The Tab Belfast’s bucket list

As the final semester comes to an end, count off how many of these things you’ve ticked off your bucket list and get snappy ticking the rest off

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Either your time at Belfast is coming to an end, or you’ve finished the year. Either way, how far have you come in completing the Belfast experience?

Sneaking into Elms

Whether you’ve pulled on a night out, or your friends are throwing a party afterwards, there is gonna be a situation where you want to get into Elms, but don’t have the necessary key cards to get in past security. You can either hop the wall and try sneak past the security in the shrubbery or borrow the cards off somebody and try your luck. Tip: sneak into Jordanstown halls instead – it’s easier.

It’s simple, just hop this wall

Getting thrown out of a nightclub

Although it’s not something you aspire to do, it will happen – you’ll undoubtedly get told to “pack it up” by a bouncer at some stage over your university career. Whether you’ve “dropped” your drink off the balcony in Thompson’s, moshed too hard in Limelight 2, or have just been a mess – you’ll get kicked out of a club at least once. Bonus points if you manage to get kicked out of Mandela Hall, and not just taken aside to the “too drunk” room.

Clubs don’t tend to tolerate napping

Go out to every club [Easy Mode]

Go out and actually try every club before just presuming that they’re shit because somebody else had a bad night there – don’t knock something until you try it yourself. And Belfast has plenty of clubs for you to sample: Alibi, Box, Limelight, Filthy McNasty’s, El Divino, Ollie’s, The Bot, Fly, Lavery’s, The Parlour, Thompson’s, Villa, Society, Union, Kremlin, Boombox, Aether & Echo, Cuckoo (and Mono / Beach Club if they ever reopen) all help contribute to Belfast’s buzzing nightlife, now go sample them all.

A fairly easy challenge if you’re determined to fulfil it.

Go out to every club night [Hard Mode]

For the try clubbing connoisseurs out there: sample every club night offered to you. Thompson’s have seven a week for you, Limelight have five during term time, and four throughout summer. It involves keeping a constant eye out for new club nights – but you’re a student, what else do you have to do?

Get to know a homeless person on a first name basis

Maybe you’ve just given them a few pound and your free student cheeseburger from McDonald’s. Maybe you’ve enrolled in one of the many amazing charities Belfast has to help the homeless. Regardless, you will end up talking to one of our City’s many unfortunate homeless at some stage, you’ll get to know them and it will melt your heart. Whether it’s “Republican James” beside McDonald’s or Martin on Botanic, a quick chat generally means the world to them.

Get into a sport you had no interest in

Whether it’s casual five-a-side football where you don’t have to understand the offside rule, or competitive lacrosse, you will find an outlet for your competitiveness.

If only the PEC was this snazzy. Pic credit: Sports and Safety Surfaces

Crash a society night out

You’ve just handed in your coursework and you snapchat “who’s on it tonight”. You find out the crowd you normally go out with are a bunch of bores and get talked into tagging along to a Chemical Engineering night out to Ollie’s.

Bingo and pub quizzes

After crawling through your front door one too many times you decide to act a bit more civilised and choose going to a pub quiz, bingo in The Parlour or Speakeasy over another night clubbing. Of course alcohol still has to be involved. You’ll decide to go clubbing after the quiz anyway.

One of the many on offer

Try all the food places in Bradbury Place/Botanic

Frango, Wok-a-Moley, Kebabish, Big Caesers, and Cyprus Grill. Post night out snacks get the better of your student loan time and time again, and these five will sting you extra hard if you’re Lisburn Road, Malone Road or Stranmillis bound. Whilst for those who dwell in the Holylands and Botanic will fall victim to Subway, Chip Co, Pizza Co, Country Fried Chicken and Azoul.

End up in Cavehill when the sun comes out

The sun’s shining through the slit in your curtains and you plague the group chat to do something fun. Next thing everybody is in a taxi up to Cavehill and miraculously somebody brought a Frisbee… and likely cans of cider as well.

Dem views tho

Act Like a Hallion on St. Patrick’s Day

The Holylands will be hit and you’ll do something your parents would be ashamed out. But that’s what St. Patrick’s is all about

Befriend PRs

That great guy you met over Fresher’s week outside the SU and that hot girl who added you on Facebook always invite you to Thompson’s. How very kind of them. You’ll have encountered your fair share of PRs before you finish uni in Belfast.

Do a midnight Marathon at Movie House Cinema

You will end up at one of Movie Houses movie marathons at some stage to watch either a superhero marathon or the latest blockbuster triology. Your ass will never have been as numb as it will be after a three-film-sitting.

Need more popcorn

Go to Planet Fun

Be sure to be in Belfast just before Freshers’ week to ensure you get to hit Planet Fun on the Boucher Road with a little pre-drinks in you. Because you’re a student and carnivals are a little bit more fun tipsy.

It’s less fun sober