Fresher at the University of Sheffield. Ask me anything!

Hey, thanks for all the info! Was wondering how do you spend a typical weekend and do you think there's enough to keep you occupied, besides work, on a weekend in Sheffield?

Hi, I've firmed sheffield for civil engineering being a girl I was just wondering how many girls are on your course?

Leeds and Sheffield are pretty much on the same level in terms of academic excellence and teaching. They're also both brilliant uni's for student life, I can't really tell you much about Leeds but Sheffield's student union has been voted best in the UK each year, and it really is fantastic!

In terms of employment opportunities they'll also be roughly the same, it doesn't particularly matter where you go to university within the Russel group.

Sorry I can't be of more help! I don't really know anything about the public health department here!

Leeds and Sheffield are pretty much on the same level in terms of academic excellence and teaching. They're also both brilliant uni's for student life, I can't really tell you much about Leeds but Sheffield's student union has been voted best in the UK each year, and it really is fantastic!

In terms of employment opportunities they'll also be roughly the same, it doesn't particularly matter where you go to university within the Russel group.

Sorry I can't be of more help! I don't really know anything about the public health department here!

Hey! I'm a fresher at Notts but I'm looking to transfer to sheffield for my 2nd year. I want to be living in the city centre, I was just wondering what the student nights are like? In notts the unis are very segregated, like trent have their student nights, and we have ours, both at different clubs!

Hi! Is there any reason you are transfering? Ive received offers from both nottingham and sheffield, but Im not sure which one to firm, so Im just curious to know why are you transfering.

Hey! I'm a fresher at Notts but I'm looking to transfer to sheffield for my 2nd year. I want to be living in the city centre, I was just wondering what the student nights are like? In notts the unis are very segregated, like trent have their student nights, and we have ours, both at different clubs!

International students tend to fill the city accommodation, who are generally more studious and quiet. I know someone who was put there after not getting into ranmoor or endcliffe and he says noone really goes out at all and he ends up going to endcliffe all the time for parties. So yes, city is a LOT quieter than everywhere else, and if you want to socialise a lot I would not recommend going there. The walk to uni really isnt that bad!

I'm transferring because nottingham isn't really for me. If you want the whole city student life notts really isn't the place to be. My course in 2nd year looks bad too! I'd defo firm sheff if I was you, everyone I know loves it there

I don't want to put a downer on this, but I went to Sheffield myself this year and hated it so much. I know so many people who hated it, and I easily know about 10 who have left within the first year.. or transferred to other universities. Especially 2 girls that transferred to Nottingham. Just wanted to tell you as your making a massive choice!

Could you please tell me why did you hate it? I'm right now between Sheffield and Nottingham for mech eng

Ok.. the easiest way is to break it up into sections. And before people say, 'Sheffield isn't like this'.. well this is just my bad experience at Sheffield, which was also shared by a lot of people I know there.

social life
I knew binge drinking was going to be a thing in freshers week, but what I didn't know was that this would continue all the way through term. Even in exams! Binge drinking is a massiveee part of student social life at Sheffield, most people drunk at least 3 times a week. Don't get me wrong, I like to go out, but that was just unobtainable with my work load (law). For those who didn't go out, flatmates are often disrespectful and loud, and often question why your not up for going out as often. Endcliffe is suuper loud and busy ALL the time.

lecturers
This is just for the law school, so I really can't comment for mech eng but mine were terrible. They just made powerpoints of the textbook. I get that lectures aren't supposed to teach you the whole course, but come on, £9k a year for a textbook powerpoint?

sheffield the city
I came from London so personally I found it quite small and not much to do... probably why most people just get drunk. Meadowhall is good but quite far from endcliffe accommodation. The clubs and sports societies were good, but again, they ended up being used for a lot of drinking socials rather than real sport.

That's all I can think of for now really.. feel free to ask anything.

how bad is it to walk everyday from endcliff to mappin building?

Well, keeping in mind I'm not much of a drinker (You could say I don't drink at all) you are really making me doubt my decisions, also, how bad is it to walk everyday from endcliff to mappin building?

Well, keeping in mind I'm not much of a drinker (You could say I don't drink at all) you are really making me doubt my decisions, also, how bad is it to walk everyday from endcliff to mappin building?

Well, keeping in mind I'm not much of a drinker (You could say I don't drink at all) you are really making me doubt my decisions, also, how bad is it to walk everyday from endcliff to mappin building?

I drink sometimes but meh, not really into going out very much. I'd prefer a couple of quiet pints in the pub sort of drinking. I've maybe been on "night's out" (i.e. clubs) fewer times over 2 years than one of my flat mates used to go on in a week.

Fresher's week is horrible if you don't want to go out but really, i'd be surprised if it's any better anywhere else. Drinking isn't a Sheffield thing, it's a university students first time moving from home thing.

The people in your flats will vary - I was in a mixed flat of ten. There were five girls and five boys. Half of them went out very regularly and the other half of us barely. I had a 9 am lecture everyday, and did as many hours on a Tuesday as one of my flat mates (economics) did in a week...and probably near enough to the law student, and possibly the journalist. It's the timetabling I think which will force a lot of people into habits (and if they care about their work).

I am also part of probably one of the only sport societies that sort of fails at doing bar crawls. We try, but quite frankly it's the same half a dozen people because nobody else really drinks. It's table tennis and from that it's fairly common to meet many people from an asian background where drinking isn't in the culture.

I'd say my biggest gripe personally about drinking is just in the societies, in that it's what most of the socials are about. Like I say, my main soc has moved much more to laser quest, bowling and things like that.

Sheffield has a lot of nice pubs though if you're just after a quiet drink. You're not on the doorstep to any clubs or anything at the halls so it's not like you're always walking straight into it. Late night noise is a bit of a pain at times but it's really a bit of pot luck as to which halls you get put in. If you're buried further back into the complex then you're less likely to hear it, and equally if you're top floor then there's nobody above you either. They do enforce a "keep it down, stay quiet" or something, basically a no-noise policy after ~11pm during exam periods. Security on the halls sites are quite good if you have complaints.

In the end honestly I think you'll find wherever you go that everything revolves around drinking. After first year though you can pick who you want to live with and by that point you know who you'll actually get on with in that respect.

Don't rule the place out on this, it's not worth it.

Sheffield is what you make of it. I went to University with my drinking days behind me and managed to stick to that mantra without too many problems. I too live in Endcliffe and yes, it's loud (especially Wednesday nights) and yes, drinking is a large part of the culture, but as previously stated, it's like that EVERYWHERE.

Sport is a bad example of the typical society. They do drink A LOT, but that's all in line with the (forgive me for using this horrid phrase) Ladcultue associated with sport. As a language student, we have equal numbers of drinking and non-drinking socials.

The walks are long and hard at the start. But I now have a pretty nice ass as a consequence. Life could be worse.

Agreed, university is what you make it. But personally, I don't feel paying 9k a year is worth it when the only conclusion you have is 'it could be worse'