Ronnie

Having nice accommodation on campus was really important to me, so seeing Purdown was one of the motivating factors for coming to UWE. I liked how modern it was.

14th October 2025

First impressions

Ronnie, thanks for your time, tell us about your experience of uni so far…

It’s been really good, I’m enjoying it. I’m in my first year studying law. Everyone talks about how challenging it is, but I haven’t really found that yet. I guess it’s still early days.

That’s great to hear. And is this the first time you’ve lived alone?

Yeah, I’ve always lived with my parents but I felt quite comfortable moving out. I do miss my mum’s cooking though, I’m not a very good cook. Fish finger sandwiches and pasta have been a very prominent part of my life these past few months!

You’re in a studio space, so you can’t even share the cooking!

Well I was in a flat with three other boys to start with, but moved into a studio because the kitchen and common areas were in a real state and I wanted my own space.

I like the independence and responsibility of living alone, it feels rewarding. I can keep everything clean and tidy, and it’s nice to come home to your own space. And if I want cereal for dinner, I can! I haven’t actually done that yet though.

And why did you choose Purdown View?

Having nice accommodation on campus was really important to me, so seeing Purdown was one of the motivating factors for coming to UWE. I liked how modern it was.

I’d say the sustainability part was a positive, but not really a deciding factor. If it was really poor, I’d probably avoid it. If it was really good, I’d be interested. Anything in between wouldn’t make too much of a difference.

Life in the flat

Let’s talk about your studio. First off, appease us by telling us what you like—then we’ll see what you’d change.

Well I really like my room, it’s quite cosy. I like how high up it is, too. I’m on the fifth floor so in the morning I open the window and it’s nice to look at the sunrise.

When I was looking at other universities, a lot of the studios felt the same as regular rooms. They had a corridor with a little kitchen, then a bed and a desk at the end. Here, my studio here feels like it’s actually been designed as a studio. You’ve got a little kitchen area with a breakfast bar and you walk round into the bed space. So that’s good.

That’s great. And what would you change?

The TV on the wall is in a bit of an awkward spot. You have to walk around the breakfast bar to get to the bed and desk area. The TV is right in the middle of that narrow spot where you squeeze through, so I’ve bumped my head a couple of times.

Oh no! Where would be a better spot for it?

Well, I also brought my own TV and I’ve got that set up on my desk. The one on the wall is designed so it pulls out and you can watch it in bed, but I’ve never used it that way. I don’t think I’ve ever turned it on!

Aside from cooking—and the TV layout—are there any challenges of living on your own?

It’s a bit more lonely I guess, I’m not seeing as many people when I’m making dinner or whatever. I still see people outside of that, but it was nice seeing people a bit more often. I think overall I do prefer living in a studio though.

Social spaces and building community

Okay let’s talk about the social side of things then. Have you found it easy to meet people here?

Yeah. I often go to lectures with my old flatmate. We’ll meet outside in the courtyard because it’s a pretty round space. So, you sort of just meet everyone in the middle. I think it’s quite good for meeting people here.

Where are your favourite spots to hang out with friends?

If I’m with friends that are doing law, we’ll either get something from a shop or go to the Student Union bar after lectures. Sometimes we just sit in one of the study areas on campus, have a chat and do some work.

Do you use any of the shared spaces here, like the Move Studio or the Life Hub?

I see events going on in the Life Hub and I’ll just go over to check them out, but I’ve never really done anything in there. There’s definitely some stuff in there that seems pretty interesting.

I also like that there’s laundry at the bottom of my building. It means I don’t have to carry my washing outside. But you have to be strategic about when you go. My original plan was to do it really late because I thought everyone would be in bed, but it turns out everyone’s thinking the same thing! Now I just wake up really early and do it before everyone else is up.

Cool, so you don’t play games in shared spaces?

There’s a pool table next to the entrance to my building and there’s always a massive group on that pool table. I’ve never seen it not being used. I’m sure if I did see it free and I had some friends that wanted to play, I’d definitely be interested.

And give us some insights on the study spaces, where’s the best spot?

If I’m on my own, definitely in my room. It’s less than a two minute walk from my studio to my lectures, so I just go home where I can have my own peace and quiet. For group projects, we meet up in the shared study areas.

Life on campus

You’re moving to the city centre next year, how do you feel about that?

It still feels a bit alien to me. I’m not really a ‘going out’ person but sometimes my friends drag me, so I’ve only been into the city centre like three or four times. Every time I go I recognise more and more places, but I guess I don’t really feel I’m a part of Bristol just yet. I’m sure that’ll change when I move into my second year.

Do you feel you have everything you need here on campus?

Yeah, there’s quite a lot on campus so I don’t usually have to travel far if I want anything. I’ve been to Morrisons quite a lot. The Amazon lockers are quite handy, and Greggs is nice if I’m hungry on the way to a lecture. There’s even a hairdresser on campus, not that I’ve used it!

Is there anything that would be really useful to have?

McDonald’s! I got a Chinese takeaway once. But it’s kind of hard to have a Chinese for one. I’m not sure how you’re supposed to get deliveries here, so I just got it delivered to the edge of campus. I went there to meet them.

And takeaways aside, do you feel it’s easy to live a healthy life here?

Yes, I would say I feel healthy. I haven’t signed up for the gym because I don’t want to pay for it, but I have been playing a lot of squash at the Centre for Sport, which is really convenient because it’s like 40 seconds away.

The squash society meets up twice a week and I play with them. Some of my friends from other universities have come down to play squash too, I think it’s quite good to be sociable and active.

What about outdoor spaces, did you hang out outside much during the hotter periods?

To be honest, for that very brief period when it was hot, I didn’t really know anyone enough to hang out. But when it’s hot again this year, I will. The spot with the little gazebo, where one of the steps becomes a desk or something—I’m not really sure how it works—but it’s quite cool. I’ve noticed people sitting there quite a lot.

Are there any spaces in particular that you think would be nice to hang out in summer?

I don’t think anywhere in the immediate Purdown area because it’s all surrounded by buildings. But one time I was out at night, on my way home, and I sat outside for ten minutes just looking up at the sky. It was quite a clear night, so it is quite a nice area to just sit on a bench sometimes.

And do you feel safe and supported?

Yes, I feel quite safe. I always see security walking around, so I know they’re there. I got locked out of my room once and they were able to let me back in, so that’s always a positive. In terms of support, I can’t think of anything that’s lacking. The GP is just a short bus ride away, that’s pretty convenient.