The University of York: Expectation vs. Reality

The University of York often gets a bad rap from social media, Oxbridge, and anyone who went to a slightly ‘cooler’ University. Before the open day, I had a lot of ‘helpful’ information given to me by ex-students and friends who had already been and thought the spaceship was ‘a bit of an eyesore’. Most of the initial opinions given to me about York surrounded topics like the likelihood of falling in the lake on a night out, spotting the famous black swan, or that everyone hated Derwent. Of course after visiting, I had decided that regardless of the ridiculous goose-to-student ratio, York was absolutely the place for me. Many of my preconceived ideas turned out to be true, but there were lots of other things about York that did not turn out quite the way I had expected. I will now try to dispel (or not) some of the common myths:

YORK STUDENTS ARE BORING

As The Tab itself once stated: “You’re boring and that’s the way you like it”. People often assume that because all our buildings are grey and square, we are too. Truth is, we are the same as everyone else. In fact, we might even be more fun because we have to make up for it. How on earth you can avoid turning out quirky when as much of your environmental influence comes from geese as from other humans?

THE NIGHTLIFE IS REALLY TAME

Yes, we have four or five very small clubs and live in the shadow of Leeds. Honestly if you want to have five mental nights out every week on all kinds of drugs, you have come to the wrong place. But, I would always encourage making the best of what we have got. York has enough pubs and bars to go to a different one on every day of the year, and these aren’t glorified greasy spoons. From a pint of Yorkshire ale at The House of Trembling Madness to 2-for-1 cocktails at Slug and Lettuce, each place has its gimmick and each is worth a try.

The House of Trembling Madness

THE QUIET PLACE

This may be a personal thing, or perhaps an English Literature student thing, but when I visited campus for the first time, I was completely obsessed with the Quiet Place because I hadn’t seen anything like it at other unis. I thought I would be sat amongst the topiary reading Austen and enjoying Heslington Hall in all its glory. Truthfully, I hadn’t factored in that half the time it is too wet or cold to even contemplate walking to Nisa, let alone study outside. Having been at York for two terms, I now consider the Quiet Place completely redundant; or at least I did until I went to photograph it. When I went to it for the first time since arriving in York, I found out that it has now become a battle ground for nerf wars. Frankly, I’m not sure that’s better than it being used for nothing at all.

I am now officially a war reporter

WATERFOWL

One thing that everyone has right about the University of York is that it is full of wildlife. Little did I realise was that alongside my degree, I would also learn to recognise 24 different types of waterfowl. Many of these are harmless moorhens, coots and mallards which keep to themselves. The geese are another story. You do not know fear until your accommodation has been besieged by 5 angry greylag geese.

One day they will rise up and take the campus.

THE BLACK SWAN

Yes, the University of York has its very own elusive Natalie Portman. Nobody knows how it got there, as it seems to be the only one. Perhaps it came from the spaceship when that landed on campus in the 60s.

Have you ever actually seen it and Natalie Portman in the same place at once though?

ACTUALLY THEY’RE SLIDERS

Buzzfeed seems to be under the impression that “all male York students wear flipflops”. I can confirm that is simply not true.

They’re sliders.

EVERYONE’S CALLED TOM

Again, Buzzfeed has decided (outrageously) that everyone at York is called Tom. Well, I personally only know 6.

Oh wait no, 7.

Or maybe 8, hang on.

COLLEGE RIVALRY

Okay, if you do competitive sports, you can’t really avoid a bit of rivalry between colleges. However, the crazy football chants on the buses that seemed so hilarious on Freshers Week are now virtually none existent: let’s face it, if you start one on a night out now, you’re just a bit lame. We only wear our college shirts when we haven’t done our washing for 5 weeks. In fact, all the colleges seem to get on pretty well (except Derwent, of course).