We asked Rebecca, one of our current students living in Pier Quays in Medway to share her thoughts, experiences and advice when it comes to living in Pier Quays
Being a first-year university student can be scary. Meeting new people, doing your own shopping, making sure you don’t make a mess in your shared kitchen. But don’t worry, everyone is in the same boat! I remember moving into Pier Quays for the first time. Seeing the beautiful design of the buildings made me feel excited. This is going to be a place where I call home for a full academic year. Waving my family goodbye made me realise that I have officially moved out and this is the beginning of my journey as a university student.
Pier Quays offers all types of rooms which are fully furnished with a big desk, ¾ bed, chair, bedside table, wardrobe and many storage spaces. In terms of the kitchen, the sizes vary in different flats however all kitchens are also full furnished. It includes electric stovetops, refrigerator-freezers, loads of cupboards, a table with chairs, comfy sofas, a hoover, a dustpan and brush, a bucket and a mop, ironing board, and bins. Facilities provided here include a laundry room, 24-hour security team, spacious common room and friendly members of staff at the reception desk. Unite Students have made an app which allows us to report any maintenance issues, talk to people in your flat/block as well as get notified when your delivery has arrived. This has made my experience living here much easier because it is so efficient to have all the information you need in one app!
This particular accommodation is situated amongst permanent residents. The flats surrounding Pier Quays are so aesthetically pleasing, so the view out of the windows are sorted (especially during sunset). The dots of greenery around the area gives the place much more life and colour. The area itself is relatively quiet as the only noises you would hear are cars driving by your room, people walking on the pavement below you and the odd bird songs. Additionally, we are a 2-minute walk from a Tesco’s Extra, Subway and Dominoes. A cheeky takeout night is sorted! If you crave something else, the choices on Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats are endless. For your big grocery shop, we are about a 3 to 4-minute walk away from an enormous Asda. The prices are much cheaper than the other major supermarkets, so no matter the size of your budget you will be able to do a good shop there.
Being in my second year of university, I decided to come back Pier Quays because of the value for money. The rent includes all the utility and wi-fi bills, so I don’t have worry about that. For both years I’ve stayed here, I chose an en-suite room just because I did not feel comfortable with sharing a bathroom. If you would like to stay in a room just like mine, I suggest you apply as early as possible because they are in high demand! Another reason I came back was the safety precautions offered here. As I mentioned before, there is 24/7 security team, so it assures that I am safe. As well as this, if you are like me, I love to order stuff online. And at Pier Quays, I know that my packages are safe in the reception area when I am not able to pick them up straightaway. The staff would have to ID you to make sure that no one can steal your packages. So, for that I really appreciate it. I would like to emphasise how straightforward the application process for securing a room here. It literally took me 10 minutes to finish the form. You can book your rooms on through the University of Kent website.
A massive bonus when you book directly to University is that you receive a sports membership! If you were to have any additional questions about the rooms or booking process, which are not stated on the website, the Accommodation Office can be contacted via telephone and email. Also, the rebooking process was even easier because they had all my details from the previous year. For the room I am currently staying at, they managed to meet all my preferences because I booked it as soon as they were accepting next year’s bookings. And if you would like to live with your friends, they do have a section of the form to request that. It is not 100% guaranteed but the chances will be increased the earlier you book.
One of my concerns when I initially moved in was the concept of living with total strangers. I don’t know about you, but I am a clean freak! I was honestly just praying for neat flatmates. Unfortunately, that did not happen, however, we did resolve the issue by communicating and being adults about it. To ensure that our kitchen was tidy, we established a bin rota. This organisation is expected to be done amongst you and your flatmates. But if you do have issues, you are able to talk to the team onsite about it to help you resolve any disagreements. Living in harmony is what we would all aim for. Then fast forwarding to the present, I live with my friends, so they are a knock away if I need them. It’s nice to be able to check up on them every now and again, especially through the whole COVID situation. Cooking together, studying together and just relaxing together gives our flat a “homey” atmosphere. Because we all would want to feel comfortable in the space we live in, whether that is permanent or temporary.
~ Rebecca
Thanks Rebecca! You can find out more about Pier Quays via our website, but don’t forget the accommodation application deadline to receive a guaranteed room offer is coming up soon on the 31 July so apply now! You can freely edit your application without penalties until that date too so there really is no reason to wait.