[Nynyflower]

(Original post by Guygp)
Another question (why not) where else did you apply? and what made you choose brighton over these other universities?

I chose Brighton cos I wanted to live in Brighton and I liked the uni. I also wasn't clever enough to get into Sussex. I applied to Aberystwyth, Bournemouth, UWE and Cardiff but did not look at any of these universities as I had my heart set on Brighton. It's just a nice place.

(Original post by Barrerayy)
Hey there i am thinking of coming to Sussex this september and was wondering about the nightlife in Brighton . It's quite active isnt it ? How are the prices compared to say London

Cheaper than London but not heaps cheaper, we're talking about 10p. The nightlife is pretty amazing, something for everyone and a pub for every day of the year, loads of clubs, bars and outdoor events too. The gig scene is actually not that great though.

[quellebelle]

I applied to uni of brighton for illustration. I'm an international student from Canada. I was wondering what the job rates are in brighton for students. I'm looking forward to studying abroad but its difficult to find work isnt it? Wonder if anyone has any advice on securing work as a student?

[TKC]

(Original post by quellebelle)
x

According to this diagram, unemployment in this area looks to be about average. But those figures wouldn't include students, and students are a large part of the Brighton population, so maybe they're a bit worse.

It's difficult to get an objective sense of it really, but I think if you speak more than one language, are good looking, or have a lot of experience; you're ahead of most people. At larger chain stores there will generally be a hiring period for part-timers in late August and September; ready for the busy winter season. Everywhere tends to hire online, but it's sometimes worth going in personally with a CV to independent shops. Apart from that, Gumtree is sometimes quite good, you can always find a terrible call center job if you really need it.

[TKC]

(Original post by Barrerayy)
Hey there i am thinking of coming to Sussex this september and was wondering about the nightlife in Brighton . It's quite active isnt it ? How are the prices compared to say London

There is a big and varied club/bar scene, with Digital, Life, Revenge and Audio being the better ones in my opinion.
Personally I think the whole 'going out' thing is overrated, but if you're gonna do it Brighton is a good place.

[quellebelle]

(Original post by TKC)
According to this diagram, unemployment in this area looks to be about average. But those figures wouldn't include students, and students are a large part of the Brighton population, so maybe they're a bit worse.

It's difficult to get an objective sense of it really, but I think if you speak more than one language, are good looking, or have a lot of experience; you're ahead of most people. At larger chain stores there will generally be a hiring period for part-timers in late August and September; ready for the busy winter season. Everywhere tends to hire online, but it's sometimes worth going in personally with a CV to independent shops. Apart from that, Gumtree is sometimes quite good, you can always find a terrible call center job if you really need it.

Yeah, as I recall... good looks aren't criteria for work is it? Or was that a joke? either way I think the link you provided was pretty cool and makes visual sense of the facts and figures.

I applied to illustration at brighton so I would to get a part-time job or internship related in that field. But I'm sure if I don't find it I can handle doing something working in a bar, retail shop or cafe. This might be a stretch but how do you get a job in a bar? What it's like in Canada, you gotta write a test to get a drink handling certificate called smart serve. Nobody can get hired lawfully without it. Is it the same in UK?

Ooooh speaking of which. Does Brighton offer on-campus jobs?

[Nynyflower]

(Original post by quellebelle)
Yeah, as I recall... good looks aren't criteria for work is it? Or was that a joke? either way I think the link you provided was pretty cool and makes visual sense of the facts and figures.

I applied to illustration at brighton so I would to get a part-time job or internship related in that field. But I'm sure if I don't find it I can handle doing something working in a bar, retail shop or cafe. This might be a stretch but how do you get a job in a bar? What it's like in Canada, you gotta write a test to get a drink handling certificate called smart serve. Nobody can get hired lawfully without it. Is it the same in UK?

Ooooh speaking of which. Does Brighton offer on-campus jobs?

There are a few on-campus jobs at Brighton, in the libraries (where I work!), the student union, showing people round uni and in various other departments.

You just need loads of experience to work in a bar here, no certificate.

[TKC]

(Original post by quellebelle)
Yeah, as I recall... good looks aren't criteria for work is it? Or was that a joke?

Errm, no that wasn't a joke.
Obviously not for illustration work, but for retail and bar work it's definitely a factor.
Most 'hip' clothing stores have informal policies for how attractive and well dressed their staff need to be. There was a case a while ago of a disabled girl hired to work as a customer assistant at A&F, but was sent to work out back in the stockroom because she didn't fit their 'look policy'.

Personally, I applied to do some leaflet distributing when Pride festival was in town. He said I sounded fine over the phone, and just wanted me to send a photo over email to confirm. At which point, I was 'unhired' .

Anyway, getting a job in a bar or club isn't so difficult, I know people who've done it with no prior experience, but they did start with the less glamorous jobs like bar-back or collecting glasses.

[quellebelle]

!!! aww man, culture shock!
But it's good to know these things beforehand. English is my only language and I have worked in clothing shops in my home town. So hopefully I'm good looking and qualified. Hahaha!
I would have never assumed that rules like that are allowed. Where I'm from practices like that would be labelled discriminatory and illegal but it happens all the time in secret. Like it's so weird, the dress code rules aren't as strict in clothing shops. Some employers at shops want to make sure you can do math before they consider your personal fashion sense.

As for bar waitresses in Toronto the sluttier looking you are the better. Which is why I never got a job in a bar.
Not trying to judge but the differences in culture would be curious to anyone abroad and its a good point to bring up.
Working at bar or music venue I imagine would be so cool. I would be so happy to work in Brighton since some of my favorite bands are from there.

[Nynyflower]

I have bright red dreadlocks and piercings (yay now anyone who's ever been to Moulsecoomb campus knows who I am) and I'm in employment. Brighton has aternative places that are not so much about the looks, don't worry!

[Aylish]

Is it within walking distance from the sea and town just woundering

I'm not I was just wanted to know

[Nynyflower]

(Original post by Aylish)
Is it within walking distance from the sea and town just woundering

Which campus will you be studying at? (Or what subject have you applied for, we'll work it out)

[TKC]

(Original post by quellebelle)
x

Yes illegal, but it happens anyway informally. Perhaps I've over-emphasized it, it's really not a big deal. Usually places will want a basic standard of English and Maths (so like "C in GCSE Maths minimum") but if you've got an equivalent high school type qualification then it's fine. Don't worry about it, the main qualification for any service sector job is being easy to talk to and not being a moron; same as everywhere I'd imagine.

[MrJimjams]

Hey,
I have a conditional offer for brighton and have a few questions if you don't mind answering.
Firstly my course is based at Moulsecoomb, and looking at on site accomodation it seems there is only one option which is Moulsecoomb Place which is catered. I'm not too keen on this so i was wondering if you had any information on what exactly they serve, ie. quality of meal, is it preset meals, help yourself buffet, go for seconds etc. I don't want to be paying that little bit extra but then end up cooking my own meals if that makes sense :P.
Also looking at Moulsecoomb area it seems very isolated, ie not much to do. Are there any free buses into the town centre from moulsecoomb, also where is the main student union and will fresher events be held there or at each centres own SU.
Also it looks like the accomodation at phoenix brewery/grande parade is in a much better position in the town centre pretty much. Would it be a better idea to try and get into this accomodation and get a bus to moulsecoomb, roughly how long is the bus journey.
And lastly i know brighton is lgbt friendly but i was wondering how friendly, as in is there any bother with locals outside lgbt bars and clubs, verbal abuse on streets that sort of thing.
Thanks

[Nynyflower]

(Original post by MrJimjams)
Hey,
I have a conditional offer for brighton and have a few questions if you don't mind answering.
Firstly my course is based at Moulsecoomb, and looking at on site accomodation it seems there is only one option which is Moulsecoomb Place which is catered. I'm not too keen on this so i was wondering if you had any information on what exactly they serve, ie. quality of meal, is it preset meals, help yourself buffet, go for seconds etc. I don't want to be paying that little bit extra but then end up cooking my own meals if that makes sense :P.

The fact is you may not get into Moulsecoomb halls, but if you do, you have quite a large choice of food and can have as much as you like on one plate pretty much. If you end up elsewhere then public transport is very good. It's not a campus uni so being "on campus" is not very important.

Also looking at Moulsecoomb area it seems very isolated, ie not much to do. Are there any free buses into the town centre from moulsecoomb, also where is the main student union and will fresher events be held there or at each centres own SU.

OK, really sorry to break this to you, but Brighton doesn't really have "SU"s in the bar/club sense of the word. We have a student's union, yes (which I may well be on next year) but freshers events will all be in town. There's no free buses but it's walking or cycling distance and buses are pretty cheap (£9.50 for a week's unlimited bus travel). The reason Brighton doesn't have a bar, except at Varley, is cos when town is as good as it is, no-one wants to drink on a uni site. So yeah, sorry. I don't think we miss out tooo much though.

Also it looks like the accomodation at phoenix brewery/grande parade is in a much better position in the town centre pretty much. Would it be a better idea to try and get into this accomodation and get a bus to moulsecoomb, roughly how long is the bus journey.

Takes about 10 minutes on the bus, maybe 15 if the traffic is a-trafficing. Basically, all halls are on good public transport routes and don't be upset if you don't get your first choice

And lastly i know brighton is lgbt friendly but i was wondering how friendly, as in is there any bother with locals outside lgbt bars and clubs, verbal abuse on streets that sort of thing.
Thanks

No, not at all, the only homophobic people I've ever come across have been a tiny minority of dickhead students. We're not the gay capital for nothing you know.

My best advice? Come and have a look around, chat with some students. It's not a campus uni and this makes it quite vastly different to campus unis but you still have a great student experience (trust me, I'm a third year at Moulsecoomb campus).

[MrJimjams]

thanks for the reply + answers, very informative and sounds great

My best advice? Come and have a look around, chat with some students. It's not a campus uni and this makes it quite vastly different to campus unis but you still have a great student experience (trust me, I'm a third year at Moulsecoomb campus).

I guess i will have to do this on an applicant open day or something as only so much can be learned from driving around on google maps haha . Only downside is that it will take an estimated 11 hours on train to get to brighton (i'm from seaham just outside sunderland)

[Nynyflower]

(Original post by MrJimjams)
thanks for the reply + answers, very informative and sounds great



I guess i will have to do this on an applicant open day or something as only so much can be learned from driving around on google maps haha . Only downside is that it will take an estimated 11 hours on train to get to brighton (i'm from seaham just outside sunderland)

Just looked it up on the trainline (cos I'm dead nosy), I get 5/6 hours, but yeah bit of a journey that! Hostels aren't too expensive here.

[TKC]

(Original post by MrJimjams)
x

It's be better to think of Brighton as a 'high street' university (it's literally opposite B&Q), as appose to a campus one like Sussex. Lots of Sussex uni students don't venture out of Sussex uni, whereas lots of Brighton students hardly venture into theirs. In the interests of disclosure; I'm the typical jaded clearing student, but hopefully that pessimism might useful to clarify the optimistic perspective.

I'd say come visit, as Nynyflower suggested. You need to know if you like Brighton as a town because any social life you have will be in the town itself or at people's houses in town. The Brighton uni campuses do have facilities like cafe's, but for instance the one in Mithras House has all the character of a motorway service station. Infact, I far prefer Pease Pottage service station on the M23. The SU and a few societies do try hard to get people involved but in the context of the uni, it's probably quite hard. The type of thing I'm talking about is when Brighton uni hosted a debate on LGBT politics with local MPs; I was the only Brighton student to turn up amongst quite a few Sussex students and outsiders. The good news is that if you want that kind of stereotypical involvement, like a debate society and such, Sussex university will often let you join in with any of their stuff. It's probably a 10 minute bus ride from city centre to Moulsecoomb, and 10 minutes from there to Sussex uni.

As far as accommodation goes, I don't think you get as much choice as with other unis. The people I knew in Moulsecoomb halls for first year didn't rate the food too highly, but I can't comment personally. They used to stock up massively on foods to cook when they didn't fancy what was on offer. Private house-shares are a big thing in Brighton, and the accommodation office do help with that. There are house-hunting tours and you can drop in for advice.

Homophobia isn't prevalent amongst the locals in Brighton, I wouldn't worry. The only times I've seen it are at the weekends when out of towners flood in, or during Gay Pride when loads of scummy people invade looking for a party.

What course have you applied for, out of interest?

[MrJimjams]

i have an offer for computer science (games) course. So with brighton university spread out among different campuses and small amount of societies how is the social side of brighton university? I've spent a year at teesside university which is sort of compact so very lively and plenty of societies. I'm just a little worried that at brighton it will be harder to establish friendships with there being sort of limited amount of people at each campus rather than all together. I know from previous experience how the time spent actually in lectures and seminars is tiny so social activities are needed to stop boredom :P
I've looked at the brighton su societies website page but most offer very limited information and may not even be running anymore. I've noticed some a located at different campuses like the boxing one although i dont mind bus journeys etc. I dunno i guess i'm just a little worried, i like to be active, going out most nights etc. and at teesside the people i was with in halls were all different personality wise, however with all teesside freshers being together it was simple to find a group of friends with similiar interests. My concern is that at brighton there is a smaller pool of people and the last thing i want is to end up stuck bored with nothing to do because those around me have different interests

[Nynyflower]

(Original post by MrJimjams)
i have an offer for computer science (games) course. So with brighton university spread out among different campuses and small amount of societies how is the social side of brighton university? I've spent a year at teesside university which is sort of compact so very lively and plenty of societies. I'm just a little worried that at brighton it will be harder to establish friendships with there being sort of limited amount of people at each campus rather than all together. I know from previous experience how the time spent actually in lectures and seminars is tiny so social activities are needed to stop boredom :P
I've looked at the brighton su societies website page but most offer very limited information and may not even be running anymore. I've noticed some a located at different campuses like the boxing one although i dont mind bus journeys etc. I dunno i guess i'm just a little worried, i like to be active, going out most nights etc. and at teesside the people i was with in halls were all different personality wise, however with all teesside freshers being together it was simple to find a group of friends with similiar interests. My concern is that at brighton there is a smaller pool of people and the last thing i want is to end up stuck bored with nothing to do because those around me have different interests

We are a BIG university and if you actively join or start a society you can definitely make friends. However, the main social arena of the university is in town as this is where the exciting stuff happens. I think you'll be based at Moulsecoomb campus but tbh you won't spend much time on campus unless you're studying and it's really easy to get up to Falmer for the sports stuff etc. I'm not sure where you've got this idea that there'll be a smaller pool of people, we have 21,000 students with 6,000 studying at Moulsecoomb alone.

[luckyxo]

I've heard that Brighton is in the process of building new accommodation in Varley. How far a walk are those halls from Moulsecoomb and how much is the bus that goes from those halls to campus. Would you say the halls at Grand Parade are in a better / closer location to Moulsecoomb? Thanks for your help