We felt at home at Talentenplein
What's it like to live at the Talentenplein student accommodation in Zwolle? Pleun and Julia share their experience.
“First-year students of Global Project and Change Management are guaranteed a room at Talentenplein.” says Julia. “This was a huge advantage, as I did not have to search for a room while I was in another country. The process is fairly easy, and you’re guided through it when you’re accepted to the programme.”
Pleun adds, “I heard about it at the open day. Most GPCM students live in this flat, sharing a studio with a roommate. It’s more like a dormitory, as you won’t have your own bedroom.”
Finding a roommate
“GPCM hosts online meetings where you can meet others and choose a potential roommate,” Julia explains. “I couldn't attend, so I sent a message in our year's group chat.” Pleun adds, “I attended the meetings but struggled to connect with someone, so I messaged Julia for a quick call.” Both: “We ended up talking for hours! The next day, we texted each other: ‘You’re it! I choose you!’ Then, we strategically picked our room, prioritizing two things: sunlight and a quiet spot on the first floor. This worked out well, we had one of the best rooms!”
Costs and expenses
“Rent was €435 per month, including gas, water, and electricity. Aside from that, groceries were the biggest expense, but their cost depends entirely on where and how you shop.”
“The prices of rent do go up each year. It’s an expensive room, but so worth it. It’s a lot of fun to live in a community like this. What saved us some money is that we cooked for each other, both cooking around three days a week.”
Room facilities and decoration
“The room comes furnished. We each had a closet and bed with a night stand,” Julia explains. “Next to this, we both had a desk with a chair and a bookshelf. We also shared a kitchen, which had a microwave/oven, an induction hob, a coffee machine, and a kettle. There were also some basic cleaning supplies like a vacuum and a mop.”
“There were also trash cans for each desk, one bigger one in the kitchen, and one in the bathroom,” Pleun adds. “The bathroom had a shower curtain, and a strangely placed mirror on the door. There was also a mirror inside our closets.”
Julia continues, “Our room was one of the coziest. We used our closets to divide the space, creating our own little areas. A few months in, I bought a beautiful carpet - our pride and joy - that made it feel even homier. With plants, fairy lights, and occasional kitchen redecorations, we created a space that felt like home.”
Pleun agrees, “We put a lot of effort into making it feel like our own home. The room’s layout gave us privacy for sleeping while still letting in plenty of light.”
Sharing a room
“We both value our own time, so we were initially nervous. Good communication was key, we knew when the other needed quiet time. Still, we did a lot together, even cooking for each other, which worked so well that we’d dance to music while doing the dishes. We also split the cleaning tasks.”
“Living together can bring up amazing things. That carpet we mentioned earlier? It became our dinner spot, where we’d sit, eat, and watch Netflix. From time to time, we would also have ‘roommate dates’ and do something fun in the city or our room.”
Social life
“The contact with our neighbours was amazing, creating a community feeling. We did a lot of things together: watching movies, hosting hallway dinners, and even doing Secret Santa. Since our floor was exclusively GPCM students, team meetings were easy. In summer, the basketball court outside became our go-to spot for long, relaxed dinners with friends.”
Looking back
“I didn’t expect anything beforehand,” Julia reflects. “It all came naturally. It was nice to share the household load. I honestly did not expect to have dinner made for me every week!”
Pleun agrees, “It turned out to be much more fun than expected. You never really know what it will be like living so close to someone, but we had so much fun and learned so much from each other.”
Finding a new room
“Our contract was only for one year. In May, we both started looking for new rooms.” Julia had a lot of struggles finding a new room, but her efforts paid off as she now has an amazing big room with a bathroom. Pleun was lucky enough to have enough waiting time on her SSH account, so she found a new room through there. “So, tip if you’re reading this: create an SSH account now, so you have more chance of getting a room!”
More information
Curious about student housing in Zwolle? Explore your options!
Check out more photos of a room at Talentenplein or learn about SSH(opens in new tab), the housing corporation behind Talentenplein.