is ucl friendly?

Hi ive got a conditional offer for ucl which i'm really pleased about, the only thing that worries me is the sheer size of both the university and the city of london making me wonder how easy it is to make friends, as it seems to me that there wouldnt be as much of a "community," spirit. Also as i come from further up north people have been telling me how cliquey it is down south and that it isnt as friendly. Can someone please help and tell me abit more about the student life and people.

Thanks

Reply 1

President_Ben

15

I'd say UCL has got a very solid community spirit considering where it is in London :smile:

Though I'm not sure how easy that is to measure!

Is the South (and London in particularly) 'cliquey' and unfriendly...?

I'd say it is less personal than the times I've been up North. Especially what is broadly London. You can walk around UCL and you will come across familiar friendly faces - but as you move out of that and around the huge expanse that is London - then yeah, you probably won't see the same person twice unless you get to know them somehow.

In a way, that is kind of bad and dehumanising. In another, liberating as it allows you to get away with all sorts :wink:

No one you ever meet again will remember that time you were utterly trashed on a long pub crawl around London!

Reply 2

tomcoolinguk

13

mightymouse

Hi ive got a conditional offer for ucl which i'm really pleased about, the only thing that worries me is the sheer size of both the university and the city of london making me wonder how easy it is to make friends, as it seems to me that there wouldnt be as much of a "community," spirit. Also as i come from further up north people have been telling me how cliquey it is down south and that it isnt as friendly. Can someone please help and tell me abit more about the student life and people.

Thanks

If this is a concern of yours, I'd pick UCL accomodation (catered or self catered) and put a preference to 'proximity to UCL' on your application form.

Reply 3

larchitecturel

Congrats on the offer... what subject did you apply for ?

Reply 4

Angel Interceptor

11

mightymouse

Hi ive got a conditional offer for ucl which i'm really pleased about, the only thing that worries me is the sheer size of both the university and the city of london making me wonder how easy it is to make friends, as it seems to me that there wouldnt be as much of a "community," spirit. Also as i come from further up north people have been telling me how cliquey it is down south and that it isnt as friendly. Can someone please help and tell me abit more about the student life and people.

Thanks

I'd say that some subjects/degrees are 'cliquey' such as Law or Medicine, but that's about it. UCL is a friendly place generally speaking and as Ben said, you'll bump into people you know around Uni all the time, but people are often excited by living in such a large, diverse, interesting city that they often want to go off and explore other parts of it - something you probably wouldn't get if you attended a University in a small/medium sized town as there simply wouldn't be much opportunity for it. Anyhows, I'd say UCL is a friendly place without being constrictive/suffocating in the way that the environment of some of the colleges at Oxbridge/Durham are where everyone knows everyone elses business. Anyhows, I'm sure you'll make friends and have a good time if you come here. :smile:

Reply 5

Nysh

1

Friendly: I'd have to say yes, but whether you will fit in or not is something completely different. London is not as cosy as campus universities (obviously), but if you manage to make a few close friends, then things will always work out.

Reply 6

MissSurfer

17

Well I couldn't say because I'm just a year 12 who lives about 40 miles south of London! But I've been to London loadsa times and I'd say don't worry about it - look at it like this - theres loads of opportunities in London - lots to do and that means lots of people to meet. This means you have the potential to make a lot of friends! This is one of the reasons I think I want to go to a uni in London...(although I don't apply for a year yet!). Have you visited UCL and London? Just go with how you feel :smile:

Reply 7

uthinkilltellu

14

mightymouse

Hi ive got a conditional offer for ucl which i'm really pleased about, the only thing that worries me is the sheer size of both the university and the city of london making me wonder how easy it is to make friends, as it seems to me that there wouldnt be as much of a "community," spirit. Also as i come from further up north people have been telling me how cliquey it is down south and that it isnt as friendly. Can someone please help and tell me abit more about the student life and people.

Thanks

due to its sheer size it tends could become quite...erm how can i put it :eek:

there i've used a smiley....

but if you make lots of friends then you'll enjoy it. making friends is very easy because the chances are that most of them are in the same boat as you are. there is lots of community spirit, although due to UCL's size the spirit is divided between a lot of people. london is friendly if you are smart and streetwise. but as they say in the lemming society: who dares wins!

is ucl friendly?

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