Things that annoy me as a student in York

Being a student in York has its perks. It’s a beautiful city, full of history, cafes galore, and plenty of places to go out with friends. However,  there are a few things that make student life more stressful than it needs to be. 

The prices of absolutely everything

One of the biggest struggles of being a student in York is the cost of living. You would think that being a student means getting used to budgeting and having student discount apps on your side. But, in reality, it feels like your student loan disappears before it even reaches your bank account. 

Every time I leave the house I am somehow spending £20 and I have no idea how. A quick trip into town for a coffee, a snack, or a few essentials can somehow turn into spending far more than planned. Then with food shopping, rent, transport, and nights out can make you question what can you sacrifice to keep the budget down. 

Saturday night is locals night

The weekend usually means one thing: Nights out, drinking and clubbing. Not that uni students need an excuse to drink but weekends are usually the perfect opportunity to go wild and not have lectures the next morning. 

However, Saturday nights in York are mainly filled with locals, hen dos, or age demographics that don’t need to be checked for ID. I have noticed while being at uni that Fridays and Sundays are much more popular student nights than Saturdays (very strange from what I’m used to back at home). There are scenes of day drinking, karaoke from Irish Bars and many people with high heels attempting not to fall into the road drunk. 

I truly never thought I would say these words, but Saturdays are my night in of the week. 

The Geese on campus

The geese on campus, or any wildlife floating around for that matter, deserve their own section because, quite frankly, they behave like they own the place. As a student, you might assume that the biggest threats to your university experience are deadlines, exams, and group projects. Wrong. It’s the geese.

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Walking across campus should be a peaceful part of the day, but instead you have to assess the situation every time you see one standing in your path. They stare at you with an alarming level of confidence, hiss without warning, and somehow manage to make you feel like you’re the one trespassing. The worst part is that they don’t move. You can be running late for a lecture and there will still be a goose standing directly in the middle of the path, dominating the space. At this point, it feels less like a university campus and more like a wildlife reserve where humans are merely temporary visitors.

No space in the library

There is nothing quite as frustrating as going to the library to be productive and locked-in, only to discover that every single seat has been taken and you have nowhere to sit. 

You arrive with good intentions, a to-do list, and the determination to finally get on top of your work. Ten minutes later, you’re still wandering around every floor of Morrell looking for somewhere to sit. Even if you move to Fairhurst or Burton, it’s the same situation. Everyone must have had the same idea to come to the library and work at the exact same time.And even when you do find a seat, it’s often nowhere near a plug socket, or you’re squeezed between someone typing aggressively and another person eating the loudest packet of crisps known to humanity.

The library is supposed to be a place for concentration, but finding a space can feel like a competitive sport. You shouldn’t need the strategic planning skills of a military operation just to open your laptop and write an essay.