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Why I’ll Never Regret Studying at the University of York

Claire Hurry
Online Writer

University of York graduate, Claire, talks about why she’ll always be glad she ended up at the Uni.

 


 

1. You’re never far from the beautiful city centre.

Your relatives and friends from home who gush about how pretty York is have clearly never ventured to Tang Hall. Nonetheless, everyone has a few stunning photos of the Shambles, the Minster or Clifford’s Tower on their Instagram; not to mention all those cobbled streets.

 

 

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2. And after spending three or more years based in York, you end up becoming the ultimate tourist.

There is so much to see and do, from museums and art gallery visits, to spending the day in one of the surrounding towns like Scarborough and Whitby.

 

 

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3. You always have a ridiculous amount of pubs and bars to choose from.

In York, it actually is possible to go for a quiet drink or two without ending up in Kuda. So, if you’re in third year and have an essay due, but fancy a midweek beverage, you can venture to one of York’s quirky pubs, wine bars or gin houses. Apparently, there’s literally a pub for every day of the year 🍻🍷

 

 

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4. But if you’re looking for a big one, you can easily hit all the clubs in one night.

Everything’s pretty close together, so if you make the wrong club decision on a night out or just want to see what’s going on at the others, you can grab the gang and make a short walk to another. Yeah, York doesn’t have masses of nightlife to choose from, but you can guarantee you’ll always find people you know wherever you go.

 

 

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5. And when you do make a longer journey by taxi, you can almost guarantee your driver will be an absolute babe.

I’ve discovered that York taxi drivers are generally incredibly nice people. Many of my fifteen minute taxi journeys turned into wonderfully profound chats, pep talks on my degree and discussions about the future. Some of them will even stop their car to let you throw up as a thanks for warning them. Nice 😂

 

 

 

6. A hungover trip to Brew and Brownie beats a takeaway any day.

Brew and Brownie is a lot of people’s favourite cafe in York, and it’s really not hard to see why. They serve some of the best toasties and sandwiches I’ve ever tasted. But if you want to try something else, York has loads of cafes and coffee houses across the city – some are even tucked away within the city walls.

 

 

 

7. And if you go to uni in York, you really are studying in one of the sweetest cities in the country!

The smell of chocolate in the air from the Nestlé Factory is always a warm reminder of York’s history with famous chocolatiers.

 

 

 

8. Before long, everyone learns to love the murky campus lake and its inhabitants.

The campus lake, on a cold November morning, makes the walk to your first lecture of the day that much more bearable. Ignore the murky green colour of the water, because, come night time, lights adorning the lake’s many bridges and surrounding buildings make it very Instagram-able. You’re likely to meet some ducks or geese along the way, just make sure you treat them with equal parts love and fear.

 

 

 

9. When you’re not in lectures, you’re never short of new things to do and learn on campus.

York has so much to offer, including competitive sports, societies, volunteering opportunities, part-time work and leadership opportunities. It’s the perfect place to try out loads of different things and see what you’re good at. Some things won’t go as planned, and won’t be for you – but the fun is in trying and making new friends in the process.

 

 

 

10. York is ideally situated; you get to be near big cities without having to deal with them every single day.

Many of the north’s major cities, such as Manchester, Leeds, and Hull are all around an hour train ride away. A fast train to London takes just over a couple of hours. So, when you decide you need more than just a few bits from York city centre and want a bit more hustle and bustle, you’ve got plenty of day-trip options. You can do some hard-core shopping at Trinity Leeds and then pop back for a quiet, cosy cuppa at Betty’s.

 

 

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11. York being a slightly smaller uni creates a tight-knit community feel.

The significant number of retirees aside, York is a very student-based city. You get used to bumping into people you know everywhere, or finding out your new friend from YUSNOW is in the same project group as your best friend’s housemate. It’s a very small-world! While some people may find this annoying, I found it comforting to know that there are people around you all the time.

 

 

 

12. And the students there really do care for one another.

Students show genuine compassion for one another; there is so much love to go around at York. The friends you make will be very special to you, as they experience all the highs and lows of three unpredictable and eye-opening years alongside you.

 

 

 

13. By the end of your university life, you’ll be able to call York home.

You’ll find York hard to leave behind, that’s for sure. Sometimes I wish I could do it all over again ❤

 

 

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