I was an exchange student who went to Mainz, Germany. Thus, my German is definetly conversational and I'd love to kick, and speak with you!
Well, I can tell you that the cheapest places around the University, are also the places that you'll have to walk/bus the furthest, and they will not have easy footbag access. If it is within your budget, check out
http://www.mainwestvillage.ca/index.htm . This is the building I live in, which is about 13 minutes walk / 3 minute bike from the middle of the campus. If that is out of your range, I can tell you the places I looked at before I decided on this, and why. But seriously, this place is THE best to go. It is a huge apartment complex rented only to McMaster students, but you're not on campus with the staff watching you behave like you are a child. If you are going in first year, of course you will meet more people if you do live on Campus, but it is hard to get into campus residences if you are in 2nd, 3rd or 4th year.
All footbag locations will be answered once you come here, but yeah, if you are in a house off campus winter shred space is hard to find.
I've kicked with the Vienna Crew, and so has Hamilton's biggest star...Jorden Moir.
Yeah, you're going to University 10 minutes away, from Jorden Moir. You better believe it.
Also, 30 minutes away, is Johnny Suderman, also a Canadian footbag hero.
You couldn't have picked a better location.