what's the accomodation here like?

[lucy]

hi! I'm coming to St.Andrews uni in September and I was wondering what the accomodation and food is like in McIntosh Hall.

[Jono]

Have you been told if you're here or in another hall?

Accomodation is a combination of Single and shared rooms. You get pretty much the basic amenities, internet connection, Shelves, pinboard, etc. The Rules are pretty harsh sometimes i.e. no posters, fridges, kettles, or flags allowed for various health and saftey reasons. The rent is pretty exuberant, as per the rent rises all across the board. Unfortunatly unless you want to move into albany and cook for yourself, you're going to have to make do with that.

Food, despite heavy criticism, is usually quite good. if not there are always sandwich and salad options. All food's cooked on site, with healthy and vegetarian options provided.



[hr]

Don't mention the Nazi's!

[October]

Quoting Jono from 11:37, 17th Apr 2006
The Rules are pretty harsh sometimes i.e. no posters, fridges, kettles,

Jon you only think the rules are harsh cause you were stupid enought to get caught.
For everyone less, if you have at lest one brain cell, things are fine.

[hr]

your friendly hall robot

[trouble]

Quoting Jono from 11:37, 17th Apr 2006
All food's cooked on site, with healthy and vegetarian options provided.

[hr]

Don't mention the Nazi's!

actually, jon, a friend of mine works in new hall kitchen, and they ship out all the food for all the halls. mcintosh only re-heat the food. and they still manage to fuck it up.

[hr]

"Just stay with me, safe and ignorant,
Safe from pain and truth and choice and other poison devils,
See, they don't give a fuck about you, like I do." (APC- pet)

http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37100566

[Akasha]

As someone who works in the McIntosh kitchens i can assure you that all the food isn't just "shipped in".

Burgers and the like are made offsite, however most of the mains (i.e. tonight - shepards pie, mushroom risotto and veggie and pasta stuffed peppers) are main onsite. If fact, all those mains were made on site.

The chefs work hard on a tiny budget. You guys have no idea.

[liliputian]

I don't understand people who complain about the food - if you really don't like it, move out.

I personally do like the food, and with working in the Kitchens, I'm very much aware of the effort that goes into making the meals. Yes, things like the burgers are bought in, but things such as lasagne, spaghetti bolognase ad the risottos are made pretty much from scratch (the veg does come in pre-sliced and diced for ease).

It did used to be that the CCU - Central Catering Unit - did all the food for the halls and it was then sent out, but now New Hall just do the extra catering contracts, such as the Rector's installation dinner and other business meals etc.

McIntosh is well known through the University for being the best in making the most out of their budget. Few other halls have desserts like Cornetto and Mars Ice-creams and many do not have the full salad bar as we do.

Count yourselves lucky. And again - if you really don't like it, move out and cook for yourself...


[hr]

i know you want the sin but not the sinner...

http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37100186

[October]

food is food,
I've seen better,
I've eaten worst.
But yeah, if you don't like it move out.
Overall the foods not that bad.
Just no more "cheesey Chops" plz.
I'm so glad they were droped from the menu.

[hr]

your friendly hall robot

[pedant]

do you mean 'exorbitant'?

[pff]

Quoting October from 14:17, 17th Apr 2006
For everyone less, if you have at lest one brain cell, things are fine.

Sadly you obviously don't.

[~fartypants~]

people complainng about the food may not have had opportunity to move out up till now, but I am sure it will be a factor prompting people not to return in next year. Considering the rediculous amount of money we pay to stay here there should be a larger catering budget. It may not be the chef's fault and they may go to a lot of trouble, but generally it is quite bad.

And as for there being a health option, it is all comparative, there is nothing healthy to be had, unless you want your evening meal to be a slice of ham, half a tomato and a few slices of cucumber.


Mod edit: Please provide a username for reference purposes.

[hopie]

to answer the original question to tell what hall will be like next year take what you have at the moment increase the price but decrease the quality of service and sadly it seems hall spirit - the likelyhood of getting fined seems to have gone up aswell because of the loss of flexibility within the rules and the further exploitation of the students residencys as a cash cow for the university

the food in hall is pretty awful and has got worse because the budget is pityfully small and is in no way related to the amount residents pay - any debate or point against the food is immediately countered with the idea that the kitchen staff work hard which isnt the point, it doesnt matter how hard you work if the food is bad the food is bad

i remember being told how little money was spent six years ago and i doubt the budget has increased,if they had a decent budget they could make better food but they dont and the food is basically poor, another good reason to move out which shouldnt be there - there should be complains made if people dont like it to ResBus but thats like banging your head against a brick wall

[hr]

Im not jesus christ, Ive come to accept that now....

[o_t4ng]

I love living in hall... although I can easily see why people would want to move out... I'm too lazy to, TBH.

The fee hike is insane, especially considering the apparent nothing we are getting out of it.

Food is tolerable if you're not too fussy. It's best not to think about what you're eating... and don't expect anything tasty. I know it's not the kitchen's fault before you start on me.

Generally, hall is a great place to live... mostly from the social side. You get to know so many people and the opportunities to just hang out in the common room until insane hours in the morning are great. Unfortunately this year has been a bit dissapointing on this front... I'm not sure why.



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"I'll stare straight into the sun and I won't close my eyes"

[Gubbins]

For all those complaining about hall food (and for the benefit of those coming of McIntosh), unless standards have REALLY (and I REALLY mean REALLY) plummetted in the last year or so, Chattan hall food stands among the best centrally catered food in the country. The University have won competitions for food quality, the quality of the food has improved immeasurably in the last six years, and personal experience has shown me that compared to other Universities you're getting a pretty good deal in terms of price, and a VERY good deal in terms of quality.

[hr]

...but then again, that is only my opinion.

[Jono]

Oh! So I'm being dumb am I? It was due to my sheer lack of intelligence that the Residence manager walked into my room while I was still in bed was it?

I've always thought the rules are harsh. A lot of universities i've visited actually PROVIDE amenities like fridges in rooms. As opposed to having us stuff all our perishables into one fridge, where assuming they don't get nicked, they soak up the smell of expired milk and strong cheese!!!!

[/rant]

Quoting October from 14:17, 17th Apr 2006

Quoting Jono from 11:37, 17th Apr 2006
The Rules are pretty harsh sometimes i.e. no posters, fridges, kettles,

Jon you only think the rules are harsh cause you were stupid enought to get caught.
For everyone less, if you have at lest one brain cell, things are fine.

[hr]

your friendly hall robot

[hr]

Don't mention the Nazi's!

[Jono]

Oh! So I'm being dumb am I? It was due to my sheer lack of intelligence that the Residence manager walked into my room while I was still in bed was it?

I've always thought the rules are harsh. A lot of universities i've visited actually PROVIDE amenities like fridges in rooms. As opposed to having us stuff all our perishables into one fridge, where assuming they don't get nicked, they soak up the smell of expired milk and strong cheese!!!!

[/rant]

Quoting October from 14:17, 17th Apr 2006

Quoting Jono from 11:37, 17th Apr 2006
The Rules are pretty harsh sometimes i.e. no posters, fridges, kettles,

Jon you only think the rules are harsh cause you were stupid enought to get caught.
For everyone less, if you have at lest one brain cell, things are fine.

[hr]

your friendly hall robot

[hr]

Don't mention the Nazi's!

[Cain]

Quoting Jono from 00:41, 20th Apr 2006
Oh! So I'm being dumb am I? It was due to my sheer lack of intelligence that the Residence manager walked into my room while I was still in bed was it?

Regardless of when the RMs walk in to your room, if you have posters where you shouldn't, a fridge, or a kettle, and it says in the Residence Handbook that you shouldn't then you can't really complain about getting caught.

It isn't like the rules are a great secret, or a set of surprises that they spring on you throughout the year.

As for it being harsh that you aren't allowed any of the above, I'm sure that you understand the reasons for them. Fire hazards anybody? No high powered electrical items. Done. It's also hardly the fault of the RMs that students keep the fridges and other equipment in the kitchens in a disgusting state and steal each others fault.

Well done for visiting universities that put fridges in rooms. Which ones were these? Try living in Aberdeen halls, with tiny rooms, no internet connection, no phone line in your rooms (one phone for the corridor) and similar restrictions regarding posters. It makes chattan look palatial.

[hr]

I hold an element of surprise

[pea]

Quoting Jono from 00:41, 20th Apr 2006
Oh! So I'm being dumb am I? It was due to my sheer lack of intelligence that the Residence manager walked into my room while I was still in bed was it?

I've always thought the rules are harsh. A lot of universities i've visited actually PROVIDE amenities like fridges in rooms. As opposed to having us stuff all our perishables into one fridge, where assuming they don't get nicked, they soak up the smell of expired milk and strong cheese!!!!

[/rant]

No, it was due to your sheer lack of intelligence and the your know-it-all attitude that the RMs found the fridge in your room that you know you're not allowed, as you are told multiple times in handbooks and guidelines.
We only have to cook our own meals for 2 meals a week. Do you really think that the RMs are going to provide a fridge in your room for that? The reason there are only 2 in the kitchen is because they are meant to store food for the weekend and maybe a pint of milk here and there, so there is no reason there should be any more fridges.

As people say time and time again, if you don't like it, MOVE. OUT. You'd be doing us all a favour.

[hr]

I'm a little pea... I love the sky and the trees.

[Jono]

So all of a sudden i'm the only one to have objections to the hall rules? I'm quite willing to concede that it was my own fault for getting caught. However I'm certainly not the only one to have reservations or objections to certian aspects of the rules, or to infringe upon them. It just happens that the day of the inspection in question, everyone else on my floor was given some level of notice (However unofficial) and were in a position to do something about it!

Theres no need for people to make twatish comments about me being caught. Especially when the person in question's roommate was able to remove and/or hide all offending items in their room before the RM's strolled in!

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Don't mention the Nazi's!

[skip]

First time round I had no warning, they said they'd be back in 2 weeks and my room was in good condition.

Anyway... hall. It's good. We should probably try to get the common room to have a bit more of a buzz around it next year, it's usually just a few of us playing pool and maybe a couple of people on the sofa. If you're sharing a room, I guess you've got at least someone you kinda have to talk to in your first week (you can decide whether you like them or not). If not and you're in a single room, just hang around outside and you'll meet plenty of people.

Hall food, even though it's not usually that good, it's at least edible even for a veggie like me. Just avoid the chick peas. And get down to dinner early if there's something you like, there's not always enough of the popular things (ran out of chocolate cake today just before I got there)

If you're in McIntosh I'll see you in September, should be fun to induct the new freshers into the ways of St Andrews (if you're teetotal, this might be the wrong place for you ). Make sure to get involved in as much stuff during Fresher's Week as possible, especially the Hall-related events.

[Cain]

Quoting skip from 13:40, 23rd Apr 2006
(if you're teetotal, this might be the wrong place for you )

Rubbish

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I hold an element of surprise