Gracie’s guide to an alternative night out
When people talk about university, they talk about how it’s the place where you find yourself, you are going to discover a ‘new’ you. This journey is usually masked with high amounts of alcohol and a few too many regretful snapchat stories. However, this is not the only path that you can take. There is an alternative path, filled with just as much fun with no ID required. Here are my top things to do when you are a student at Winchester and you want to skip the shots and headaches.
If freshers week has you freaking out, make the most of the alternatives the student union has to offer. When I was a fresher, I went to a yoga class and the union offers plenty of other events such as movie nights and quiz nights.
Most people probably don’t make the association between university and a good exercise regime, but when you go to Winchester, and you’re faced with the hills at the end of every road, exercise is done on the daily. But why not make the most of Winchester’s uneven landscape? Both St. Catherines Hill and St. Giles look-out point have beautiful views and the fresh air will definitely clear your mind. Enjoy it in either the sunshine or snow, and just know that Winchester is a city that brings with it a countryside feel away from all the noise.
When you are faced with the task of having to get to know new people, new housemates, new couresemate, why not do it over a big stack of pancakes? Tucked away in Winchester town is a café called Josie’s. This is one of the best spots in the city where every meal is insta-worthy. Watch the city go by, talk about what you miss about home, and what you do NOT miss… friends that breakfast together stay together.
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Never underestimate the power of retail therapy. Just a few train stops away from Winchester is West Quay shopping centre, located in Southampton. But we all know that student loans don’t go very far so I have two pieces of advice. First, go to student lock in. At the start of the semester, they host a night for students that runs until late in the evening and most of the shops have FAB discounts. Second, Black Friday. It’s crazy, it’s a bit wild, but it’s an excuse to get together with friends and window shop all the things you want to put on your Christmas list.
These are only a few things that I learnt in my first year of university, but the more time you spend in Winchester, the more you’ll learn about what makes it home for you. The best piece of advice I can give is that once you’re here, you will find your own set of things to do, it just takes a leap of faith when trying new things. When you don’t have a lecture, and you’ve done all the readings, try your hardest not to sit in your room. Create a university bucket list, and there is no better time than NOW to start ticking things off.
About the author:
Grace Cliffe is a 3rd-year Media, Communication and Social Media student.
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