University of Dundee

What should freshers know about the University of Dundee??

What's one thing that you think freshers should know, or you wish you'd known before starting? :holmes:

What's it like living here?
Where are the best places eat? What's the best night out....?
What's the best place to study?

:beard:

It's nearly August, so it would be good to get some advice together for those who will be starting in September :woo:

Reply 1

Airmed

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

What's one thing that you think freshers should know, or you wish you'd known before starting? :holmes:

What's it like living here?
Where are the best places eat? What's the best night out....?
What's the best place to study?

:beard:

It's nearly August, so it would be good to get some advice together for those who will be starting in September :woo:

What I had wished I had known: how much they really promote the drinking culture in the uni. Emails every week about nights out at the Union. :frown:

What's it like living here? It's very cheap to live in Dundee, and the weather is brilliant; we had no ice or snow, while a lot of the rest of Scotland did. :tongue:

Where are the best places eat? What's the best night out....? Unfortunately a girl cannot answer this one based on her own experiences really as she does not go out for meals or go out to party. However I do know that opinion is divided on this. Some say the Union is great, others Underground or Liquid. I think it really depends on your own taste.

What's the best place to study? Top floor of the main library on campus, in the silent area. It has nice comfy seats and booths. :love:

University of Dundee

Reply 2

kkboyk

Original post by Airmed

What are the worst things about the university?

Reply 3

Airmed

Original post by kkboyk

What are the worst things about the university?

Hahahahahahaha

Oh Lord.

Right now? The cuts. Jesus. The Principal Pete Dowes will deny it but poor School of Humanities. A lot of money and investment is poured in Life Sciences. The uni is expected to make at least £5million in cuts in the next few years. The irony? Dowes accepted another pay rise.

I am part of Social Sciences, but Politics was in Humanities until last year, so it has suffered.

Reply 4

AshBenzo

What's one thing that you think freshers should know, or you wish you'd known before starting?
The best thing you can do in your first week is talk to as many people as possible, don't be scared of what people think of you, everyone is in the same boat and very few people know each other.

Go to as many pre-drinks/nights out/after parties as you can, these are 100% the best way to meet people. Even if you don't drink, your whole year is going to be at the Union every night of Freshers Week, take advantage of this opportunity.

I know people always say this but join a sports team or society. They have a week of free tryouts for sports teams, even if you've never played the sport before you can go and don't be afraid to go alone. They usually organise parties/nights out or meet up for food after training.

Also, if you do get talking to someone and you get along, don't be afraid to initiate a night out, they'll more than likely be keen. And if you're really bad at making friends like I was, don't be scared to tag along with your new flatmates on nights out, they aren't going to say no.

Apologies for the spiel but I just wish someone had asserted all of this into my mind when I first came to uni as an extremely shy first year!

What's it like living here?
Dundee's very compact, it's a really small city so the majority of people you meet will know someone who knows someone. A quarter of the population during semester time are students and the universities are very multicultural.

Where are the best places eat? What's the best night out....?
For food, have a walk along Perth Road or around the Overgate and you'll probably find something that you like.

For drunk food you'll end up in Marco Polo and at some point you'll make the infamous drunken trip to the 24 hour bakery. It's a right of passage to stumble there at 4am and order a Helicopter burger.

The main clubs are Dundee Union (DUSA), Underground and Liquid. You'll find out what nights are good when you get to Dundee. Skint on a Tuesday at the Union is the busiest every week.

What's the best place to study?
The library on Dundee uni campus is great! They do library tours in the first week or so, could be worthwhile going to.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

Sir Fox

Original post by Airmed

What I had wished I had known: how much they really promote the drinking culture in the uni. Emails every week about nights out at the Union. :frown:

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I get spammed with DUSA eMails about cheap drinks and nights out in the Union.

What's it like living here? It's very cheap to live in Dundee, and the weather is brilliant; we had no ice or snow, while a lot of the rest of Scotland did. :tongue:

That's debatable - I miss a proper winter wonderland with loads of snow, instead Dundee in winter is just very occasional sleet and mostly rain. Cold and wet enough to be miserable, but not cold enough to make it a proper nice winter.

What's the best place to study? Top floor of the main library on campus, in the silent area. It has nice comfy seats and booths. :love:

What's the best place to study? The library on Dundee uni campus is great! They do library tours in the first week or so, could be worthwhile going to.

The library is alright, but usually just far too busy. And around exam time there is no free seat to be found. In my experience there are many quiet places around campus that make for much better studying - IT suites in Dalhousie, Psychology has a big, nice common room etc. Plus just normal seminar rooms in Dalhousie/Tower. Often unused, especially around exams when teaching has ended, and you can just walk in and make yourself at home.

Not that I ever did that, I usually study at home :biggrin:

Original post by Airmed

The irony? Dowes accepted another pay rise.

Come on, it was just a 15% rise. No biggie :tongue:

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 6

Airmed

Original post by Sir Fox

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I get spammed with DUSA eMails about cheap drinks and nights out in the Union.

I hate it so much.

What? No! The weather is great here. It's better than the weather I get at home, in N.Ireland. I hate the snow.

The library is great during the year, but yes, for exams, it is chaotic. However I get access to the rooms in the Disability Services, healthcare etc building, which are quiet and can only be accessed if your ID card is registered. :biggrin: