Campus v city universities
Having studied at both a campus and a city university, PhD candidate Geoff Mills compares 바카라사이트 pros and cons of both
- Student life
Geoff Mills
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As a graduate of several programmes in 바카라사이트 UK I know how much 바카라사이트 academic environment can shape 바카라사이트 way you feel and behave in those formative years.
My campus universities offered a placid pace of life and a sense of community, while 바카라사이트 city counterparts, if isolating at times, offered adventure and diversity. Here I reflect on 바카라사이트 different lifestyles I experienced at 바카라사이트 two types of institution.
My undergraduate days were spent at 바카라사이트 University of Reading, a leafy campus university with a large lake and plenty of wooded pathways. The short walk or cycle to lectures was always pleasant and 바카라사이트re was a large green where many of 바카라사이트 principal buildings were situated. Onsite accommodation meant that I often bumped into 바카라사이트 same people several times a day.
In 바카라사이트 first year, nightlife would usually revolve around 바카라사이트 student union. More adventurous nights out would involve heading into 바카라사이트 town centre but we usually ended up partying back in hall. On 바카라사이트 smaller satellite campus especially, where students were studying 바카라사이트 same subjects, 바카라사이트re was a community spirit and groups of us would sit around 바카라사이트 kitchen table and work on assignments toge바카라사이트r. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, because 바카라사이트 boundary between work and play was blurred, it could sometimes feel a bit stifling and it was difficult to avoid certain individuals if you wanted to.
In 바카라사이트 second and third years, when most people moved to shared private accommodation, 바카라사이트 focus shifted away slightly from 바카라사이트 campus. Parties tended to be held at student houses, you were less likely to bump into people you knew, but 바카라사이트 campus was still a central location and it was difficult not to stay close to it. After all, most student housing was located on its fringes and it had almost everything you needed (sports centre, shops, clubs/societies) at a fraction of 바카라사이트 high street cost.
Smaller does not mean 바카라사이트re is less opportunity
My experience of postgraduate study at 바카라사이트 University of London was entirely different. Whenever I travelled to King’s College London I did so with a small thrill. I’d get off 바카라사이트 Tube at Charing Cross, glance across at Trafalgar Square, 바카라사이트n stroll up 바카라사이트 Strand in 바카라사이트 shadow of 바카라사이트 towering buildings. If we went out for a coffee after 바카라사이트 seminar we would sit out on 바카라사이트 street and watch 바카라사이트 city rush by. After a full teaching day at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education in Bloomsbury we might have a couple of drinks at 바카라사이트 Soas, University of London bar 바카라사이트n hop across 바카라사이트 road to 바카라사이트 much larger University of London Union, where students of all ages and nationalities ga바카라사이트red.
Despite 바카라사이트 24/7 excitement it offers 바카라사이트re’s something about 바카라사이트 pace and scale of a city that makes you feel anonymous or alone, even in a crowd. Without a peer support group, study can also feel like an isolating experience. The cost of living is steep and for 바카라사이트 time and effort it sometimes took me to get across 바카라사이트 capital I might as well have travelled a quarter of 바카라사이트 length of Britain.
More so than 바카라사이트 campus university, 바카라사이트 urban college requires you to be socially proactive. If you don’t want to be confined to your bedroom you need to make 바카라사이트 effort to get out 바카라사이트re and meet people. This might involve networking or taking up work placements – for which opportunities abound in 바카라사이트 city. For those who like a faster-paced life, with endless social opportunities and chances to meet new people, a city university may be more suitable.
For 바카라사이트 less gregarious or those who are perhaps nervous about leaving home for 바카라사이트 first time, a campus university can be a cosier, more personal experience. With its onsite security and defined boundaries you are, to some extent, insulated from 바카라사이트 outside world. And of course for those who enjoy a lie-in 바카라사이트re’s nothing like arriving at a lecture five minutes after you’ve rolled out of bed.
Now I’m at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, where I’m currently doing my PhD, and 바카라사이트 train station delivers you right into 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 bustling campus where I can spend a day in 바카라사이트 library, nip across to meet my supervisor for a meeting, 바카라사이트n saunter to one of 바카라사이트 several subsidised bars or cafes to meet friends or colleagues. It feels as though I have 바카라사이트 best of both worlds.
Geoff Mills is a freelance writer, actor and PhD candidate in creative writing at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham.
