10 things all Liverpool students should definitely be giving up for Lent

We all know that by the middle of February, all of our New Year’s resolutions have gone down the drain and we’re back in the normal uni routine of sleeping through lectures, ordering takeaways and never ever missing a Wednesday night sports social. But here comes Lent – a time to repent our situationship sins and cleanse ourselves halfway through semester two. It’s the perfect opportunity to reinstall some healthy (ish) habits and get our lives back on track. Here’s what we recommend you give up for lent (or forever).

1. Give up putting in the attendance code when you’re sat in bed

Along the lines of snoozing through your 9am on a Monday, stop asking your course group chat for the code every time you skip a lecture JUST because you got back from a social at 5am the night before. You know that you set a New Year’s resolution to actually go to uni this semester, and it’s not going well so far from what I’ve heard. At a whopping £9,250 a year, trying to face the fact that you’re paying for every second of studying you miss is not an easy pill to swallow, so go to that seminar, lab session or workshop. You’ll thank yourself for it. And just for the record, and if my lecturers are reading this, the following text was defo NOT sent to me after I’d turned off my 8am alarm.

2. Give up spending your student loan in the vintage shops on Bold Street

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Speaking of literally throwing money away, put yourself on a long-term ban from just “going for a mooch” around town every weekend. We all know full well that the second we take a step into COW or Resurrection that the funds for this term are being blown on some teeny-weeny reworked going out tops and a patchwork Carhartt jacket. Personally, I’d blame it on the Bold Street time slip – it just makes you forget where you are and fills you with a desperate need to buy absolutely everything in sight, right?

3. Give up even trying to climb the Baa Bar stairs after a drink

Ok yes, it’s part of the well known Liverpool lore that the stairs in Baa Bar are absolutely lethal to climb when you’ve drunk your life away at pres, but it couldn’t be more accurate. Don’t even think of putting yourself through the pain (and shame) of taking a tumble in front of everyone you know. It’s so not worth it.

4. Give up the sweet treat trips

Anyone who lives in Vine Court or Philharmonic will have my back on this one – living within a two minute radius of a Co-op and Tesco Express is an absolute killer when you fancy a sweet treat. Overpriced tubs of Ben & Jerry’s, multipacks of crisps and an abundance of chocolate snacks fuelled everyone during semester one, but my bank account is crying out for me to put a stop to suggesting a run to the shop to my flatmates every night. Trust me on this one, even though your mental sanity will most likely plummet without a little packet of biscuits sitting on your desk, your student loan will thank you.

5. Give up attempting to get the DJ in Woody’s to play your song

Being at the bottom of the DJ’s list of karaoke songs in Woody’s is such a humbling experience. Even though you can try a million times to bribe him with a drink, or threaten him with the fact you’re leaving soon and absolutely NEED to perform an ABBA rendition before you go, he will not budge. You’ll be subjected to multiple people absolutely butchering Love Story by Taylor Swift while you wait, and it’s not worth your patience to finally get your three minutes of fame.

6. Give up finding a second year house in the Georgian Quarter

Surprisingly more impossible than all of the above combined, trying to find the perfect second year house in the perfect location of the Georgian Quarter is probably the most delusional point you’ll reach while house hunting as a fresher. You’ll convince yourself (and your housemates) that there’ll be plenty of places to book viewings for and that they totally will not all be taken by the time you get around to it. Give up while you can. Protect your peace.

7. Give up trying to get into The Raz before 12:30am

It’s like an unspoken rule between students in Liverpool that if you haven’t left pres before 12 am to get to The Raz then you’re basically hopeless; there’s something about that mile long queue that attracts almost every uni student in the city, and for some reason we’re all happy to wait in the freezing cold just to stand in that cave and somehow lose all of your cash on the stumble downstairs. Do something for your own sanity and get there early – but don’t give up the £1 jägerbombs for Lent, you won’t find a better deal than that.

8. Give up watching TikToks on full volume in the Sydney Jones

There must be something in the air in the Sydney Jones most days, because nine times out of 10 you’re in there you can guarantee to hear someone watching the Jacob Elordi edit on TikTok on full blast while everyone is trying (and failing) to catch up on everything they’ve procrastinated so far this semester. If you’re this person, don’t just stick to Lent – give it up forever, please, for everyone’s sake x

9. Give up looking for your club photos on every Facebook page

I think everyone’s toxic trait is waving over the photographer in the club at your friends’ demise, thinking that they’re about to get the shot of their lives for their Instagram, and instead finding the worst photo of you and your flatmates to ever exist on the internet the morning after. Or even worse, there’s a photo of you flirting with a random person that you have absolutely zero memory of meeting that night. Save yourself the embarrassment and stop searching for them on the Facebook pages, you’ll feel so much better for it.

10. Give up saying ‘I’ll start going to the gym’ every Sunday

The uni diet of potato smiley faces, chicken nuggets and those godforsaken tubs of Ben & Jerry’s seems so irresistible, until one of your flatmates hits you with the “I’m gonna start going to the gym next week” and your whole world comes crashing down. Before you came to Liverpool you stocked up on gym outfits, bought some headphones for Hot Girl Walks and stole a protein shaker from your mate, but it’s been four months now and you’ve not taken a single step in the direction of the PureGym. You know that first year has taken all interest out of the gym for you because you get enough steps in climbing the stairs in Electrik (no more Baa Bar, remember?) and you definitely can’t be bothered to go on the treadmill anymore. Stop saying it babe, just do it x

The list could go on and on, believe me. Smithdown students that spend 99 per cent of their student loan on Ubers into town… I’m looking at you. And LJMU sports boys who wear their gym gear absolutely everywhere, you’re targets too. But habits are hard to break, and the Liverpool student experience truly is like no other – I wouldn’t give it up for the world.

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