you gravitate towards other hard-working HSFYs (which I did not), the motivation to work hard rather than drinking 4 x per week or spending hours playing pool has to come from you.

Overall, it's a good choice of hall. Directly on campus, provides lots of fun activities for when you need to relax and has a really good atmosphere - many weekends it's almost like being in one of those '90s American college movies. You just need a good pair of headphones and a lot of self-motivation.

 

[Andromeda]

UniCol seems like a pretty good hall for pretty much all of the reasons you listed I'm a pretty introverted person who isn't that good at making new friends (I convinced my dad to not move up to Auckland and send me to a private and/or 'better' school for this very reason, I live in a <10,000 rural town with a pretty average college but I am so bad at social interactions that I didn't want to go to another school, especially in the middle of college), so a big and loud hall would definitely help me come out of my shell

Yeah, that's pretty much the main reason I wouldn't put St Margs on my list - I get anxious and stressed really easily, which then means I can't study as well as I do with a clear and calm mind. St Margs seems like a great hall in other aspects, but with so many HSFYers there talking about how nervous they are and constantly discussing HSFY I would struggle to actually get proper studying done. I'm trying to build up a bit more self-motivation instead of procrastinating right now (going... okay, though I wish some of our teachers would actually give us the information needed instead of saying 'Oh, by the way, there's a written assessment on your OneNote that I said absolutely nothing about that you have to complete!' >.>) so hopefully by the time I hit university (haven't actually decided between Auckland and Otago yet ) I'll have ditched my annoying habits of leaving things to last minute.

Noise shouldn't be too much of a problem either, I have a pair of headphones that come in handy quite often even in college (despite being the so-called enrichment class, my class is really freaking loud most of the time) and I tend to be quite decent and blocking out the noise. The fact that it's directly on campus is also a massive plus since while I'm a fast walker and don't mind walking, I'd rather just be close to where I need to be which is why Knox is out of the question - again, like St Margs, great hall in other aspects but that distance... at least Aquinas has an hourly shuttle!

 

[Verdigris]

Regardless of where you go, your friends make all the difference as far as the year goes, in my experience. I left one friend group for another because I found my first group too stressy, and my second group was much more fun and more relaxed. Do try to prepare yourself a little mentally for the sense of competition and stress because I found that present even in labs etc.

 

[Bootleg]

Hi.

Do all residential colleges provide extra tutorials for health sciences? or is it only selected colleges?

 

[Dougbak]

Hi.

Do all residential colleges provide extra tutorials for health sciences? or is it only selected colleges?

Yup - every single one does.