Stand free: Our uni is incredible

WE ARE THE FAMOUS ABERDEEN


The University of Aberdeen is by no means the biggest institution. But for its size, it undoubtedly packs a solid punch.

It’s been ranked one of the top 10 universities in the UK for student satisfaction by the national student survey (NSS) and has reached the top 1 per cent highest ranked universities in the world.

So what is Aberdeen’s little secret to success? Here are a few suggestions:

 The campus

We’ve got fucking turrets

The uni is the fifth oldest in the UK but has one of the newest and biggest libraries, worth £57 million, putting the silver city back on the architectural map.

Beauts

So for all you history lovers who care about what your university looks like and want to be able to show it off to visiting family and friends, you can take pride in its Harry Potter-esque appearance, as well as that sparkling blue, seven-floored state of the art library slap bang in the middle of campus.

 The skite

Despite not having a student union, Aberdeen still has a plethora of student options. The best part is, all its clubs and bars are pretty much all within walking distance from Union street, which is basically just one elongated bar.

The bars are asking to be crawled

Belmont Street alone offers at least five decent bars – the wine at Siberia is barely over a fiver but is guaranteed to annihilate before you even start your night.

And then five minutes up the road you’ve got 65p vodka mixers at Paramount, Jam jar, and even £1 rapples at fancy Dusk during the week. From there it’s just a roll down the hill for VK showers in Institute.

Skint or been kicked out of a club already?  You’ll still manage to get a free night out if you head to Exodus or Espionage, and they’ll let you in no matter what state you’re in.

24 hour boozing… if you know where to go

After the clubs kick you out at 3am, it’s on to the casino to continue abusing their 6am booze license.

The process to get in is a challenge admittedly, and if its your first time in you will have to literally register all your life details in your drunken state for a casino card, but once you’re in it’s fair game til 6.

Even this lot got in

And once they throw you out at 6:30 you can stumble across the road to the dodgy little pub Portals and keep drinking til midday.

If you make it til then you can start all over again at an off-licence, or pass out in bed for 48 hours.

You’re never short of mates

What’s great about this city is that its student population of 24,000 is big enough for you to not to have too many awkward run ins with exes or one night stands, but small enough for you to know at least three people on your way to anywhere you go.

In any other city if you lose your friends on a night out its game over, but in Aberdeen you could pretty much go out on your own and be sure to find mates. (Not that we recommend you do that… it’s a bit weird.)

And of course at the end of every night, you are more than likely to regroup at McDonalds, the hub of Union Street.

Sun, sea and sand

Okay, starting of with the sun part…so admittedly, there isn’t much sun for most the year but when it is, you’ve instantly got a holiday location on your doorstep. Ish.

In the winter there’s guaranteed snow and for most of us who aren’t grinches and love Christmas, a bit of snow is a godsend and makes the festive season more exciting.

We’ve also got the added bonus of being so up North there is potential every year for you to catch a glimpse of the northern lights. No other university can boast this, and it’s pretty fucking cool.

And the weather’s unpredictability can come in handy – where else can you get out of tutorials with an email explaining a tree fell across your front door?

The Beach Boulevard

Not to mention…Aberdeen is home to Scotland’s largest permanent funfair. Now this may not seem like much but it’s a novelty you truly appreciate about the city when you’re sat in the summer, on a nice sandy beach, eating your Mr. whippy and having a cheeky wee sunbathe after your lectures.

And to top it all off, you’ve got the wonders of the beach boulevard where you can relive your childhood with a toffee popcorn sundae in TGI Fridays.

Tip: Tell them its your mates birthday and they’ll start clapping and singing the happy birthday song frantically at them, its hilarious to watch and you’ll also get free cake.

Sports

Our £28 million sports centre, Aberdeen Sports Village, was where some of the Cameroon commonwealth team famously manoeuvred their great escape. Read more here.

And they’re great on a night out

Besides that saga, if you’re into your snow sports, mountaineering or water sports you’re only a bus ride away from Aberdeenshire.

Can’t see Edinburgh doing this..

No other city has the capacity for you to surf, ski or sail all within a stones throw away from its university campus.

He loves the Deen

 Oily goodness

Now this is a big one. We all know that Aberdeen is the Oil Capital of Europe, and with this great legacy comes great opportunity.

Aberdeen has been voted the best city in Scotland to work and live by the growth and cities index as well as the second best in the UK. It has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the UK, with only 2 per cent unemployed.

You can always find a job…

30 per cent of Scotland’s most prosperous businesses have headquarters in Aberdeen and is only second to London for the most competitive city to do business in.  Aberdeen has been hailed ‘recession-proof’ and home to the highest number of the UK’s millionaires.

Just your average millionaire graduate

So if you’re looking for decent prospects when you leave university, Aberdeen is the place to be.

The after-parties

We’ve got Minival, we’ve got The Big Beach Ball, and we’ve got an infamous setting for the after-party with live-in DJs.

Have you been to 530 yet?

Guitar-wifey

Need we say more?

Stand free, Aberdeen.