Students love it (Ocean)

Member Name: shopaholicleo

Product:	Ocean
Date:	27/10/08 (115 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Friendly atomosphere, floorfillers

Disadvantages: Sticky floors, and you must be a student

I used to turn my nose up at Ocean in my first year at University. For a start, the name was too similar to the bigger, more stylish Oceana, which boasted numerous dance floors, bars and themes and a nationwide presence. Ocean seemed to be it's poorer, student relative, with less stylish decor and one big dancefloor. I managed to avoid going to this place until I happened to buy a Carnage t-shirt, (which is a nationwide student bar crawl that ends at a massive club). I was a bit miffed that the club chosen wasn't Oceana, but cut up my t-shirt regardless. When I eventually staggered into the club, I found myself in the midst of a large, open dancefloor. No themed rooms to get lost in, just an upstairs balcony style area, toilets and a smoking area. The club was packed, and everyone seemed to be having a good time (alcohol perhaps being a factor) and this was no time to be snobby about music taste. A mixture of current chart hits, and 90's cheese (think Spice Girls, 5ive) was played, and there I became an Ocean fan.

Since Nottingham is home to two different Universities, Trent and the more established Nottingham Uni, there tend to be separate student nights for each one. I am writing this from a 'Trent perspective, as this is all I've known. Monday is host to 'Kinki', a fancy dress night that appears to happen once a month. The themes range from school disco, to cowboys to just plain Christmas. Advance tickets are reasonable at £3, but can only seem to be bought with a Nottingham Trent student card from the Union. Most of the societies go to Campus on a Wednesday night, after BZR (a bar where triples are the price of singles) in various states of inebriation and fancy dress. The entry price is £4, and drinks prices are also reasonable with cocktails (I say cocktails, I mean various juices lashed with vodka in a plastic tumbler) and other drinks at £2.20 before 11pm, and slightly more after. It also hosts Carnage every term, where a t-shirt costs £8 and is you guaranteed entry to numerous bars along the way to Ocean. Perhaps it is overpriced, as normal Ocean entry is half that and the bars normally free, but it is really the atmosphere you come for. Everyone wears the same 'Carnage' t-shirt and customises it by ripping bits up, drawing all over it or adding bows or ribbons, and it's easy to make new 'friends' as everyone is wearing the same thing and is probably again, ridiculously drunk.

What I like about Ocean is the friendly and relaxed atmosphere, and a real mix of people. It's impossible to feel like you don't fit in here, and even if you didn't everyone would be far to drunk to notice. It probably isn't the place for you if you're not a fan of commercial music, and songs from your youth that you'd rather forget (Cotton Eye Joe, anyone?), so say goodbye to any ounce of credibility you have once you enter. There are also a lot of drunken antics due to it being a student-only nightclub so be prepared for drinks being spilt on you, losing your phone or someone stepping on your foot with their 5 inch heels. It's probably best to not get ridiculously bladdered, as finding your friends in a large room when you are worse for wear can be daunting. I probably wouldn't come here every week, due to the consumption of alcohol needed, but don't mind dressing up every once in a while and letting my hair down.

Summary: a great night out