Second and third year gives students the opportunity to escape the cramped rooms we had in our halls, and get a place of our own. This year I’ve found myself living in Jesmond, in a house of 9 boys! As you can imagine, it gets pretty noisy, messy and hectic at times, but it’s great fun. Whilst doing the washing up and paying bills is something of a novelty, the Sky Sports subscription has been a major bonus. I’ve also had to quickly familiarise myself with how to cook meals – I haven’t burnt the house down just yet so I’m doing ok! Jesmond itself feels tailor made for students. Tesco and Waitrose are a stone’s throw from my house, and my beloved Greggs is also just round the corner. There is also a row of bars with outdoor seated areas which will undoubtedly get busier and busier as the days get longer and warmer. With so many other students also living in Jesmond, it means there’s a mass exodus every morning as everyone heads to Campus, about a 25 minute walk. Whilst this sounds like a long way, it’s livened up provided you find yourself some entertaining company!
Monthly Archives: March 2013
Discovering Newcastle
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One of the best things about moving to a new city is discovering your new local, your new favourite club night and the best all-day breakfast café in your local area. Let’s be honest, we can’t spend all day everyday in the library…and the notorious clubbing scene in Newcastle caters for all students: from cheap drinks and chart music to a smaller yet great underground music scene. So, the clubbing scene has something to offer everyone and with the (in)famous trebles bars on every street a night out with new university friends is dangerously affordable. But all of us realise, maybe with the exception of ‘rugby lads’, that we need a bit of down time once in a while and it might surprise you to hear that Newcastle does in fact have more than just clubs. Art galleries, theatres, restaurants, ‘artsy’ cinemas and cocktail bars line the quayside and when (and only when) your student loan comes through it is nice to live a “non-student” life for a day or two. High street shopping on Northumberland Street is much the same as any other major city. A lack of American apparel (an annoyingly addictive yet ridiculously over-priced sportswear/fashion shop) has been kind to my bank balance over the last two years! And, for those odd occasions us students have money left after bills and trebles there are numerous vintage shops dotted about the city centre. Moving to Jesmond this year means we have all had the opportunity to discover Osborne Road (which resembles the strip in Zante/Ayia Napa on a Saturday night). However, there are a number of ‘old man pubs’ complete with jukebox and pool tables to satisfy everybody’s tastes. And if none of that is up your street then the Robinson library is conveniently located smack bang in the city centre. Unfortunately, over these last few weeks my local appears to be the library café – the grim reality of essay deadlines!
Keeping Fit at University
With the January exam season coming to a close, it has freed up a bit of time in and around lectures for students to get stuck into something other than academic work. Personally, I devote much of my free time to playing sport – it’s a way of letting off steam and gets me away from my desk and out of the house! Top of the agenda at the moment is the Politics Running Club – it’s predominantly student led, and having signed up for the Great North Run in September, training is picking up pace. I also get my fix by playing in the University Rugby team – I’ve been injured for the last few weeks, but I’m finally getting back into the swing of things and am looking forward to cracking on with the rest of the season. Away from the university sporting activities, on Sundays, my housemates and I also play in a 6-a-side football league. Sunday’s are probably the quietest day of the week, so this afternoon run around is much anticipated, and allows us all to try and emulate what we’ve been watching the previous night on Match of the Day! Without doubt, I think getting involved with activities outside of the academic realm is important. My interests mainly revolve around sport, but there’s plenty to get involved with at Newcastle. Irrespective of what endeavour you chose, I reckon life at university without them would risk becoming slightly monotonous, as they break up the week, and are welcome distraction from work!