Top 10 Weirdest Questions We Get Asked At The Village

you want to bring what!?

Working in student housing means you get asked some pretty strange questions from time to time! Our guest blogger and customer contact agent, Kiara, gives us an insight into the most… err.. unusual questions we get asked by parents and students!

Can I bring my pet snake?

A snake? Really? I’m not so sure your roommates would appreciate Medusa’s tendrils living in the room next door. That would be a no. Unfortunately there is a no-pet-policy at the Village so even the cute and furry ones are not allowed to stay. Sorry about that!

Can I please be accommodated with Vegans?

We do our best to accommodate to your roommate requests, however, people mentioning whether they are vegans in their applications (surprisingly) is very unlikely. If you do have certain interests (i.e. fitness, bike riding, heavy metal music or painting) feel free add this to your application and we will try to house you with similar-minded roomies.

I’m a male, can I please be in an all-female room?

No, no you can’t sorry. Believe me, your expectations of living in a female apartment is better than reality. Think high heels and makeup everywhere and Selena Gomez albums playing on repeat.

Can I play my instrument in the room?

Yes, play that trombone ALLLL night long. But in all seriousness, we would love you to practice but please be respectful of your roommates and neighbours. During exam period we would suggest choosing times your roommates are out, or better yet, hiring out one of the university music rooms.

What is the thickness of my mattress?

No matter how many times we mention that it is the standard mattress size (i.e. Standard King Single, Single, Double etc.), we still get prospective residents asking the “how THICK is my mattress?” FYI it is between 20cm – 25cm.

I only want to be housed with people of the same nationality…

Like I mentioned earlier, we do our best to house to roommate requests, HOWEVER, in this situation we would not accommodate the request. Here at the Village we are proud of our multiculturalism and encourage residents to learn about and embrace new cultures. Many Villages will have events to celebrate religious holidays. Some hold cooking classes to teach you how to cook traditional meals from other countries. Living with residents from different cultures will make your Village experience all the more vibrant and we encourage you to get involved!

Do we have curfew?

The Village is the bridge into independent living. We believe we are providing you with the skill set to live independently with the reassurance that you have someone looking out for you (i.e. staff & RA’s). While there are no curfews, we do have noise restrictions at certain times.

Does my room have a window?

A strange question for Australians’ but not so much for international students. Under Australian law your room must have a window. So go forth and enjoy that sunshine, the birds and fresh air.

My friend is coming from Denmark for 2 weeks, can he stay in my room while he’s here?

While we like to think we provide the fun and communal atmosphere of a hostel, we are not a hostel. Generally the rule for the Villages is that your guest can stay up to 2 consecutive nights in your room, the Village management and you roommates must be aware of the guest. This rule can differ from Village to Village so be sure to ask Village management prior to your guests’ arrival.

Will I be attacked/bitten by a snake/spider?

Very, very unlikely. International students have an idea that Australia has a plethora of dangerous animals waiting to attack you. While we do have some dangerous creatures, most of our Villages are located in the city (away from their natural habitat), you may see a spider or two but it will most likely be a harmless Daddy Long Legs or Huntsman. If you do see something, be sure to keep your distance and notify a staff member.

We understand that everyone has questions that need answering, and we are here to help! I hope this has cleared a few things up, but please contact us if you have any more questions!