I'm thinking of going to York uni next year.... what was it like?
Well, my dear anon, whilst I liked the campus in general (the lake in the middle was rather lovely in the sunshine), I can’t help but express my disliking of the apparent lack of actual facilities on the campus. I shan’t just bash York because they’re my rival university, after all, I did also apply there and almost ended up firming it, but after my recent visit there I am so very glad I chose Lancaster instead.
Now, whilst they had a Nisa, a small Costa and Derwent College bar, which were all good facilities, that was pretty much it in terms of what I could find on campus that catered to any food requirements of the students there. As you can imagine, when you’re spending three days on the campus with no access to a kitchen or anywhere to cook your own meals, living off panini’s from Costa or sandwiches from Nisa wasn’t ideal. Maybe this is perfectly adequate, but having come from Lancaster where we have so much more than that on our campus, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
I couldn’t help but feel that campus felt a little run down and grey - it was gorgeous in the central part of campus around the lake when the sun was shining, I could’ve wandered around the grassy/tree areas for hours in the lovely weather. In lecture theatres it somewhat bothered me that they still use chalkboards; I understand that that’s a very minor thing, but for a Russell Group university I’d expect them to have embraced technology a little more. Oh, and the geese that wander campus are bloody terrifying.
But there are also significant positives to the uni, like the collegiate system (although I’m not sure how it functions entirely in their context, as I only have personal experience with Lancaster’s collegiate system), or the fact that it’s all on a self-contained campus (technically two, Heslington West and Heslington East, but you can catch a bus to quickly travel between them). York is also a beautiful city with a fair amount in it and not too far from Leeds (or Sheffield for that matter, I think).
Friends at York seem to really enjoy it there, so it’s not without its recommendations. With university you have to remember that to a large extent you get out of it what you put it; if you aren’t willing to participate then it’s likely you won’t feel as involved in the wider spectrum of university experiences. My advice is to visit the universities you’re considering and get a feel for the place, after all, you’re going to be spending at least the next three years living and studying there.
Hopefully that’s helped you out anon! If you want to ask anything else then feel free to message, and have a lovely day :) x
