I just think thereís a lot to do.
Weíve got the Guild which is our version of like a student union and weíve got Joeís
Bar in the union and thatís got lots of nice leather sofas to have a coffee with other
students in the day.
Thereís also Fab & Fresh they put on in the evening and it gets turned into like a nightclub
venue and itís great because obviously as itís only for students, you know everyone
thatís there so you can always go along and meet everyone.
Itís great because itís so close to where you live so you donít even have to get a
taxi home, you can just walk back after a great night.
Weíve got lots of different facilities here on campus.
Thereís Joeís, the bar behind us and also the Underground which is an underground club
performing space and weíre just so lucky that theyíre here on campus, really close
and easy to use.
In the first few weeks of university in the first year and Fresherís Week, the Guild
the place to be because itís buzzing.
Everyone is going because thatís where you sign up for societies, you can get your freebies.
As a Geography student I belong to Geography Society which is our own subject society.
Itís renowned for having some of the best socials out of all the subjects so weíve
done everything from nights out on town to the guild as well.
Last week we did a toga Fab & Fresh which was good.
Iím a member of both the French and the German Society and they organise like nights such
as quizzes and everyone can get together here at the guild.
And other like nights out they sell tickets and get like VIP wristbands for the bigger
clubs in Birmingham.
I go out quite a lot in the city centre.
Thereís lots of different areas, lots of different music styles and you canít really
not find something to suit your tastes in Birmingham.
Thereís two main areas for nightlife; thereís Broad Street which has got the conventional
well-known clubs like Gatecrasher and smaller bars as well.
Thereís also the Arcadian thatís got a really good atmosphere to go out in.
Birminghamís a really great place for live acts.
Every big band will stop in Birmingham on its tour.
Last year I went to see the Maccabees at the O2 Academy and Iíve also seen the Mystery
Jets at Bar Fly.
So thereís lots of different activities going on in Birmingham, not just your general going
to a club, going to a bar.
There's lots of different theatres.
I personally went to the Alexandra Theatre.
I went to see a sing-a-long Sound of Music with my mum.
I went to the Hippodrome Theatre to see Buddy Holly.
Thereís even more theatres, like the Repertory Theatre and also thereís like the museums
and art galleries and things in the city centre.
Thereís the Barber Institute here at university and then thereís Birmingham Museum & Art
Gallery, or the Ikon Gallery which is more modern art and theyíre free to get into so
itís really good, it's just something a bit different to going out all the time.
But there's also plenty of cinemas and they do some really good deals, especially on student
beans like 2-for-1.
There are a couple of really good comedy clubs in Birmingham.
There's the Glee Club and Jongleurs.
Theyíre really brilliant for a great night out if you fancy just sitting being entertained
for the night.
Itís good value to eat out in Birmingham because thereís a website called Student
Beans which gives you different vouchers for different restaurants and it will give you
vouchers for like Wagamamaís.
So it's quite good value to eat in Birmingham.
There are loads of choices of places to eat in Birmingham.
My favourite is the Mailbox.
Thereís a lot of different kinds of restaurants there so if youíre with a big groups of people
and you canít decide then itís best to go somewhere like that and then youíve got the
choice there for you.
Thereís also a lot of chain type restaurants, places like Nandos, Wagamamaís, Pizza Hut,
all your big chain type eating places.
Also thereís nicer restaurants that you always take your mum and dad to on Brindley Place,
Broad Street.
I went to Around the World in 80 Dishes with my mum and dad.
It was really, really good, loads of different cuisines, a big buffet.
Or thereís also the Chinese quarter, the Arcadian, so you can get like really really
good ñ and cheap ñ Chinese food.
Iíve come from London where you have to get the tube everywhere but Birmingham, it is
so small in terms of the city centre so you can just walk everywhere and everywhere is
well signposted so itís very easy to get around.
Itís really easy to get around Birmingham, especially during the day when the trains
run from the University station every ten minutes, going to places like Five Ways at
the top of Broad Street and the town.
Thereís also buses as well which provide like cheap and frequent transport.
In the evenings thereís taxis outside pretty much every venue and theyíre just really
accessible.
Obviously coming from a small rural town in the middle of Shropshire, Birmingham is a
big change and I was apprehensive and my mum was as well, obviously coming to a big city
and to see the city industrial environment, but itís really not scary ñ itís so safe
going out.
When itís student nights obviously everyone thereís a student, whether it be from Birmingham,
Aston University or just any of the other colleges or universities in Birmingham, so
it's a really safe, student vibe . And also when youíre with a group of friends, itís
really easy ñ itís just a really safe environment.