Living in Lund: Studentlyckan

N.B: This entry is a part of a series of student accommodation reviews directed at new students looking for apartments in Lund. Lund(on) Times is not affiliated with AF Bostäder, LU Accommodation or any other apartment rental service. More visual material may be added in the future. Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Pros	Cons
+ Quiet and peaceful	- Hard to secure a place; no furniture
+ Own kitchen, shower, bathroom with a tub (extremely spacious)	- Relatively expensive (~5,400sek/month + electricity)
+ Close to town (location on map)	- Far from campus, larger supermarkets
+ Small convenience store next to it	- Ugly on the exterior

Click here for AFB's information on Studentlyckan

Single bedroom apartments seem to have a mixed reputation and penetration across the world. However, Nordic nations embrace them and consider them a taken-for-granted mode of inhabiting an urban center. They are most popular among young couples in the middle of their studies or at the beginning of a burgeoning career. Studentlyckan is definitely known as the couples' apartment block. "It is the romanticized image of living in Lund: you start here in a corridor, then you find a partner and eventually move together to Studentlyckan," Rebecca, a now graduated student laughs when asked about the apartment complex's reputation. She lived in the apartment with her boyfriend for a year, after living by herself for 1½ years.
"Queuing here takes a while longer. Studentlyckan and Ulrikedal were our main options because of the most space for the best price and an okay location."

Figure 22. The large spacious bedroom has plenty of closet space, and even a tiny balcony. The romance is shattered by the sheer ugliness of the post-Soviet exterior of the Studentlyckan apartments.

Located in southern Lund, just beyond Ulrikedal and Parentesen, Studentlyckan is probably the most secluded and quietest apartment block in the AFB catalogue. The apartment boasts a large living room, a small kitchen, a spacious bedroom, more than enough closet space, and even a bathtub in the bathroom.
"This is just one layout though. I have seen other room configurations in the building too. Some of the apartments have their 'living room' as another bedroom," Rebecca says. "It's good for both couples and friends. There is another apartment layout in the building where the bedroom is the same size without the balcony. All of them have plenty of closet space and a big kitchen though. The bathroom is really big too, and the bathtub is pure luxury."

Figure 23. There is indeed a bathtub!

Of course, the price strikes you as very high, comparing it to the corridor rooms available. Yet as Rebecca points out, between two people it can be even more affordable in the long run. As an exception to corridor rooms, she paid for her own electricity too.
"We have a company called Kraftringen, which is probably the most common one for AFB residents.”
The level of seclusion might even be too much for someone. While the complex is away from the city, clubs and noisy corridors, Studentlyckan lies right on the other end of the noise spectrum even regarding regular conversation.
"I see a lot of my neighbors, but I do not talk to them," Rebecca admits. In true Nordic interaction, exchange is kept to a minimum in the staircase and yard area. Not much happens in terms of communal activity, although the green area in the center of the buildings serves as a good picnic area during summer.
"Especially during summer and spring, you can just look out and see your friends," Rebecca recalls about the residents utilizing the green area. "I can just call down to them, and join them outside. It would be pretty easy to organize something bigger too, but BBQ's are the typical events going on here."

Figure 24 & 25. The amount of kitchen counter for two people is more than in a kitchen deemed spacious enough for 10 people.

All in all, Rebecca is completely satisfied with her life in Studentlyckan. The only complaints that comes to mind are minor cosmetic ones.

“I think the appearance of the buildings is depressing, especially during winter time. It is really nice and cozy inside but every time I look out the window I am appalled. The kitchen counters are also very low, which is a bad thing for a tall person like myself. Also it can get cold during winters and hot during summers, but that’s not really a problem.”
When given a choice between corridors and single apartments, Rebecca's choice is clear:
"I got a feeling of the corridor life, and I can say it really depends on the other people there. I think its a general trend that people who have studied for longer end up in apartments like this. You even have some families with children here. You also do get parties, but none of the excess corridor noise. Personally, I enjoy this type of accommodation more than a corridor." 

Figure 26. All of the furniture belongs to the resident.