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What factors make a uni's campus feel lively?

username6190931

My uni is perfect except it feels like im living in a quiet campus, it feels like nothing like sixth form which was noisy and lively yet both have around 3-5k students. Before applying i knew the student union was a bit lacklustre so... Any tips? I have close friends but they don't live on campus.

Reply 1

Rachel_ysj

Official Rep

Original post by weirdstranger

Hi there!
It's great that you love your university I'm very happy for you, however it is a shame that you feel it is not as socially rewarding. For me, I find that societies are the best way of making new friends and involving myself more in the university. I attend the dance society at York St John where we have dance practice three days a week, not including the rehearsals for the competition team and the themed socials every Wednesday night. While the student union may be quiet in the evening, the society rehearsals are always buzzing with life and excitement. Perhaps look into what societies are offered at your university to meet more like-minded people. Or, if there is not one which fits your hobbies, perhaps look into making one where you can decide which days/evenings you meet up and what socials you do.

I hope this helps, and good luck with your studies.

Rachel - YSJ student rep

Reply 2

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by username6190931

Hey there !
As someone who has quite a quiet university campus, I can definitely relate. I found that although the campus itself was quiet, I was looking in the wrong places and everyone was being social somewhere else. It's all about finding where people enjoy and trying places out. For example, my student union is known for not being the greatest so I was looking for other places that host events throughout the week. I found events companies that were selling cheap tickets with cheap drinks and I tried everywhere out.

In terms of campus itself you'll usually find unless there is a huge plaza or grass area for people to sit on, campus is always relatively quiet. People tend to prefer to study in the library when it's the colder months and then move into cafes to study during the summer or even sit outside. The key is to finding where everyone else goes, whether that be trying out for a few societies to meet people that way or spending your free time in the library in the collaborative study areas. It's a common misconception that every student union is amazing and packed out but a lot of the time that's actually not the case. You've got to find the good things that other universities offer in there student union and find them in different places. You can easily find events companies that host student nights throughout the city. You can also find sports clubs and societies through the university. Also, I joined a few Facebook groups for students living in my city because people were sharing events in there and how to get tickets. A good way to be in the know about things going on is to download 'Fixr', 'Skiddle' and 'Fatsoma'. They're ticket apps and if you type in your location you can see events going on in that area.

Hope this helped!
Lucy - Digital Student Ambassador SHU

Reply 3

ARUStudents

Official Rep

I think all campuses, big or small, can feel quiet at various times of the year. Last week I walked into campus, and it seemed quiet, however, there was a large student union activity going on in a different area. Look at what is going on at your campus, especially with the student union. Sometimes activities and events can happen away from campus, for example, we have had local walks, drinks at a local bar, quizzes and mini golf going on. Also don't just visit campus when you are attending lectures, come in on other days and you can often find things going on that you may not have been aware of, for example, I walked in, and Drag Bingo was going on so I joined in. Have you thought about setting up or joining a society and getting involved with the SU. It's a wonderful way to make new uni friends and get involved with university life.

Good luck and I wish you the best at university.
ARU Dee Student Ambassador