I've lived in leeds my entire life and from my point of view it's a little dull but I can't say it's not busy and exciting at times. There's the Leeds high street in general for shopping, Trinity Leeds which is a huge complex in the centre of town just under a year old which really is impressive. There's a huge topshop, river island, urban outfitters and other standard stuff, as well as a cinema (from what I hear it's fancy so it's really expensive though) and so many restaurants. The Light is an entertainment complex in the city centre, too, it's got a cinema, a virgin active gym, a bunch of restaurants, ideal for an evening out with friends. There's frequently something on in millenium square, too, november-december it's the german christmas market which is v small compared to others but it's enough for a couple of visits. After christmas there's an ice skating rink, and then through the year they have a bunch of events and stuff. there's museums on top of that so basically there's enough in the city centre so that you won't get bored if you aren't planning on straying too far into the surrounding area. If you do want to explore, there's Roundhay park which is a huge and beautiful park which is great if you enjoy scenery a bit more picturesque than hyde park (the park close to the uni) offers. The white rose shopping centre is also a bus away if you want a change of pace, it's not meadowhall but it's enough and it's soon to get an extension with a cinema and stuff like that. If all else fails and you're really sick of the sight of the place, York and Manchester are a surprisingly short train ride away.