university of glasgow

Website: http://www.gla.ac.uk/
Study Abroad: http://www.gla.ac.uk/international/abroadexchange/
Accommodation: http://www.gla.ac.uk/studentlife/accommodation/

Why Glasgow?
Glasgow is an amazing city, it's got great shops, nightlife, music, parks - it's everything you could ever want. The University itself is situated in the West End of Glasgow which is dominated by Byres Road (a road full of cafes, supermarkets, pubs and vintage shops). Yet don't think that because the uni isn't in the centre of town that you'll have nothing to do, far from it! If you do decide to make a trip into town it's a half hour walk from the uni or you can hope on the subway from Hillhead.

What makes the university special?
 Lots of things. Firstly it looks like Hogwarts, I mean that's reason enough to come here really...and if it's not reason enough for you then don't worry there's more. It has two unions, the Queen Margaret Union (QMU) and the Glasgow University Union (GUU). Not only does this mean that there's twice as many club nights and events it also means you're likely to find one of them close to your taste. GUU is normally considered to be sportier as it was originally men only. It has more bars, a subway plus is in an old building with the exception of The Hive (its club which is the place to go for a club where you'll always find at least five other people you know). At the end of Christmas Term it hosts Daft Friday, a mix of music, swing bands, ceilidhs, club tunes and a free breakfast if you make it through the night and I would highly recommend it as a fantastic night. QMU does cheesy music nights and has really good food (with a shorter queue and more seats than the Fraser Building or Library). It normally finishes the term with 10 Hour Cheesy (10 hours of cheesy pop music so if that's your thing you'll love it there!) During Freshers' Week it also hosts live bands which is always worth a look in. The Library is absolutely massive and if you're ever bored head up to the top floor for a truly amazing view of the city. While during exam times it can be tricky to get a seat (especially if you want a computer) the rest of the time if you head above floor 4 there will be space (including normally some sofas for a cheeky nap). The Fraser building has a bookshop, cash machine, a doctor's surgery and a pharmacy for all those chest infections that are bound to happen. I obviously can't comment on the teaching for all departments, but I've not heard any of my friends complaining massively, and I can vouch for the fact that the English Language department is amazing. Also the fact that Christmas exams are before the holidays rather than in January like most unis in the UK is great as it means you get a break over the holidays to relax.

What is there to do in the West End?
Ashton Lane is between Byres Road the uni and is full of amazing pubs (Vodka Wodka for cheap and lethal cocktails, Radio for amazing vibes...), a fantastic cinema (£5 student tickets and the biggest comfiest seats ever) as well as plenty of restaurants (every student knows that Ketchup's 2 for 1 deal on burgers if you have a student card is the best thing ever). Apart from Ashton Lane there's a myriad of places to explore from the Oran Mor (a pub in an old church!) to the Captain's Rest (great pub and music venues), plus Dram! and The Old Schoolhouse are firm favourites for a good meal or just a few drinks with friends. The main club scene happens in the city centre, but Viper will always be there to supply you with cheap drinks and chart music. There's also Kelvingrove Park to relax with your friends in (or go jogging in) plus the Kelvingrove Art Gallery is a must see.

What will I find in the city centre?
If you venture into the centre you'll find an amazing city. The main shopping area runs across three large streets: Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street and Argyle Street which are all linked. Known as the "Style Mile" it has everything from two Primarks to high end shops and every shop in between. In fact it's not uncommon for people from Edinburgh to visit Glasgow for the shopping. Sauchiehall street is also where you'll find the majority of the clubs and bars. A few I would recommend are: Firewater, Nice 'n' Sleazy, 520 and ABC. While there are clubs off Sauchiehall street (I would definitely check out Octo at the Arches, Sub Club, Bamboo and Kushion) they are all just a short walk away. There's also a thriving music scene with live music at brilliant places such as King Tuts, Bar Bloc+, ABC and the O2 Academy Glasgow. While the SECC and Barrowlands aren't in the city centre they are easy enough to access either via taxi/subway/bus/walking.

What about outside of Glasgow?
Don't be fooled, if you come to Glasgow you're not going to be trapped here, there's lots to do outside of the city. Braehead is a short bus journey away and not only has a lot of shops, imax cinema, laser quest, climbing wall, ice rink but it also has a ski slope along with multiple other things. When the weather's nice it's easy enough to take a trip out to Loch Lomond and escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a bit. If you fancy nipping over to Edinburgh there are trains every 15 mins and buses. To travel around the UK there are plenty of trains or you can fly to places like London in just an hour. The Glasgow Flyer bus runs from the city centre to the airport and is definitely the cheapest and easiest way to get there.

Are there any things I should really know about Glasgow?
Yes, there are a few tips which really helped me when I came to Glasgow. Firstly, don't trust the bad reputation that you've heard about Glasgow; every city has dodgy areas but you won't go into them as a student and if you use common sense you'll be absolutely fine. Buses don't give change, so it's useful to carry around a few coins so you don't have to pay £5 for a 90p fare. It will rain. Even if it looks sunny the chances are at some point it won't be sunny, so pack an umbrella or invest in a coat with a hood. The weather also changes a lot so it's worth investing in lots of layers which can easily be taken on or off. Sauchiehall is pronounced sock-e-hall. Celtic and Rangers are the two football clubs, Rangers wear blue and Celtic wears green and white stripes. Don't insult either team as up here the clubs are the life of some of the people. A ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) is a type of Scottish dance. It's somewhat like a barn dance but with more kilts. The Scottish people will have been dancing at ceilidhs throughout school, but don't let that put you off joining in. Ceilidhs will have a caller who teaches you the steps and you'll soon pick them up. Make sure you get a partner for Strip the Willow (especially Orcadian Strip the Willow) as this is a dance you won't want to miss out on. While rumour has it that everyone has deep fried marsbars this is not the case. After a night out people will have chips 'n' cheese and maybe pakora. Pizza crunch is deep fried pizza and something you should try at some point. Irn Bru is the bright orange fizzy drink that you will see everyone drinking. Super sugary it's a Scottish tradition and has to be sampled. Above all else, the thing you need to know about Glasgow is that it is a super friendly city where it's perfectly acceptable to talk to random people.