10 places at Exeter Uni which are almost as hard to get into as 10 Downing Street

Lizz Truss vs TP Wednesday

2 years ago

The start of a new year can only mean one thing: another chance to warn freshers about what to expect from some of the most popular Exeter spots. You may have thought that getting into the university itself was the hardest part with the entry standards, grades and personal statements, but unfortunately, that was only the beginning.

From nights out to forum hot spots, here’s a complete rundown of which places in and around Exeter Uni which you love but just KNOW you’ll end up queuing for ages for:

1. Timepiece on a Wednesday

Infamously the most wanted tickets on Fixr. Filled with rugby lads, tennis gals and everyone in between, TP Wednesday attracts Exeter students like charity shop girlies to oat vanilla lattes. The process to actually getting there though is much more stressful: that moment when you’ve clicked on the ideal 10-10:30pm time-slot, but are greeted with an “oops” notification, and suddenly you’re hit with the realisation that all that’s left – if you’re lucky – is the 7:30 entry.

We all had high hopes that the new, fairer, one ticket-no transfer Fixr rules would make it slightly easier to get our hands one but alas, many have been left disappointed yet again. Meanwhile Overheard is still thriving with desperate pleas from people prepared to auction off their loved ones for a chance to down a VK and grind their way to top top.

2. Forum Pret

You may have thought the campus Pret scrapping its subscriptions may have shortened the queues, but unfortunately you would be wrong: the cravings for iced lattes and pricey sandwiches are stronger than ever. Having cried our farewells to the campus Costa, perhaps the extra flight of stairs to the new Starbucks could be worth it to avoid the lines.

3. The Victoria Inn on Tuesday

Every Tuesday the beloved Vic hosts an open mic night and in return for hangxiety-inducing renditions of Country Roads, the Vic offers a free drink for those who kiss their dignity goodbye and take to the mic. Perhaps this is why the cosy pub is packed every week, the floor more crowded than Pura Vida on a Sunday morning. If you are lucky enough to get a seat, prepare to be asked every five minutes if you’re using every single chair at your table for the rest of the evening.

4. The Bar at Varsity

We’ve all experienced being in a crowded bar, but the bar at Exeter Varsity matches provides crowds like no other. For those of you who have not yet experienced the delights of Varsity, here’s a brief run down of the experience of getting a drink at Sandy Park whilst watching our very own play rugby.

Packed in like sardines, you’ll stand miles from the bar waiting to hold one freezing cold pint in your hand for the remainder of the match (that you have missed the majority of whilst waiting for said pint). Whoever is next is like a lucky dip, and after about 15 minutes you might find yourself further back in the queue than where you started, surrounded by elbows left right and centre. You face the internal battle of whether to get two pints to avoid this hell again later, but soon realise that having been sent on behalf of others, you will simply not have enough hands. After finally achieving the impossible dream of a pint in your hand – and a reusable pint glass that you will definitely take home with you and casually whip out at pres – you’re faced with your next mission: making it out. You’ll find yourself back at your seat, having missed most of the game, with half your drink lost to the crowd after trying to force your way out.

5. Pure Gym at peak times

If you’re a campus gym-goer this may not be the most relatable example, but Pure Gym is the place to be if you want to not look your best in front of a large group of your peers. The weights section may be busier than TP’s Fixr page, but at least you don’t have to stress about trying to choose a treadmill that doesn’t expose you to the whole gym, as you are pretty much destined to bump into every person you don’t want to see.

6. Harry’s/Côte/Ivy during Grad Week

When Exetah parents come to town to celebrate all the hard work (and hard drinking) their precious child has done over the years, you can guarantee they will be treating their darling child to one of these three places. So, if you’re graduating this year and haven’t booked a table yet, good luck.

7. The housing market in the Golden Triangle

To those freshers who are under the crushing realisation that within the next month they will have to have find a house with people they have currently only known for two weeks, this one’s for you. I’m sure someone’s friend’s brother who has gone to Exeter has told you that you must live in the ‘golden triangle’ – a.k.a the streets consisting of and between Pennsylvania Road, Victoria Street and Old Tiverton Road. However, with these houses being the prime location, they are indeed in short supply. So, don’t be too hard on yourself if you find yourself living in a street that other people respond to with “Oh, where even is that?” It’s going to be fine… probably.

8. The Library in Exam Week

Forum library is a hub not only for working, but picking your daily library crush, regaling stories from the night before (being conscious not to mention any first or last names), and sitting there drinking coffee until you feel you’ve been there long enough to call it a day without actually doing anything. But come exam week: everything changes. If you manage to find a seat, you’ll find stressed out first years who have convinced themselves their exams actually matter, panicking alongside a combination of thoroughly stressed out third and fourth years who have left themselves one week to write a dissertation.

9. This parking space on Springfield, apparently

Photo via Gus Jarrold

Overheard Facebook page has provided us with yet another glimpse into the everyday life of Exeter students, from which we can determine that parallel parking is definitely not for everyone, some clearly not having attempted it since the dark times of driving lessons. You may have though that Minis were designed to fit anywhere, but this person has managed to prove otherwise. Kiss goodbye to any Ocado deliveries you though were arriving and instead cry into your Tesco’s Value hummus.

10. Cavern on a Tuesday

Whilst Cavern is not one of the typical golden trio clubs in Exeter, it still serves a banging night out. So much so that getting tickets to Cavern on a Tuesday is a similar experience to getting TP Friday tickets; not impossible but they do sell out impressively quickly, leaving many a *cough* indie student turning to our trusty Overheard once more.