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Is this a terrible urban myth...or is it true?

When I first applied for Lancaster, I noticed something faintly strange; Some of the friends I told had a mildly horrified look on their face, and told me about how loads of students apparently commit suicide by jumping off bowland tower (in fact, one girl told me it was "asian students in particular" ). I dunno whether to believe this....it certainly put me off applying to bowland (i've got accom in pendle instead), but I have yet to hear any facts backing this "urban myth" up.
Have any of you Lancaster students heard about this? Is it true? Cos when I arrive on sunday, i'll avoid walking around bowland tower cos it'll probably freak me out lol!

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Reply 1

LaurenFah

Slightly true.
There have been suicides on the tower, a while ago. And yes it's nicknamed "suicide tower". But that was many years ago, and it's all fenced up and everything now. :biggrin:

Reply 2

randomgirl

Yeah because suicides have only ever happened at Lancaster uni.

It's probably partly true, but most of it is no doubt fabricated to make a story to scare off freshers :p:

Reply 3

Dooze

When I told a few mates that I was going to Lancaster, a few of them replied with something along the lines of "Good luck, it's apparently suicide capital uni-wise.". Ah well.

Reply 4

urbandervish

Bowland Tower is incorrectly rumoured to be a major suicide launching pad.

Entry Guide, Lancaster University.

Reply 5

randomgirl

Bowland Tower is incorrectly rumoured to be a major suicide launching pad.

from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2149805

edit:dammit, I was beaten to it.

Reply 6

LaurenFah

urbandervish

Entry Guide, Lancaster University.

Yeah, I was about to quote that.

It's not a major suicide place. If I remember correctly, there have only been a few cases in the (distant) past, and the name has just stuck.

Reply 7

Amanda

"In reality, Lancaster is a large depressing concrete university with one of the highest suicide rates in the country. It rains all the time, is expensive, and there is nothing to do besides get drunk. The faculty spend far more time researching and in my experience really hate teaching. Foreign students apleanty, but rarely do they mix outside small cliques. just look at the other comments; funny how two mention '22 nationalities' in their class...sounds just like something taken from one of lancaster's marketing catalogues...at least visit the place to see for yourself before you come here." - rateitall.com

Probably not true.. but it was funny to read. :p:

Reply 8

jon###

I've been looking around the internet for reportings of suicides at lancaster and actually can't find any!

Reply 9

LaurenFah

jon###

I've been looking around the internet for reportings of suicides at lancaster and actually can't find any!

Yeah, they're from years ago. IIRC, there was something about it in the student newspaper (SCAN), or it was mentioned therein.

Reply 10

Dooze

Magic mushrooms grow abundantly on the hill on which the campus is situated

Giggidy giggidy giggidy.

Reply 11

LaurenFah

Dooze

Giggidy giggidy giggidy.

Hahah, that's actually true as well. There was a full SCAN cover dedicated to it.

Reply 12

urbandervish

Take a look at the PAPYRUS website which specialises in student suicides. It seems that the most common method used is by hanging and Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Jumping off a tall tower comes almost at the bottom of the list of suicide related deaths.

I reckon this is just one of those tales told round camp fires and pubs with the express aim of provoking a frisson of fear in the listener (such as the OP).

It happens on all levels, stories abound about kids entering school and having their heads flushed down the toilets ... it's all codswallop.

Reply 13

philip67

Also, as long as you don't commit sucide, you should be alright :smile:

Reply 14

jon###

lol, i had heard about lancaster uni growing their own magic mushrooms! didnt believe it at first, but it is true!

Reply 15

Ste9890

Why would it put you off going there? Surely you would only jump off the tower if you wanted to commit suicide?

...just don't? This is quality advice right here.

Reply 16

butterfly_girl_5

some girl on here said she really regretted going to lancaster becaue its atually a really bad uni- id look into that rather than whether more than usual kill themselves

Reply 17

LaurenFah

philip67

Also, as long as you don't commit sucide, you should be alright :smile:

LMAO Phil :laughing:

butterfly_girl_5

some girl on here said she really regretted going to lancaster becaue its atually a really bad uni- id look into that rather than whether more than usual kill themselves

And how would you go about "looking into" one persons negative experiences and generalising it to your own potential experiences?

Reply 18

jon###

Ste9890

Why would it put you off going there? Surely you would only jump off the tower if you wanted to commit suicide?

...just don't? This is quality advice right here.

Because, to be honest, I wouldn't wanna go in bowland tower if I knew there was a chance that one day I could be looking out of my window only to see a body flying past! anyways, im happy with pendle. any college that has a witch on its crest must be cool! fact!