The Student Room Group
The Great Hall at University of Leeds
University of Leeds
Leeds

A Few Bits of Advice (for freshers)

Scroll to see replies

Original post by hannnahks
I was talking to a friend who is going to another uni about the amount of stuff we have to take to uni - which on a list looks like ALOT. She said you're meant to get your basic cooking items and irons and stuff in the welcome pack? Is that true? Or just something for her uni.

Also, in halls (I will hopefully be in Devonshire), what will be in the room before I get there? I've seen so many "WHAT TO TAKE TO UNI" lists and some even have a bin on it, which I quite unusual - but it something that I'll need!

And finally, how much decorating space will I roughly get? In my school boarding room (which was pretty small) had everywhere covered! You couldn't even see the wall! So I don't want to bring that much if there's nowhere to put it.

Thanks for your time! This thread is so useful.

X


Different unis provide different things - we don't provide any crockery, cutlery, pots and pans etc. - just your basic white goods (fridge/freezer, cooker etc.) However we do supply microwaves, kettles, mop and bucket, vacuum cleaner and ironing board (but no iron)
You should get a bin in your room (not sure about James Baillie and the Tannery). As for putting things on your wall - you will have some sort of pinboard but you ned to be careful with putting stuff on the actual wall. If you use blutack you will inevitably peel off the paint at the end of the year and land yourself with a repainting charge. I think there are some products that guarantee not to take off the paint but it's up to you as to whether you trust them.
Also, remember that the more you put on the walls, the smaller the room will seem. Maybe better to bring a small amount of stuff to start with and buy/bring more if you think it needs it and you can put it up without causing any damage.
The Great Hall at University of Leeds
University of Leeds
Leeds
Original post by miss Dory
Nobody really knew where to go, so he said they all stumbled out on the main road which is completely full of rowdy locals going to places like Tiger Tiger. Like him, I think I'd find those types of places really crap but it must have been a bit off putting on your first night to be surrounded by those types of tacky girls and super hyped up agressive guys.


People from cities will know what to expect but Freshers Week especially because it is so busy, can seem a bit intimidating if you're not used to city centre clubbing. If you're a guy, expect random drunk chavs to walk past you in the street shouting OOI OOI or FRESHHHHERRRS etc in your face, and then when you get in the club, you'll probably get bashed around by the same type of guys who are coked up and start jumping on top of each other/everybody else, spilling drinks over people, generally being idiots until somebody starts on them.

If you're a girl then those drunk chavs will be shouting "get yer tits out" and "phhwoar fresh meat...you comin home with me then darlin'??" and inside the club because its so rammed in Freshers Week everybodys sweaty bodies are rubbing against each other to walk past and so those guys will be groping girls bums/boobs at every opportunity. I know it's bad and girls will say just because they're wearing a skirt etc doesn't give guys the right to feel them up, but randy rough locals in Freshers Week are not exactly paragons of social manners and so if you are really scared of being groped then stick to the stuff at the Students Union where it at least will only be fellow students (not saying that they won't grope though!) In the town clubs expect some older guys to be hanging around trying to pick up a random fresher, a girl in my flat had a guy well in to his 30s trying to chat her up at the bar on our first night out, telling her he was going to "split her in half".

Over time you'll learn which type of clubs you like and gravitate to the ones that play your type of music but on Freshers Week the big nights that everybody is going to will be at the generic type places, Academy, Gatecrasher, Tiger Tiger and so on, which are just mainstream meat market type places and the local chavs will be out in droves looking to play 'f-k a fresher', so the first week everything will seem a bit hectic. People who have been going clubbing in London/Manchester/Newcastle etc in 6th form will be used to it anyway but it can be a pretty hectic experience if you're not used to it, so just go with the flow and accept the randomness of it all, don't get yourself too drunk because thats when people get scared, when they are separated from their friends and not totally sure of how to get back home, and wandering around looking for taxis/buses and having guys shout at them or whistle at them if they are girls, and then homeless guys wandering around saying can you spare some change for a sandwich and wanting to strike up a chat, asking where you live etc. Also the drug dealers will be out in force during Freshers Week looking to drum up business, I remember getting offered drugs about 4 times walking through town on nights out in the first week...not by young kids trying to push a bit of weed, but by older guys who looked like serious dealers, after Freshers Week I never got offered drugs in the street in the rest of the time I lived in Leeds! And there will be the odd hooker asking if you fancy a good time, although by and large they don't approach students as they know you don't have much money.

Thats the seedy side of going out in Leeds in Freshers Week. The other side that takes people by surprise is the security presence is quite high which should also reassure you (aside from being shouted at/groped/approached by seedy people you are unlikely to have serious trouble). I remember noticing when I first got to Leeds that West Yorkshire Police seem to have quite a high presence on the streets, not only in the city centre but in the student areas throughout the year, I have been stopped and asked questions a lot in Leeds over the years - not stopped and searched - but especially if you're around at night in the student areas, the police will ask you are you a student, what you're studying, what street you live on, why you are out and where you're going...don't take offence at this, they're looking to fish out people who aren't actually students and are out to deal drugs to students or looking for opportunist burglary. But also I found the bouncers in Leeds are pretty militant as well. If they say you need ID, you need ID, no amount of 'banter' or 'flirting' will change it, they will just be blunt and say you can't come in, go home. And also once inside, if you are a guy, don't be surprised if you end up being kicked out for something that's not your fault, if some idiots start on you, you will be thrown out just like they will. If a girl complains that you're hassling them, there won't be any investigation they will just kick you out. They go by the rules that girls are more important to clubs than guys so if you're male they don't care. Having said that, don't give attitude to the bouncers, if you build up a good rep with the bouncers it can be helpful, small things like at the end of the night when they ask people to leave, get your mates together and out quickly and thank the bouncer for the night as you're leaving....if you go to a place regularly then the bouncer recognises you as someone who is a regular customer and doesn't cause trouble. This has been helpful for me because on a lot of the more upmarket bars (eg Call Lane) they only let mixed groups or all girl groups in, if you try to go in as 2 or more guys they won't let you in, but the bouncers that know me usually let me go in with lad mates, so its small things like that whereby building up a good rep with bouncers helps.

But after the first couple of weeks....things calm down in town a lot. Yes Leeds is still very much a Booze Britain city but you can have more of a civilised going out experience than the mayhem you will experience in Freshers Week.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 22
Original post by hannnahks
I was talking to a friend who is going to another uni about the amount of stuff we have to take to uni - which on a list looks like ALOT. She said you're meant to get your basic cooking items and irons and stuff in the welcome pack? Is that true? Or just something for her uni.

Also, in halls (I will hopefully be in Devonshire), what will be in the room before I get there? I've seen so many "WHAT TO TAKE TO UNI" lists and some even have a bin on it, which I quite unusual - but it something that I'll need!

And finally, how much decorating space will I roughly get? In my school boarding room (which was pretty small) had everywhere covered! You couldn't even see the wall! So I don't want to bring that much if there's nowhere to put it.

Thanks for your time! This thread is so useful.

X


What block will you be in do you know?
And will you be catered or self?

I was in R block (R31 if you must know) and that's catered.

My room came with this:
Single bed
2 Chests of drawers
3 Stacks of Shelving
1 Wardrobe
1 Bin
1 Sink/mirror etc.
1 Desk (with drawers)
1 Network cable

I think I got a bit lucky with getting a large room, but a bin is always provided in Dev.
Welcome pack wasn't anything big, just information and a few little bits of food.

Decorating room: Well fairly well every wall is blank aside from bits covered in furniture (which you can usually move about as you like, the only regulation is that the internet port is on a fixed location so your desk should be near that really). They insist that you put up posters etc with WHITE-TAC, so if I were you I'd buy some before you get to uni. It saves trying to find any when most shops are sold out.

Anything else you want to know about Devonshire?



Original post by MagicNMedicine
Academy, Gatecrasher, Tiger Tiger and so on


Just a note, I believe Gatecrasher is closed again.

As a general note, the uni club nights are fairly well all I went out to in freshers, and they were absolutely awesome. So you don't need to hit the seedier places if you're worried.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 23
Original post by MagicNMedicine
People from cities will know what to expect but Freshers Week especially because it is so busy, can seem a bit intimidating if you're not used to city centre clubbing. If you're a guy, expect random drunk chavs to walk past you in the street shouting OOI OOI or FRESHHHHERRRS etc in your face, and then when you get in the club, you'll probably get bashed around by the same type of guys who are coked up and start jumping on top of each other/everybody else, spilling drinks over people, generally being idiots until somebody starts on them.

If you're a girl then those drunk chavs will be shouting "get yer tits out" and "phhwoar fresh meat...you comin home with me then darlin'??" and inside the club because its so rammed in Freshers Week everybodys sweaty bodies are rubbing against each other to walk past and so those guys will be groping girls bums/boobs at every opportunity. I know it's bad and girls will say just because they're wearing a skirt etc doesn't give guys the right to feel them up, but randy rough locals in Freshers Week are not exactly paragons of social manners and so if you are really scared of being groped then stick to the stuff at the Students Union where it at least will only be fellow students (not saying that they won't grope though!) In the town clubs expect some older guys to be hanging around trying to pick up a random fresher, a girl in my flat had a guy well in to his 30s trying to chat her up at the bar on our first night out, telling her he was going to "split her in half".

Over time you'll learn which type of clubs you like and gravitate to the ones that play your type of music but on Freshers Week the big nights that everybody is going to will be at the generic type places, Academy, Gatecrasher, Tiger Tiger and so on, which are just mainstream meat market type places and the local chavs will be out in droves looking to play 'f-k a fresher', so the first week everything will seem a bit hectic. People who have been going clubbing in London/Manchester/Newcastle etc in 6th form will be used to it anyway but it can be a pretty hectic experience if you're not used to it, so just go with the flow and accept the randomness of it all, don't get yourself too drunk because thats when people get scared, when they are separated from their friends and not totally sure of how to get back home, and wandering around looking for taxis/buses and having guys shout at them or whistle at them if they are girls, and then homeless guys wandering around saying can you spare some change for a sandwich and wanting to strike up a chat, asking where you live etc. Also the drug dealers will be out in force during Freshers Week looking to drum up business, I remember getting offered drugs about 4 times walking through town on nights out in the first week...not by young kids trying to push a bit of weed, but by older guys who looked like serious dealers, after Freshers Week I never got offered drugs in the street in the rest of the time I lived in Leeds! And there will be the odd hooker asking if you fancy a good time, although by and large they don't approach students as they know you don't have much money.

Thats the seedy side of going out in Leeds in Freshers Week. The other side that takes people by surprise is the security presence is quite high which should also reassure you (aside from being shouted at/groped/approached by seedy people you are unlikely to have serious trouble). I remember noticing when I first got to Leeds that West Yorkshire Police seem to have quite a high presence on the streets, not only in the city centre but in the student areas throughout the year, I have been stopped and asked questions a lot in Leeds over the years - not stopped and searched - but especially if you're around at night in the student areas, the police will ask you are you a student, what you're studying, what street you live on, why you are out and where you're going...don't take offence at this, they're looking to fish out people who aren't actually students and are out to deal drugs to students or looking for opportunist burglary. But also I found the bouncers in Leeds are pretty militant as well. If they say you need ID, you need ID, no amount of 'banter' or 'flirting' will change it, they will just be blunt and say you can't come in, go home. And also once inside, if you are a guy, don't be surprised if you end up being kicked out for something that's not your fault, if some idiots start on you, you will be thrown out just like they will. If a girl complains that you're hassling them, there won't be any investigation they will just kick you out. They go by the rules that girls are more important to clubs than guys so if you're male they don't care. Having said that, don't give attitude to the bouncers, if you build up a good rep with the bouncers it can be helpful, small things like at the end of the night when they ask people to leave, get your mates together and out quickly and thank the bouncer for the night as you're leaving....if you go to a place regularly then the bouncer recognises you as someone who is a regular customer and doesn't cause trouble. This has been helpful for me because on a lot of the more upmarket bars (eg Call Lane) they only let mixed groups or all girl groups in, if you try to go in as 2 or more guys they won't let you in, but the bouncers that know me usually let me go in with lad mates, so its small things like that whereby building up a good rep with bouncers helps.

But after the first couple of weeks....things calm down in town a lot. Yes Leeds is still very much a Booze Britain city but you can have more of a civilised going out experience than the mayhem you will experience in Freshers Week.


Reading this sounds exactly like home, if not with less trouble haha, but then again I'm from south london lol.
Reply 24
My first night out in Leeds was horrendous haha, I remember thinking 'Oh dear, I've made the wrong choice' ...but seriously that'll change very quickly. You'll find like-minded people in your halls or your course and things will calm down. I found clubs and nights out that were more my scene - like Propaganda at the 02 academy which is a wicked indie night or smaller indie nights like Fuzzy Logic at Wire and Bad Sneakers at The Faversham :smile: What sort of music/nights out are you guys looking for?
Reply 25
Original post by Natalie.Voodoo

I work for the biggest (and best) events company in Leeds that provides you with the best nights out for your Freshers Week and through out the year!

To guarantee that you have the best nights out and don't get left out add me ...


*wonders if someone who works for the Voodoo company will inform people of any other nights* :pierre:

Seriously guys just ask one of the leeds people here if you want to know more, we're not going to try and push tickets on you.
Reply 26
Original post by lucielala
My first night out in Leeds was horrendous haha, I remember thinking 'Oh dear, I've made the wrong choice' ...but seriously that'll change very quickly. You'll find like-minded people in your halls or your course and things will calm down. I found clubs and nights out that were more my scene - like Propaganda at the 02 academy which is a wicked indie night or smaller indie nights like Fuzzy Logic at Wire and Bad Sneakers at The Faversham :smile: What sort of music/nights out are you guys looking for?


Haha this fits my first experiences to the T. For Freshers it's just all about going with the flow, unfortunately for me it took a while to find those places, I think it even took till the 2nd semester.....

Wire, Faversham, Hi-fi and Cockpit are awesome, not too keen on the 02, but I'm still gutted that Sub-Culture's closed, does anyone know whats there now? Ive been away for a year :frown:
Ok so this thread had made me unbelievably excited for freshers. And I think it's a good job I've spent much of my gap year building up my alcohol tolerance level :biggrin:
Reply 28
This thread is making me feel good. I live near-ish Leeds already so I know the city pretty well.

I'm feel like I'm going to be Doc out of the seven dwarfs :biggrin:
Sounds like a bit of a nightmare :/

I barely touch alcohol and getting totally plastered is more a thing to be embarrassed about than proud of for me..

And drug dealers on the streets?

If it's anything like it's being described I may give it a miss altogether.. just don't fancy falling asleep in a puddle of my vomit :/
(edited 12 years ago)
Ahhh I love this thread :biggrin:
Original post by MagicNMedicine
....


Ah, Jesus, you've made it sound terrifying. The gropeyness is the most off-putting thing about clubs, I can't stand it. But I don't want to miss out on meeting a bunch of people in Fresher's either! Dilemma.
Reply 32
hey i'll be coming this month as a fresher. looking off to get a job as dj (hiphop rnb) in leeds (im from singapore). what do u suggest?
Original post by sophiasunshine
Ah, Jesus, you've made it sound terrifying. The gropeyness is the most off-putting thing about clubs, I can't stand it. But I don't want to miss out on meeting a bunch of people in Fresher's either! Dilemma.


Sorry I don't mean to put off. Just trying to give a flavour of the fact Freshers nights out in a big city like Leeds can be a bit 'mental' and you shouldn't think that it is always going to be like that if you arrive and get a culture shock in the first week.

If you don't like gropeyness just dress conservatively, stick round your friends all night and don't get too drunk, you can still go out.
Reply 34
Original post by sophiasunshine
Ah, Jesus, you've made it sound terrifying. The gropeyness is the most off-putting thing about clubs, I can't stand it. But I don't want to miss out on meeting a bunch of people in Fresher's either! Dilemma.


Honestly if you stick to the non-seedy clubs, then gropeyness will be no problem. Also if someone does cross the line, security will ALWAYS be on your side! Just don't get too drunk and you'll be fine.

Original post by tanglewire
hey i'll be coming this month as a fresher. looking off to get a job as dj (hiphop rnb) in leeds (im from singapore). what do u suggest?


I joined Leeds Student Radio and got a few gigs through them. From there people on the scene will start to recognise you. I got invited to play on radio shows and at a few clubs from playing on the LSR nights.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 35
bruv priceless advice.......carry a spare 20 deck of fags wid u so u can give dem to girls....sick convo starter :wink:
Original post by Selenax
I don't drink. I'm gonna die.


I am (almost) T-total and I survived. You don't have to drink to have fun but it can be nice for social occasions. Don't feel pressured to unless you want to, no-one minds :smile:
Original post by praxibetelix
Sounds like a bit of a nightmare :/

I barely touch alcohol and getting totally plastered is more a thing to be embarrassed about than proud of for me..

And drug dealers on the streets?

If it's anything like it's being described I may give it a miss altogether.. just don't fancy falling asleep in a puddle of my vomit :/


Me and my friends had planned on going to some freshers events but they were so busy and the queue's were so ridiculous that we just ended up going to a bar for a civilised drink and a get-to-know-one another. Your experience very much depends on where you decide to go. In my whole year at Leeds I have never experienced what the guy above was talking about. Keep in with the right crowd and be sensible and you'll be fine :smile:
Reply 38
I'm going to Leeds Uni but I'm from Leeds anyway, so my advice is Propaganda at the o2 on a Saturday, brilliant! Also, Tiger Tiger on a Tuesday; £2 doubles, can't go wrong!
Original post by MagicNMedicine
People from cities will know what to expect but Freshers Week especially because it is so busy, can seem a bit intimidating if you're not used to city centre clubbing. If you're a guy, expect random drunk chavs to walk past you in the street shouting OOI OOI or FRESHHHHERRRS etc in your face, and then when you get in the club, you'll probably get bashed around by the same type of guys who are coked up and start jumping on top of each other/everybody else, spilling drinks over people, generally being idiots until somebody starts on them.

If you're a girl then those drunk chavs will be shouting "get yer tits out" and "phhwoar fresh meat...you comin home with me then darlin'??" and inside the club because its so rammed in Freshers Week everybodys sweaty bodies are rubbing against each other to walk past and so those guys will be groping girls bums/boobs at every opportunity. I know it's bad and girls will say just because they're wearing a skirt etc doesn't give guys the right to feel them up, but randy rough locals in Freshers Week are not exactly paragons of social manners and so if you are really scared of being groped then stick to the stuff at the Students Union where it at least will only be fellow students (not saying that they won't grope though!) In the town clubs expect some older guys to be hanging around trying to pick up a random fresher, a girl in my flat had a guy well in to his 30s trying to chat her up at the bar on our first night out, telling her he was going to "split her in half".

Over time you'll learn which type of clubs you like and gravitate to the ones that play your type of music but on Freshers Week the big nights that everybody is going to will be at the generic type places, Academy, Gatecrasher, Tiger Tiger and so on, which are just mainstream meat market type places and the local chavs will be out in droves looking to play 'f-k a fresher', so the first week everything will seem a bit hectic. People who have been going clubbing in London/Manchester/Newcastle etc in 6th form will be used to it anyway but it can be a pretty hectic experience if you're not used to it, so just go with the flow and accept the randomness of it all, don't get yourself too drunk because thats when people get scared, when they are separated from their friends and not totally sure of how to get back home, and wandering around looking for taxis/buses and having guys shout at them or whistle at them if they are girls, and then homeless guys wandering around saying can you spare some change for a sandwich and wanting to strike up a chat, asking where you live etc. Also the drug dealers will be out in force during Freshers Week looking to drum up business, I remember getting offered drugs about 4 times walking through town on nights out in the first week...not by young kids trying to push a bit of weed, but by older guys who looked like serious dealers, after Freshers Week I never got offered drugs in the street in the rest of the time I lived in Leeds! And there will be the odd hooker asking if you fancy a good time, although by and large they don't approach students as they know you don't have much money.

Thats the seedy side of going out in Leeds in Freshers Week. The other side that takes people by surprise is the security presence is quite high which should also reassure you (aside from being shouted at/groped/approached by seedy people you are unlikely to have serious trouble). I remember noticing when I first got to Leeds that West Yorkshire Police seem to have quite a high presence on the streets, not only in the city centre but in the student areas throughout the year, I have been stopped and asked questions a lot in Leeds over the years - not stopped and searched - but especially if you're around at night in the student areas, the police will ask you are you a student, what you're studying, what street you live on, why you are out and where you're going...don't take offence at this, they're looking to fish out people who aren't actually students and are out to deal drugs to students or looking for opportunist burglary. But also I found the bouncers in Leeds are pretty militant as well. If they say you need ID, you need ID, no amount of 'banter' or 'flirting' will change it, they will just be blunt and say you can't come in, go home. And also once inside, if you are a guy, don't be surprised if you end up being kicked out for something that's not your fault, if some idiots start on you, you will be thrown out just like they will. If a girl complains that you're hassling them, there won't be any investigation they will just kick you out. They go by the rules that girls are more important to clubs than guys so if you're male they don't care. Having said that, don't give attitude to the bouncers, if you build up a good rep with the bouncers it can be helpful, small things like at the end of the night when they ask people to leave, get your mates together and out quickly and thank the bouncer for the night as you're leaving....if you go to a place regularly then the bouncer recognises you as someone who is a regular customer and doesn't cause trouble. This has been helpful for me because on a lot of the more upmarket bars (eg Call Lane) they only let mixed groups or all girl groups in, if you try to go in as 2 or more guys they won't let you in, but the bouncers that know me usually let me go in with lad mates, so its small things like that whereby building up a good rep with bouncers helps.

But after the first couple of weeks....things calm down in town a lot. Yes Leeds is still very much a Booze Britain city but you can have more of a civilised going out experience than the mayhem you will experience in Freshers Week.


Ahaha, so THAT'S what 'mental' means....Thought as much!
I've heard about them from my mate that lives there, but are most Leeds guys really like the Chino ****er type that go about looking for a shag every single night? And is it more so the locals or uni students?
(edited 12 years ago)

Quick Reply

Latest