Why am I at Uni? Oh, yes that degree thing (University of Leeds in general)

Member Name: jeff2000

Product:	University of Leeds in general
Date:	18/07/01 (637 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: friendly, cheap, good facilities

Disadvantages: crime

I’m in my third year at Leeds University so I reckon I’m well placed to give all you lucky people an insight into it, so here it goes..

Leeds is the most popular University for students applying to undergraduate courses and is acclaimed world-wide for the quality of it’s research and teaching and apparently no less than 35 of it’s departments are rated as excellent, whatever that means. Every year there are 24,000 students studying 570 undergraduate degree programmes and a further 750 post graduate programmes. Quite a choice then. It also has many specialist departments such as Fire and Colour Chemistry, so you’re degree will be unique! For example there will only be two other students in my year with the same degree as me when I graduate, so how about that? Leeds is listed in the top ten research universities in the country and if that’s not the most fun you can have than I don’t know what is. Anyway, enough with the boring stuff, here’s what you really want to know..

I'm currently studying energy engineering, don't bother asking what it is as I don't really know myself, maybe I should sort that out soon... Anyway, my building is probably the worst on campus, being rather dark and cold, but most of the others, especially the newer ones such as the health science building are all decorated very nicely and nearly make you want to go to lectures. The university has about a million libraries, the ones that I go in all seem to be well stocked and I haven't needed to buy a book yet. They are open for ages (7 am - midnight), so you'll always be able to find out that vital bit of information, and then write it all up as certain computer clusters are open 24 hours, well I know where I'll be on a Friday night then. The campus itself is rather big and daunting when you first arrive. The first thing that you see is the massive Parkinson building complete with clock tower and loads of step
s up to it. This can be viewed from all over Leeds as it is on a hill, and is the first glimpse you get of the uni as you drive in along the M62.

The rest of the university is centred around the students union, which has just had a multi-million pound extension and refurbishment, adding some more bars, shops and a club big enough for touring bands to play at. This is in addition to the Old bar which is remaining in the basement, where many an afternoon can be spent marvelling at the longest bar in England, then wondering why you're falling asleep in your 5 o'clock lecture. There is also a good selection of shops in the union to pick up bargain books and all things work like, but I'm not too sure how you get to them. Loads of food outlets are also crammed in, though I would reccomend the bakers opposite the Parkinson building for a truly tasty pasty.

The university is actually located about 1/2 a mile to the North west of the city centre. There are loads of buses going from the city past the uni to the students homeland of Headingley and Hyde park. These run all night so it's never too far home from a night out in the city centre, and they'll be plenty of those.

The Leeds nightlife is legendary and whatever your taste you’ll find it well catered for. There's always loads going on and if you want to find out what, just stand in front of the union for about 2 seconds at midday, and you'll soon have so many flyers you'll need a horse to carry them home for you. If you want to know more about the Leeds nightlife then check my other reviews, but some of the big nights include Sundissential, Basics, Union, Majestyk, Creation, Heaven and Hell and Templehead. Although the live music scene seems to have taken a bit of a beating recently Leeds still attracts many of the big names, such as The Strokes and Ian Brown, and has a few venues still playing the best of the Leeds underground scene, such as Joseph’
;s Well and Dr. Wu’s. Another good way of finding out what's about is the society and club fair in freshers week, where everyone will be trying to get you to sign up for something, though most of them just end up with you getting pissed. Oh what a shame. There is also a free weekly newspaper available from the union which will contain much out of date information and useless news stories, but you may occasionally find something of interest in there.

The shopping in Leeds is great with a massive pedestrianised centre and contains such features as the Corn Exchange and the very expensive Victorian Quarter. Leeds also has out of town centres such as the White Rose centre, which cram everything under one roof.

Most of Leeds's 25,000 students live in the Headingley and Hyde park areas of Leeds, this is where most of the university halls are situated and where most people choose to rent a house in their second year. There is quite a lot to do in this area, with loads of pubs to spend many an evening playing giant jenga in, or maybe lie about in the park on a hot summers day pretending to revise. The actual area is quite dirty and rundown, there is a lot of crime but this is to be expected in an area full of students computers, stereos, tv's and so on. It's usually best to think about this when choosing your house, but I'd of thought you'd already know that. I would reccomend living in halls in the first year as you get to meet loads of people other than people of your course, and can lead to many good friendships. I stayed in Clarence dock halls in my first year, the opposite end of town to the uni and everyone else, but it was close to the town centre and I had a wicked time and met many smashing people.

So, in conclusion to this study into a student lifestyle in Leeds, I would say that it's a great place to study. The city is great, a lot nicer than I though it was going to be, the nightlife is ace, the peo
ple are friendly, living is cheap (we're up north, wahey!) and I've been told that a degree from Leeds is rather well respected, which is a bonus. Seriously though, I think Leeds uni is a great place to study and I'm thoroughly happy with my choice.

Here’s some fun facts for you:
Leeds University has:
6,194 staff
27,862 students
the widest range of courses in England
670 undergraduate degree programmes
6,960 degree modules
312 postgraduate taught programmes
2,532 postgraduate modules
more full-time undergraduates studying languages and physical sciences than any other UK University
annual turnover of £272m
annual research income of £62m in 2000-2001 and £99m of new research contracts gained within the same year
2,500,000 books and 9,000 periodicals
200 clubs and societies

If you want some more information about Leeds then you better check:
www.leeds.ac.uk

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