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social life
I'm over-thinking everything and I just can't decide which university to put as my firm choice. I have cardiff as my insurance and I'm studying computer science with a year in industry. I'm not too worried about content but more about the social life and how much fun I will have there. I'm worried if I pick the wrong uni, I will not enjoy it and won't make as much friends.
Birmingham looked like it had a smaller cs department and the city is dangerous and full of people vaping but it has more placement opportunities and is a larger city with more things to do. York is more peaceful and safe but has less chinese people and no chinatown (british born chinese). I'm in a massive stalemate so it would be very helpful if anyone could give me their thoughts and experiences at their uni or advice if you had the same problem with deciding as me. Thank you.
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![r/pics - Goin' to the bar tonight. Darts, check. Pipe, check. Pet seal... check. [PIC]](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/5cAO8NbBCDvmSB842HkXW4wxYA8RpOQagnx3nHqmu7Y.jpg)
I went to york and my bf is from your ethnicity (brtisih chinese) so i guess i have soem insight.
If u are into nights out york is not for u, it has like 3 or 4 clubs with 2 being the most popular, over all small and shit, no raves etc.
The city is very peaceful and u will never feel u safe, even the roughest area is safe, which is Tang Hall and loads of students live there. Not rough at all. Recently in york there were some syrynges found on a street and it was a scandal, which in other cities would go fully unnoticed.
My bf has never had british chinese friends as he doesnt care about it but me (as a EU foreigner) had many chinese friends Who were Internationals. There is plenty of asian students, ID say International more than british asians though. But i feel like International ones do not really communicate with british chinese ones, and all the british asian ones are innormal friend group with other british people (white, South asian etc).
York uni as at the end of town but it is not Hard to reach the centre. It is a campus uni, meaning in ur 1st year u will live mostly likely very close to the library and department, in your subsequent years you can live in nearby areas too. Ive never had more than 15min walk to uni.
I would recommend living in east campus as it is where CS is. But east is generally more expensive i lived there in 1st year, good quality and place but yes more spenny.
Generally york is walkable. You dont really need to go to many of the living areas, as a student i didnt go to any of those now i work there (actually Just got fired) and ive been to more areas. But as a student u only go in the east of York and centre, which is walk able and u dont need a, car the bus will be ok.
You can get jobs in the city centre if u need a part time job and there is nearby aldi, lidl, waitrose nad morrisons like a 20min wlak.
Idk about CS department but my exams were 24h open book ones. All the lectures and workshops are recorded, which if ur slow like me is great i just studied at my own pace honestly.
A negative thing is, many modules only have 1 assessment and those are modules running through put the whole year. Why is it negative to have less exams? Well if u fuck up once u fuck up ur grade. The takes are higher. Instead of having 4 assessment where soem things are 30%, others 50%, 20%, you have one 100% assignment. I hate that.
Thank you for your insight. I've never gone clubbing before but I wouldn't mind trying it.
I personally have been clubbing 4 times (in my homecountry, in york and in Leeds) and i hated it everytime. I think i only enjoyed it on the work christmas party but that says a lot. My bf has never been to a club. So yes ofc different People have diff preferences.
Btw about the placement - it 9s Hard to get one and most People dont get a placement in the uni city. U need to apply all over thr uk for it. So placement prospects in the city is irrelevant. York has even worse dlthan birmingham but it doesnt mean anything for u.
Also went to York, in my 1st year (pre-covid) there were plenty of events to go out and give it a try and make friends as well.
OP is right tho there aren't many clubs, so if there isn't one you like it's not ideal. There are many pubs though and as someone who enjoys a trip to the pub more than the club that was nice.
Aa btw u said birmingham has less placement options but i just want to say :
York job Market sucks.
No student does placement in their uni city. I guess some may do but generally placements, are so Hard to get that u have to apply all over the country, even in scotland and wales and then you 2il get one. So dont let placement opportunities be a, factory at all. Placements dont matter depending on what uni ur in - u find them via linkedin, glassdoor etc.
Aa btw u said birmingham has less placement options but i just want to say :
York job Market sucks.
No student does placement in their uni city. I guess some may do but generally placements, are so Hard to get that u have to apply all over the country, even in scotland and wales and then you 2il get one. So dont let placement opportunities be a, factory at all. Placements dont matter depending on what uni ur in - u find them via linkedin, glassdoor etc.
Aa btw u said birmingham has less placement options but i just want to say :
York job Market sucks.
No student does placement in their uni city. I guess some may do but generally placements, are so Hard to get that u have to apply all over the country, even in scotland and wales and then you 2il get one. So dont let placement opportunities be a, factory at all. Placements dont matter depending on what uni ur in - u find them via linkedin, glassdoor etc.
Aa btw u said birmingham has less placement options but i just want to say :
York job Market sucks.
No student does placement in their uni city. I guess some may do but generally placements, are so Hard to get that u have to apply all over the country, even in scotland and wales and then you 2il get one. So dont let placement opportunities be a, factory at all. Placements dont matter depending on what uni ur in - u find them via linkedin, glassdoor etc.
York is PG heavy where as Brum is UG heavy.
https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/what-study