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University of Manchester
University of Manchester
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Fallowfield or City campus?

I've received my unconditional offer from UoM to study physics, really looking forward to it however am stumped by which campus to choose. I like the idea of being in the city because it's close to my department and it's in the city therefore i'm assuming costs will be minimal but, on the other hand I do hear that Fallowfield has a much more lively atmosphere and isn't significantly far away from my department. So what i'm really trying to say is, if somebody can make a persuasive argument for me to join either campus, would be very appreciated and save me alot of time thinking :tongue:.

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Original post by zna
I've received my unconditional offer from UoM to study physics, really looking forward to it however am stumped by which campus to choose. I like the idea of being in the city because it's close to my department and it's in the city therefore i'm assuming costs will be minimal but, on the other hand I do hear that Fallowfield has a much more lively atmosphere and isn't significantly far away from my department. So what i'm really trying to say is, if somebody can make a persuasive argument for me to join either campus, would be very appreciated and save me alot of time thinking :tongue:.


As you're doing Physics I imagine you'll be on North Camous a lot so it may be better for you to live in the city as you can get the free bus around the uni. Living in Fallowfield, you'd need to get a bus pass and then walk/get the free bus to the north campus (>5 minutes). I've had to do just that for a few classes that got moved and it was fine, but I can imagine it would get tedious after a while. It may be worth joining some physics UoM facebook groups or finding someone on here to help you get a better understanding of what campus you'll be on for the majority of your classes.

Fallowfield is very good for first years. I'm there now and it really is a proper student community with everything you need. It's actually very weird to spot a child or a person aged over 30. It's >10-20 minute bus ride to the main campus (depending on traffic/bus people) and the buses are quite literally every minute. You have a big, proper supermarket which was a main factor in me choosing Fallowfield. In the City you'd have access to mainly overpriced Tesco Express, Spar, and a few slightly larger Aldi/Lidls. If having a proper shop is important to you then I'd really suggest Fallowfield.
University of Manchester
University of Manchester
Manchester
Definitely have to agree that Fallowfield is cheaper for shopping - not only is there the Curry Mile (i.e. lots of cheap Asian supermarkets) that you can stop off at on the way home, along with an Aldi, and a large Sainsburys two mins walk away from the accommodation. I know people in the city complain about a lack of decent supermarkets.

Plus, Fallowfield has a great social life - there are plenty of bars here (Revs, Baa Bar, Twisted, 256, Font, Wetherspoons etc.) and pretty much every society social I have ever been to have started in Fallowfield - either because we've gone to Revs there, or because the pre-drinks are at halls in Fallowfield, before we head to a club in city.

Don't worry about the cost of a bus pass - it's £185 for the year, and it covers transport throughout Greater Manchester, so if you get a job at the Trafford Centre, or join a society that requires you to go to an outlying area on a regular basis, then you don't need to worry about the cost of transport. Plus, buses down the Oxford Rd Corridor (i.e. City - Uni - Fallowfield) run 24/7, and are really very regular - they're invariably in convoy, and I've never had to wait more than 5 mins for one during the daytime.
Reply 3
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zna
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It would appear as Fallowfield seems to be the choice of campus. Also seeing as it isn't very far from the city but reaps all the benefits of having more students, hopefully meaning a greater social life. However would you say that being in such a vibrant environment will affect my studying? as this is the key factor in me going university.

Also I was very interested to hear in peoples opinion on the students union, i've heard mixed reviews on it?
Original post by zna
It would appear as Fallowfield seems to be the choice of campus. Also seeing as it isn't very far from the city but reaps all the benefits of having more students, hopefully meaning a greater social life. However would you say that being in such a vibrant environment will affect my studying? as this is the key factor in me going university.

Also I was very interested to hear in peoples opinion on the students union, i've heard mixed reviews on it?


Will it affect your studying? Only if you let it. NB first year (for most degrees) doesn't actually count towards your final degree grade, and for those few that it does, it's a relatively minor percentage (<10%). First year i.e. when you are in halls is definitely the time to go out on weeknights, end up wasted and then miss your 9am the next day. TBH, the noise is rarely a problem, and fire alarms don't get set off for random reasons - every one that I've had has been due to poor cooking skills, and has happened around dinner time - annoying, but it's not going to interrupt your sleep.

With regards to the students union, I've never actually been to the main one at uni. There are union owned and managed bars in most halls e.g. Oak House has Squirrels, Owens Park has OP Bar. They are invariably in need of a lick of paint, but the drinks are cheap (e.g. Blackthorn pint £1.80) and they serve their purpose i.e. showing large sports matches, Squirrels has a free fortnightly stand-up night with professional comedians (rather good, not gonna lie) and occasionally they do events like free bar, free mulled wine and mince pies etc.

The Academy is next door to the main students union, and I *think* it's owned by the uni / SU. It's quite good, and hosts loads of big name acts e.g. I saw Zane Lowe there in Freshers Week, Benjamin Francis Leftwich and Maverick Sabre are playing there soon. Essentially, it's a big hall, stage and bar with reasonably priced drinks and decent acts.
Reply 5
Original post by Origami Bullets
Will it affect your studying? Only if you let it. NB first year (for most degrees) doesn't actually count towards your final degree grade, and for those few that it does, it's a relatively minor percentage (<10%). First year i.e. when you are in halls is definitely the time to go out on weeknights, end up wasted and then miss your 9am the next day. TBH, the noise is rarely a problem, and fire alarms don't get set off for random reasons - every one that I've had has been due to poor cooking skills, and has happened around dinner time - annoying, but it's not going to interrupt your sleep.

With regards to the students union, I've never actually been to the main one at uni. There are union owned and managed bars in most halls e.g. Oak House has Squirrels, Owens Park has OP Bar. They are invariably in need of a lick of paint, but the drinks are cheap (e.g. Blackthorn pint £1.80) and they serve their purpose i.e. showing large sports matches, Squirrels has a free fortnightly stand-up night with professional comedians (rather good, not gonna lie) and occasionally they do events like free bar, free mulled wine and mince pies etc.

The Academy is next door to the main students union, and I *think* it's owned by the uni / SU. It's quite good, and hosts loads of big name acts e.g. I saw Zane Lowe there in Freshers Week, Benjamin Francis Leftwich and Maverick Sabre are playing there soon. Essentially, it's a big hall, stage and bar with reasonably priced drinks and decent acts.


Have you any information on year abroad/semester - study abroad option? I just want to know how competitive it is? I'd love to study at Toronto, British Colombia or McGill for a term. If I went to fallowfield, would I struggle to get 60/65% in the first year? I'm not sure what the requirement for study abroad is, but surely it's fairly popular?
Original post by sarah1345
Have you any information on year abroad/semester - study abroad option? I just want to know how competitive it is? I'd love to study at Toronto, British Colombia or McGill for a term. If I went to fallowfield, would I struggle to get 60/65% in the first year? I'm not sure what the requirement for study abroad is, but surely it's fairly popular?


You're right - there is a minimum academic requirement for studying abroad. It's 60% across the first year for my course, but that might be different for other courses. There is an application process, and I believe that Canada is one of the more popular destinations, but TBH I'm not really sure how competitive it is - whilst I went along to the info meeting, I didn't apply, and I don't know anyone else who has (although my course is far from tight knit), as it can wreck havok with your housing options for the semester when you're not studying abroad - you either have to return to halls then, or rent out a house and find someone who is willing to have your room for the semester that you're abroad.

Whether you struggle to get that in your first year will depend on you, how good you are at your subject, how much you go out, whether you can recognise the need to stay in when everyone else is going out because of an essay deadline, and how much you procrastinate on TSR etc. etc. Those are problems that are far from specific to Fallowfield - if you want to go out in City then it's more than doable too.

I don't see anything in Fallowfield that would make it impossible for you to get good grades - the noise isn't a significant problem (and it has got progressively quieter as going out constantly loses its novelty value for the fresh-out-of-school-and-parental-control lot, and everyone else starts to run out of money), and if you want to dodge the partying then it's quite easy to do it.
Reply 7
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zna
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Original post by Origami Bullets
Will it affect your studying? Only if you let it. NB first year (for most degrees) doesn't actually count towards your final degree grade, and for those few that it does, it's a relatively minor percentage (<10%). First year i.e. when you are in halls is definitely the time to go out on weeknights, end up wasted and then miss your 9am the next day. TBH, the noise is rarely a problem, and fire alarms don't get set off for random reasons - every one that I've had has been due to poor cooking skills, and has happened around dinner time - annoying, but it's not going to interrupt your sleep.

With regards to the students union, I've never actually been to the main one at uni. There are union owned and managed bars in most halls e.g. Oak House has Squirrels, Owens Park has OP Bar. They are invariably in need of a lick of paint, but the drinks are cheap (e.g. Blackthorn pint £1.80) and they serve their purpose i.e. showing large sports matches, Squirrels has a free fortnightly stand-up night with professional comedians (rather good, not gonna lie) and occasionally they do events like free bar, free mulled wine and mince pies etc.

The Academy is next door to the main students union, and I *think* it's owned by the uni / SU. It's quite good, and hosts loads of big name acts e.g. I saw Zane Lowe there in Freshers Week, Benjamin Francis Leftwich and Maverick Sabre are playing there soon. Essentially, it's a big hall, stage and bar with reasonably priced drinks and decent acts.


I do think fallowfield will be the most suitable accommodation for me as I tend to study hard when I want/need to, and I do enjoy my social life very much so. Also all the costs don't seem to be relatively high to put me off from that campus, I guess now it's just a matter of choosing which halls, any suggestions from anyone? I haven't heard much of Richmond park?
Reply 8
Original post by zna
I do think fallowfield will be the most suitable accommodation for me as I tend to study hard when I want/need to, and I do enjoy my social life very much so. Also all the costs don't seem to be relatively high to put me off from that campus, I guess now it's just a matter of choosing which halls, any suggestions from anyone? I haven't heard much of Richmond park?


Richmond Park ("Rich mans Park") is apparently full of rich stuck up toffs. I'm gonna choose Oak House, Whitworth Park, and maybe Grosvenor?
Reply 9
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Original post by sarah1345
Richmond Park ("Rich mans Park") is apparently full of rich stuck up toffs. I'm gonna choose Oak House, Whitworth Park, and maybe Grosvenor?


Hmm my views on Richmond park have now been slightly coloured as I have read this from numerous posts now. I don't want to be surrounded my stuck up people (tend to be very boring). The only halls I'm confident that I'm going to choose is Weston halls, apart from that I'm pretty clueless right now, although Sheavyn house looks appealing, opinions? It's something about having an En-suite which sounds appealing to me tbh.
Original post by zna
I do think fallowfield will be the most suitable accommodation for me as I tend to study hard when I want/need to, and I do enjoy my social life very much so. Also all the costs don't seem to be relatively high to put me off from that campus, I guess now it's just a matter of choosing which halls, any suggestions from anyone? I haven't heard much of Richmond park?


Richmond is rather expensive - yes, it's en suite, and some of the fixtures and fittings are a bit plusher than you get elsewhere, but IMHO it's just not worth it. I've got a shared bathroom, which is cleaned twice a week by the cleaner, and I've never had any problems with it. With en suite, you have to clean it yourself, and then get used to sharing a bathroom again in second year. Richmond is also further away from all the facilities such as the bus stop, computer cluster and reception than other halls, with the exception of the Armitage Centre (sports centre & gym) which it is closest to.

IMHO, self catered and shared bathroom in Fallowfield is the way to go, which leaves you with Oak House - a hall that usually attracts fairly normal people!
Reply 11
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Original post by Origami Bullets
Richmond is rather expensive - yes, it's en suite, and some of the fixtures and fittings are a bit plusher than you get elsewhere, but IMHO it's just not worth it. I've got a shared bathroom, which is cleaned twice a week by the cleaner, and I've never had any problems with it. With en suite, you have to clean it yourself, and then get used to sharing a bathroom again in second year. Richmond is also further away from all the facilities such as the bus stop, computer cluster and reception than other halls, with the exception of the Armitage Centre (sports centre & gym) which it is closest to.

IMHO, self catered and shared bathroom in Fallowfield is the way to go, which leaves you with Oak House - a hall that usually attracts fairly normal people!


Ah I am fairly confident I won't be going for Richmonds park, what is Sheavyn house like?
Original post by zna
Ah I am fairly confident I won't be going for Richmonds park, what is Sheavyn house like?


Not sure really - I've never actually been in there, but at the same time I've not really heard anything bad about it.
Reply 13
I was in Oak House in my first year and I loved it. Not going to lie, the rooms are quite small, but the kitchen/lounge area is a good size. I adored my room despite its size, as it was really cosy, and I didn't really need lots of floor space. I used it to sleep and work, and I had a bed and a desk! Oak House is great fun :smile:

I easily achieved a high 2:1 in my first year in Chemistry, living in Fallowfield and going out a couple of times a week. Just stay in if you have lots of work- it's not rocket science! Didn't have any issues with noise, and Fallowfield is convenient for bars and shops.

If you are doing Physics... you'd probably be in the Schuster Building on the main campus, so the buses up and down Oxford Rd are fine. You can walk (~30-40mins), cycle (10-15min) or get the bus (10-40mins depending on traffic, but I always made my lectures if I got the bus at just gone half past the hour)

I'm in my 4th year now, and I lived in Fallowfield for 1st and 2nd years. Had my 3rd year in industry, and now I'm back in Manchester, I'm living in Withington, which is just a little further out than Fallowfield, and it takes me 20mins on average to get to uni each day which is very manageable.

Whichever halls you choose, I'm sure you'll have a good time!
Reply 14
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Original post by Caliowin
I was in Oak House in my first year and I loved it. Not going to lie, the rooms are quite small, but the kitchen/lounge area is a good size. I adored my room despite its size, as it was really cosy, and I didn't really need lots of floor space. I used it to sleep and work, and I had a bed and a desk! Oak House is great fun :smile:

I easily achieved a high 2:1 in my first year in Chemistry, living in Fallowfield and going out a couple of times a week. Just stay in if you have lots of work- it's not rocket science! Didn't have any issues with noise, and Fallowfield is convenient for bars and shops.

If you are doing Physics... you'd probably be in the Schuster Building on the main campus, so the buses up and down Oxford Rd are fine. You can walk (~30-40mins), cycle (10-15min) or get the bus (10-40mins depending on traffic, but I always made my lectures if I got the bus at just gone half past the hour)

I'm in my 4th year now, and I lived in Fallowfield for 1st and 2nd years. Had my 3rd year in industry, and now I'm back in Manchester, I'm living in Withington, which is just a little further out than Fallowfield, and it takes me 20mins on average to get to uni each day which is very manageable.

Whichever halls you choose, I'm sure you'll have a good time!


Thanks for that, I think I'm going to go with Sheavyn house, Richmond park and oak house. How was the shared bathroom situation? I just have an issue with if I end up with sharing with someone who's truly unhygienic, if you understand what I'm trying to get at.
Original post by zna
Thanks for that, I think I'm going to go with Sheavyn house, Richmond park and oak house. How was the shared bathroom situation? I just have an issue with if I end up with sharing with someone who's truly unhygienic, if you understand what I'm trying to get at.


Not an issue at all TBH. The cleaner gives them the once over about twice a week, and that's all that's needed. Ours is just as clean my bathroom at home. If there was something truly disgusting in one, then there is another one in the flat that can be used, but there never has been. I'm in Oak House.

PS you will have to get used to shared bathrooms in subsequent years anyway, so I tend to think that it's better to break yourself in gently, when you still have a cleaner coming in!
Reply 16
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Original post by Origami Bullets
Not an issue at all TBH. The cleaner gives them the once over about twice a week, and that's all that's needed. Ours is just as clean my bathroom at home. If there was something truly disgusting in one, then there is another one in the flat that can be used, but there never has been. I'm in Oak House.

PS you will have to get used to shared bathrooms in subsequent years anyway, so I tend to think that it's better to break yourself in gently, when you still have a cleaner coming in!


Doesn't sound to bad when you put it like that, also what's oak house like in general?

I was curious I think I read your from Bristol, so am I :smile:. What area were you from?
Reply 17
Original post by Origami Bullets
Plus, Fallowfield has a great social life - there are plenty of bars here (Revs, Baa Bar, Twisted, 256, Font, Wetherspoons etc.) and pretty much every society social I have ever been to have started in Fallowfield - either because we've gone to Revs there, or because the pre-drinks are at halls in Fallowfield, before we head to a club in city.


When it comes to student life, is there no form of socialising which does not involve meeting at a bar or simply getting 'wasted'? I get the impression that if I don't go for Fallowfield campus then I'm going to miss out on all this socialising. But I'll be 23 when I start and I have a 4 year old son, I'm simply not interested in being dragged to party after party full of the 'fresh-out-of-school-and-parental-control lot'. I'm really just interested in meeting like minded people, having interesting discussions and of course learning. Is it really that important for me to be in Fallowfield? I've made up my mind that the City campus is for me, but I just have this niggling idea that I might be missing out if I don't go for Fallowfield.

By the way I'm also from Bristol: St Werburghs :wink:
Original post by zna
Doesn't sound to bad when you put it like that, also what's oak house like in general?

I was curious I think I read your from Bristol, so am I :smile:. What area were you from?


Yay we seem to have a bit of a Bristolian mafia going on here! I'm from NW Bristol . . . I've moved about over the city, but mostly centred in the NW :smile:

I quite like Oak House, myself. It's big, there's lots going on, it's cheap (always important!) and although it's basic (plaster? It's for pussies. Pale green breezeblock is the way forward!), it provides everything you need.

Original post by darwing
When it comes to student life, is there no form of socialising which does not involve meeting at a bar or simply getting 'wasted'? I get the impression that if I don't go for Fallowfield campus then I'm going to miss out on all this socialising. But I'll be 23 when I start and I have a 4 year old son, I'm simply not interested in being dragged to party after party full of the 'fresh-out-of-school-and-parental-control lot'. I'm really just interested in meeting like minded people, having interesting discussions and of course learning. Is it really that important for me to be in Fallowfield? I've made up my mind that the City campus is for me, but I just have this niggling idea that I might be missing out if I don't go for Fallowfield.

By the way I'm also from Bristol: St Werburghs :wink:


Most socialising done by UGs in the UK is based around alcohol, unfortunately. If it's sports-based, then there are also going to be socials (and the inevitable initiation, which isn't as bad as it sounds, unless it's a rugby initiation, when it's far, far worse than it sounds) which are generally Bacchanalian riots anyway (I don't think that I can remember the entirety of one social so far...). If it's anything-else based, then there are also socials. And then there are the nights out in Freshers, and nights out for no particular reason, starting with pre-drinks in halls.

I know what you mean about people who are fresh out of school & parental control. I had left home 6 months before going to uni, and the parents had been leaving me to my own devices for another 8 months before that. Thus, the freedom to go out drinking whenever I wanted was nothing new to me, and some of the novelty had definitely worn off! However, once you're past freshers week (which you should really join in with, if only to get to know your flatmates) then there's no real pressure to go out - you can if you want, if not then it's fine. The people who do go out all the time don't tend to be horrifically noisy, although you will often hear people leaving for clubs around 11pm. It has to be said, however, that as the year has gone on, people have been going out less and less.

But I don't want to be too pessimistic about Fallowfield, for a number of reasons
- If your son is coming with you, then I'm guessing you're going to be living in either Horniman or Linton House, where you'll be surrounded by likeminded people anyway.
- Even if you're not bringing your son, you may be able to talk the accommodation office into letting you stay in PG accommodation, because you're a mature student. That will be much quieter, and much more work focused than UG accommodation.
- The only real difference between Fallowfield & City is that City has far more internationals. Whilst internationals tend to be more work-focused than alcohol-focused, they're also often prone to staying in their own national groups. And the UK students will still be just as prone to going out as the ones in Fallowfield. Victoria Park has a reputation for being that bit quieter, but I've never quite worked out how true that is, and I've never had reason to go over there.
- Intellectual conversations are mainly to be had in your tutorials. In all likelihood, you'll be living with people from other courses anyway. I struggle to hold an intellectual conversation about Jane Austen; they struggle to hold an intellectual conversation about Hobbes. No one's drunk 24/7, so you can always attempt to hold such conversations when everyone's sober!

I think this reply has gone slightly disjointed (I need to go to bed!) but you get the idea, and I'm always happy to answer your questions :smile:
Reply 19
Experience the city in the first year as you'll more than likely end up in Fallowfield, which isn't a great place if I'm telling the truth, in subsequent years.

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