Sydney University Village

I feel anxious whenever I need to ask the front desk for help, and this place feels especially unfriendly to international students who are still learning English. When I first arrived, I couldn't work out where to enter my bank details for rent, so I asked at the desk. The staff member spoke quickly, then sped up and got more frustrated even after he could tell I wasn't following. When I asked him to show me on my phone, he refused and just repeated that he'd already explained it. Help seems to be treated as a burden here. If you forget your key and politely ask someone to open the door, you get an annoyed look. Some staff even stomp up the stairs so loudly the whole house shakes. In general, the staff have been impatient and unpleasant. The only good service I got was at my first check-in, when my parents were with me. A few people in particular stand out: a Latino man with glasses and curly hair, an older Asian woman with long hair parted in the middle and tied in a ponytail, and a shorter Southeast Asian long hair woman who seems to be an intern. I pay a lot of rent to live here, so why am I treated this way? If you don't enjoy the job, you shouldn't be doing it. I really hope the company gives its staff better professional training.

The accessible room I was assigned had an overly wide, poorly maintained restroom, and nobody told me about it until move-in day. The lift was also broken when I arrived. There isn't a kitchen in the unit, and the shared one is in another building. You have to go outside to reach it, with no roof over the route when it's raining, and the kitchen itself is small. My bond took more than four weeks to come back, even though it was returned in full and there was no issue. That's ridiculously slow compared with other student accommodation. The place is okay to live in, but the rent isn't worth it. If you have another option, don't choose this place.

Thin walls mean you can hear neighbors laughing, talking, and screaming, and the street noise comes through even with the windows shut. There are also people gathering inside the village and shouting late at night. Sometimes it goes on for hours, until 4am, with doors slamming and more yelling. It's noisy in the daytime too. Don't put your health and studies at risk by staying in this shitty place.

I love all the green foliage around the village, and the staff are friendly. It's a nice place for students, with clean rooms and the basic amenities. There are good places to unwind and catch up with friends in the common areas, both in the apartments and around the village. Management also puts on social events where you can meet people. Newtown is a prime spot, with cafes and shops only a few minutes away on foot, and Sydney University close by.