Everything you wish people told you before you came to Warwick

There is an actual nightlife and it’s not bad


On A-Level Results Day, you received your results and either you got your grades or you didn’t. But either way you made it into Warwick.

The sigh of relief began and so did the constant questions about where you’re going to university and what you’re studying, followed by some common expectations of Warwick that either made you feel relieved or absolutely mortified.

Here is everything you wish they told you before coming to Warwick.

There is an actual nightlife at Warwick and it’s not bad

You probably heard that Warwick has an awful nightlife consistently. You really came to believe it – and accepted that your nights out would be so bad they wouldn’t even be worth it. However the nightlife is pleasantly surprising and you don’t know whether that’s due to the extremely low expectations adopted previously, but you don’t care.

Although some of the club nights are pretty tragic i.e. POP!, they always turn out to be the funniest nights out. We have also had a wave of new student run nights in Leamington, often hosted in the Zephyr Lounge and Altoria. Plus, we have Coventry, Leamington and even Birmingham to choose from. We might not have as much nightlife as Leeds or Nottingham, but at least we have variety.

Warwick isn’t in the middle of nowhere

Now I don’t know why people seem to think we are literally surrounded by nothingness, but it is apparently a thing. This is usually where you would have to awkwardly explain that, actually, Warwick is in Coventry, and it’s pretty useful being in the centre of almost everything – an hour to London, 30 minutes to Birmingham, the list is endless.

Then again, the areas around the university are pretty lovely themselves and have everything you need, so there’s no real reason to venture out, but the option is there.

You do get trapped in the Warwick bubble in first year

As we’re a campus uni, it’s easy to forget about the outside world and get trapped when everything you ever needed is on your doorstop. At least you have something different to look forward to in second year.

Not everyone at Warwick is a massive geek

We may be a top ten uni, but that doesn’t mean we live for our degree and have no social life. The people here are the most friendly and sociable people I have ever met.

First year isn’t all fun and games

For most subjects your first year doesn’t count towards our degree. Although you still need to pass to get into second year, so don’t spend all your time at Smack. Even though first year doesn’t count, the assignments are still heavy and the grading is still harsh, so you’re bound to encounter freshers in the library at 5 am.

Warwick is full of Oxbridge rejects

Ouch. Sorry to strike a nerve there, but this one is definitely true.

Living on campus is expensive

There is a common belief that everything on campus will be well priced for students. No. Just no. Living on campus definitely has its benefits, but the concept that everything is better priced is so, so far from the truth. It is only the small minority that can afford their coffee from Costa and their shopping from Rootes Grocery Store.

Warwick is actually far from boring

First of all we have the almighty Koan. Secondly, our wildlife is nothing short of extraordinary, with the aggressive geese keeping you up all night and screaming at you whilst you walk past. They also have their own Facebook page, because why not?

Thirdly, there is always the mystery of the infamous Warwick Trolley. But to top it all off, the Warwick Meme page really makes you feel something despite being drowned in student debt. After living on campus, you will realise that Warwick is far from boring, but that may be because you have spent way too much time here, so you’re used to its quirks.

People do stick around on the weekend

There will always be those students that will think they’re too cool for Warwick, so will spend every weekend going back home or visiting their friends at other universities. If you walk around campus on the weekend it does seem eerily quiet – this isn’t because people go home all the time. You’ll notice that when night falls, all the students seem to appear from nowhere – they’ve just been recovering all day ready for the next night.

Sports and societies are the best way to meet people

With over 250 societies on offer, the best way to get to know people is by joining sports or other types of societies. We even have Quidditch, so there’s something to suit everyone’s taste.