How is life in Leiden?

Hi guys,
Next year I am going to start studying in Leiden University. Before starting my course, I would like to learn about the life in Leiden.
Any opinion will help me.
Thanks

Hi there! My name is Toby and I have lived here for a couple of years now. Leiden is quite a compact student city with lots of little alleyways and canals, very pretty. There is quite a lot to do with university events, and for more cultural things there is stuff in Leiden, but also in other cities like The Hague, Amsterdam and Rotterdam which are all less than 45 minutes by train. Housing is quite tricky sometimes because it is a small city, but if you already have something that is good. There is also a Facebook page called Leiden Housing if you want to check that out.

Socially, there are events run by the International Student Network (ISN) every week, so there is plenty to do. You can also join clubs or sports teams etc. There is a club called Leiden United which gets you integrated a bit more with Dutch students. Make sure you get a nice second hand bike! You won't regret it and you can cycle to the beach in 30 minutes or so!

Let me know if you want to know anything else more specifically.

Hi Toby,
Thanks for your detailed answer. It seems really nice and vibrant.
I have one more question actually. I'll study Dutch for one year before starting my actual degree. Is it possible to learn Dutch and start reading history books etc...? Because generally people are saying that Dutch is a hard language to learn especially for foreigners.