Things they don’t tell you before coming to BU

There is NOWHERE to park 

Ok, this may be an exaggeration, but when you’re living in halls and your friends or family are coming to visit – good luck finding a space that’s close and doesn’t charge. Purbeck actually has a car park, but that’s only free on the weekends. Second year gets better though, don’t worry, Winton’s got your back.

Bus pass perks

As well as your bus pass enabling you to get any U bus, you can also use it to travel on the m1 and m2. They take you in and out of town when you cba to walk, and also up to Castlepoint if you fancy a shopping trip there. A lot of people don’t know this in first year, unless you’re a clever sausage and you read the small print on the back.

Dylan’s

Dylan’s bar, located in Poole House on Talbot campus, will soon become your local. Yes I said bar, as in yes you can drink at uni. It’s especially helpful when you’ve got one of those annoying days with a two hour break (too long to just grab a sarnie, but too short to trek home for food and be back in time). ‘Skint Wednesdays’ are a personal fav, you can get a burger and chips for £3.50.

Just because you now live by the beach does NOT mean it’s warm

If anything the sea winds make it even colder. So if you have visions of you and your mates lined up on the beach getting your tan on all year round, it’s not going to happen. You might get a week or two of sunshine before you head home for summer, but you’ll probably be stuck inside revising for exams.

Word of warning when you move into halls

I lived in Purbeck first year, but I have friends who lived in both Lyme Regis and Cranborne who all faced the same problem. The first few months is like living in a sauna. Opening the windows won’t help, they all have safety locks on them which means they only open about a centimetre wide.

BU vs AUB rivalry

We don’t know why, but it exists. Plus it’s taken very very seriously so pick a side.

A-List Cards

They’re expensive, and if I’m honest I didn’t use mine more than 5 times the whole year I had it, but the benefits are worth being aware of. You can use your A-List card to get discounts at Roosters as well as various other take-out shops and restaurants. If you’re debating getting one check out their website for what you get.

Whatever you do, remember to take out your bins

If you’re lucky enough to have one of the big flats in first year, you’ll be tempted to leave a pile of full bin bags in the wide hall outside your rooms. Don’t. Me and my flatmates made this mistake last year and, when we finally went to move them, we had the biggest maggot infestation you’ve ever seen. It. Stank.

Bournemouth 7s and SUBU Summer Ball are 100% worth going to

They’re two of the biggest uni “festivals” in the UK. Our Summer Ball was literally voted as the best in the country.

Summer Ball 2016

Drawbacks of going into second year

Forget the luxury of having town on your doorstep, and welcome the life of buses and taxis. My housemate and I (shout out to Shanice) get taxis so often that we’re on first name terms with our local rank.