The time I spent in the hell hole that was my student accommodation and a shared thought for Students the world over.
Many of you reading this are undoubtedly students. In 2 days time I will have my graduation ceremony and leave the world of the student, and become an adult in the real world. Into a cutthroat world where what you do for a living, and how much moolah you have defines who you are.
It is a scary thought that my educatory life will be closed in 48 hours, but I am also looking forward to it. As much as I detested school, I went on to do 6 years voluntary education on top of it. It was these last 6 years that I enjoyed; probably because I was treated like an adult and not some kind of snivelling little brat. It is time to shed my skin.
It is a funny thing being a student and choosing where to study. There are many aspects that mould and shape your decision on where to go. The biggest I think is finance, but I know some people that chose their Uni because of its Student Union bar. In reality, we should choose where to go on “What place will give me the best education?” A University’s prospectus makes the place look all singing and dancing, but believe me, they don’t tell you half of what you need to make an informed decision. Had I have known how retarded and creatively constrictive my lecturers were, I would have reconsidered my choice (incidentally, I found out that my other choice of Uni flooded then burnt down in the same year).
All University staff and the people that run them are interested in is getting their numbers up and robbing us poor students of every possible penny that we can scrimp together. Yes, we students are a down trodden breed. We’re just trying to get an education so we can competently run this country when we come to that age. Yet, despite this, we get dumped on, not only by greedy University administrators, but by plenty of others too.
The first year I stayed in University halls of residence (fair enough, no complaints there) but it was when I moved into a shared student house that life went down hill. I was having to pay extortionate amounts to live in a house where there was wasps nests in the attic, ants in the kitchen, a boiler that went off every weekend without fail, a burst water pipe in the cupboard under the stairs that got so bad, the wooden boards fell apart like soggy tissue as we pulled the 6 inch tall fungi that hang sprung from the wood.
We tried speaking to her about it, we tried threatening her about it, we even went to the council and complained tried to get them to do something about it. But that bitch had us right where she wanted us contractually. After speaking to ex-house mates we discovered she had a knack of getting you to sign contracts then not give you a copy so you have no frame of reference when it comes to complaints. Any complaint would me met with “Show me your contract then”. Weeks and weeks went by, with 6 of us ringing her up everyday to get her to send us a contract, but it never came.
One guy decided not to pay rent as protest. BIG MISTAKE. She took him to court for breach of contract, and his folks had to fork out a fortune. Luckily I lift as my schooling had finished, but the house still remains there. Just waiting to either suck more unfortunate bastards in, or to be petrol bombed to do the world a favour.
So, students of tomorrow, I urge you. Use common sense. Make sure you get copies of any contract you sign, make copies of your copies so you never get screwed over. Because believe me, there a lot of people out there that just see you as easy prey and easy money.
