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Founders Building, Royal Holloway
Royal Holloway
Egham
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Royal Holloway Students: Is Egham depressing?

So Royal Holloway really seems at the minute like a university that I would put down as my first choice. I've read up so much about it and I'm going on an open day later this month. I know there have been threads like this before, but I really, really need to know honestly now: Is Egham were it's situated extremely depressing? I've lived in London all my life, so I'm not interested in going into London for university, and the 'excitement' of it all doesn't really interest me either, because I've been at the heart of it all the time. I'm not asking whether Egham is dull/boring, because I know that it is going to seem like that at times (if not all the time a bit) but I need to know if it's actually depressing at times. I can deal with boring, because I know that there are other ways you can entertain yourself and although London isn't 40 minutes away like they say it is, it is still accessible, but being depressing is a whole other thing.

So is Egham actually really depressing (ie. grey and miserable, sending a sinking feeling into your heart as you look at it) at times, or is it just boring? Also, I've been told there is a Boots chemist there, but can't seem to find it on Google maps - is there?

Thank you! :smile:
I wouldn't describe Egham as depressing, it's just like any other English town. Sure, it's grey and rainy sometimes but this is England. The Boots chemist is on the High Street, somewhere between Egham Essentials (a treasure trove) and Tesco.
Founders Building, Royal Holloway
Royal Holloway
Egham
Visit website
Reply 2
Avatar for catoswyn
catoswyn
15
Original post by adieu
So Royal Holloway really seems at the minute like a university that I would put down as my first choice. I've read up so much about it and I'm going on an open day later this month. I know there have been threads like this before, but I really, really need to know honestly now: Is Egham were it's situated extremely depressing? I've lived in London all my life, so I'm not interested in going into London for university, and the 'excitement' of it all doesn't really interest me either, because I've been at the heart of it all the time. I'm not asking whether Egham is dull/boring, because I know that it is going to seem like that at times (if not all the time a bit) but I need to know if it's actually depressing at times. I can deal with boring, because I know that there are other ways you can entertain yourself and although London isn't 40 minutes away like they say it is, it is still accessible, but being depressing is a whole other thing.

So is Egham actually really depressing (ie. grey and miserable, sending a sinking feeling into your heart as you look at it) at times, or is it just boring? Also, I've been told there is a Boots chemist there, but can't seem to find it on Google maps - is there?

Thank you! :smile:


I found it depressing I'm afraid but you're up the hill at the campus so it doesn't really register on the radar that much. I came from a big city to RHC and hated the area/campus but if you're braced for a change of pace and so forth it might be great. Lots of people love it. A car makes a big difference. In the end I just moved towns altogether and commuted back in.

:smile:
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 3
Avatar for cokeke2
cokeke2
I dont go to Royal Holloway but i live pretty close to Egham. I wouldnt call it depreesing but i have to say it is immensely dull and wouldnt want to live there (i.e. it lacks the uni experience). It is quite close to larger towns like Staines and Kingston but they are sometimes considered chavvy (not necessarily my opinion, but i dont often go there).
But in saying that, life is what you make it, so you might end up loving it purely because you WANT to love it.
Reply 4
Avatar for catoswyn
catoswyn
15
Original post by adieu
So Royal Holloway really seems at the minute like a university that I would put down as my first choice. I've read up so much about it and I'm going on an open day later this month. I know there have been threads like this before, but I really, really need to know honestly now: Is Egham were it's situated extremely depressing? I've lived in London all my life, so I'm not interested in going into London for university, and the 'excitement' of it all doesn't really interest me either, because I've been at the heart of it all the time. I'm not asking whether Egham is dull/boring, because I know that it is going to seem like that at times (if not all the time a bit) but I need to know if it's actually depressing at times. I can deal with boring, because I know that there are other ways you can entertain yourself and although London isn't 40 minutes away like they say it is, it is still accessible, but being depressing is a whole other thing.

So is Egham actually really depressing (ie. grey and miserable, sending a sinking feeling into your heart as you look at it) at times, or is it just boring? Also, I've been told there is a Boots chemist there, but can't seem to find it on Google maps - is there?

Thank you! :smile:


Out of interest what are your other options?

:smile:
Reply 5
Avatar for lareneg
lareneg
I wouldn't describe it as depressing. It's small, there's no denying it, but I got to it fairly quickly even though I'd have preferred a city university. If you want to be able to go out and do stuff every other day then Egham probably isn't for you. If you're happy to spend many afternoons just hanging around with friends or staying in then it should be fine.

And there is a Boots Opticians as well as the Boots Chemist, both on the high street. There are also other chemists, including a Lloyds Pharmacy and a Millman. I'm sure I've missed another.
Just go to Staines or Windsor if you really wanted to shop or something! Sorry just saw this thread I graduated from Ro Ho in 2008. I didn't find it depressing, I found it quaint! Plenty of places for supplies, Tesco, Iceland. Then in Engie Green- Spar! Seriously, I liked
Reply 7
Avatar for adieu
adieu
OP
4
Original post by catoswyn
Out of interest what are your other options?

:smile:


I haven't really thought about any other universities yet! Just in the early stages of looking, really, but I'm thinking about maybe York too, because the beautiful campus. :smile:
Reply 8
Avatar for catoswyn
catoswyn
15
Original post by adieu
I haven't really thought about any other universities yet! Just in the early stages of looking, really, but I'm thinking about maybe York too, because the beautiful campus. :smile:


Exeter has a very lovely campus
Bristol is a city university with very nice buildings, depending which subject you do ie History of Art and Archeology are in a lovely stained glass old building, Law is in the incredible 'Wills Building' in the centre..... etc
Durham is super quaint... Harry Potter like
Bath and Bath Spa are situated in an incredibly beautiful city with lovely Georgian buildings.

Good luck with all your research!

:smile:
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 9
Avatar for adieu
adieu
OP
4
Original post by catoswyn
Exeter has a very lovely campus
Bristol is a city university with very nice buildings, depending which subject you do ie History of Art and Archeology are in a lovely stained glass old building, Law is in the incredible 'Wills Building' in the centre..... etc
Durham is super quaint... Harry Potter like
Bath and Bath Spa are situated in an incredibly beautiful city with lovely Georgian buildings.

Good luck with all your research!

:smile:


Thank you!
This looks bad, I'll probably be firming RHUL.
yes it's horrible, i'm convinced everyone's zombies!! makes me so sad, can never do any uni work :frown: :frown:
Reply 12
Avatar for swbp
swbp
10
Egham was the only reason I didn't firm RHUL (it's my insurance for geography)

I loved the campus, course and facilities but the town is just so dull. Seriously, I come from a small town in Suffolk and even that is more interesting.

If you're a quiet person who loves the countryside it would be a great place to be, but the lack of nightlife really put me off :/
All of the nightlife is campus based, but there are tonnes of bars and the SU is great. Medicine puts on great nights too. I thought the night life was perfect for me. I spent the entire first year pissed so it must have been alright!
i don't go to rhul but i live just down the road from it and i have a few friends who go there. yes egham is just like any other small english town. there isn't much shopping there but windsor is really close for that. i also regularly go out in windsor at night and there are some good clubs and a spoons there. london really isn't that far away but at the same time neither is endless countryside!
i've lived down the road in a village called windlesham most of my life and have always loved it, even now as an 18 year old! there is plenty to do and see around here and i've also been out to the su club on the campus and it was a good night out!! and london isn't far at all.
Rhul is a boring university. There is nothing to do in Egham and the nightlife on campus is not good at all. The university prefers to put all its money on development project in order to look good but doesn't invest to make their actual students happy.
Original post by Timeoutin
Rhul is a boring university. There is nothing to do in Egham and the nightlife on campus is not good at all. The university prefers to put all its money on development project in order to look good but doesn't invest to make their actual students happy.


As someone who doesn't drink and is extremely uncomfortable in bars/clubs/nightlife environments in general, this news makes me extremely happy, and it's one of the reasons I chose RHUL in the first place! :tongue:
Oh don't worry, people still drink, but in poor quality venues around the campus.
I graduate from RH soon so let me throw in my 2 cents.

Whether you have fun at RH is almost entirely dependent on your friends. I didn't get on with my flatmates in 1st year and it sucked big time. 2nd and 3rd year I found some great friends and things improved a lot, but even then I think RH is not worth it. The nights out tend to suck and are very expensive (bar Toast, the cheap Monday night out on campus, which is incredible). Your flatmates WILL go home on the weekends. This uni attracts A LOT of London and Essex kids, as well as international students who will go off and stay in other cities when there's no class. Campus and Egham are desolate at these times. The only thing that saved me from complete boredom is also going to London every weekend, but I appreciate not every student can afford this and if you can't then you're stuck, because there is NOTHING to do here. Honestly, unless you're super rich and can afford entertainment on the weekends, don't go here.
Original post by adieu
So Royal Holloway really seems at the minute like a university that I would put down as my first choice. I've read up so much about it and I'm going on an open day later this month. I know there have been threads like this before, but I really, really need to know honestly now: Is Egham were it's situated extremely depressing? I've lived in London all my life, so I'm not interested in going into London for university, and the 'excitement' of it all doesn't really interest me either, because I've been at the heart of it all the time. I'm not asking whether Egham is dull/boring, because I know that it is going to seem like that at times (if not all the time a bit) but I need to know if it's actually depressing at times. I can deal with boring, because I know that there are other ways you can entertain yourself and although London isn't 40 minutes away like they say it is, it is still accessible, but being depressing is a whole other thing.

So is Egham actually really depressing (ie. grey and miserable, sending a sinking feeling into your heart as you look at it) at times, or is it just boring? Also, I've been told there is a Boots chemist there, but can't seem to find it on Google maps - is there?

Thank you! :smile:




Hello children, you really sound like you led such sheltered little lives in telly tubby land. GROW UP!!!!!

When you all get bigger and have to work for a living, which usually means moving away from mummy and daddy and finding your own job - which incidentally could be located in the most dire place, you will have to grow up and find a place to live for which you will pay a relatively extortionate rent or mortgage - where the greyness, smallness, size, colour, prettiness or ugliness of your nearest town will be the least of your problems.

You sound like you haven't ever experienced a single challenge in your lives. You should be celebrating getting into Royal Holloway, and consider yourselvves extremely privileged to be studying there, as from then on it is up hill all the way. As a past Royal holloway student I enjoyed my time there and have nothing but happy memories. The colour or feel of a town is not what adults concern themselves with when they just arrived at a great uni.

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