Caffeine, cider and cosy nights: How to make the most of autumn in Liverpool as a student

With the shorter days and dark nights drawing closer, it seems as though we have truly said goodbye to summer and hello to autumn. Essay motivation is at an all time low, and all we want to do is curl up in our beds and watch the latest episode of The Celebrity Traitors with a hot chocolate. But fear not, we’ve curated the best places and ideas to transform those dreary dark nights into making the most out of autumn in Liverpool. 

Visit the River of Light at the Royal Albert Dock

Every autumn, the River of Light turns Liverpool’s waterfront into a glowing playground. It is the perfect excuse for you and your mates to leave the comfort of your flat and indulge in a bit of culture. Whether you go for the art itself, or just the perfect ‘aesthetic’ Instagram story, you’ll end up loving it! Grab a hot chocolate from a local stall, bundle up in your chunkiest scarf, and wander along the docks while the city lights up. 

This year, you will be able to see the River of Light from 24th of October until the 2nd of November, making it the perfect hangover cure after the inevitable Halloween blowout. 

Pottery Painting 

Frankie’s Paint-It Pottery on Smithdown Road makes a perfect group activity for first year flatmate bonding, or for second and third years who want a quiet break from the chaos of uni life. Spend a weeknight here painting a new mug for your cosy, autumnal hot drinks, or anything that fits your fancy.

Treat yourself to a pint (or two) 

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Liverpool pubs in autumn really focus on the cosy environment that makes you want to stay in for hours on end. The best way to treat yourself after a long week of uni is putting on your biggest jumper, a chunky scarf and heading down to Ropewalks to sit next to a roaring fire with your pint of choice, playing cards. The Monro, Red Lion, Kazimier Gardens, and St Peter’s Tavern are where you would find me after slaving away in Sydney Jones all week. 

Have a hot chocolate

Autumn is the perfect time of year when it is socially acceptable to order a hot chocolate in a cafe, especially for us who are yet to adventure into the world of coffee and tea drinkers. Liverpool is abundant with quaint, cosy coffee shops that you can both relax, and study in; my favourites being Coffi, Bean, Mother Espresso, and Hardware. 

Take an autumnal walk around Sefton 

If the stress of essay deadlines and group projects is getting to you, the best way to help is a stroll around Sefton Park. It’s the perfect place to enjoy the simplicities of autumn, like the changing colour of trees, and the crunch of the leaves under your feet. Take a step back from all of the stresses of uni life, and enjoy everything this 200 acre park has to offer, such as exploring the Glass House. Grab a hot drink and a sweet treat from one of the many coffee shops on Lark Lane and wander around Sefton until your heart is content!

Watch Bake Off with sweet treats 

Arguably, as soon as you see Paul Hollywood grace your TV screen, you know autumn is soon approaching. For those of us who can’t afford a midweek pub trip, or want a cosy night in with friends, watching Bake Off on Tuesday nights curled up on the sofa is the answer. Pick your sweet treats based on what themed week it is, and spend an hour of your night arguing about how you could make a better custard tart than the professionals. 

Revise in the Central Library 

Although we want to embrace everything autumn has to offer, uni deadlines are still looming and the best thing we can do to avoid last minute Sydney Jones trips is try to romanticise our studies. Fans of a cosy (and free) study space will instantly fall in love with Liverpool’s Central Library. The library’s enchanting Picton Reading Room is the perfect environment to complete that dreaded 3,000 word essay, you will immediately fall into the flow of writing and revising being surrounded by old books and a wonderful studious feel. 

So, embrace the cosy vibes and start romanticising the colder months. There’s nothing better than avoiding the world with a book in a coffee shop, and then strolling around in a big coat on the way to the pub. Autumnal bliss.