Everything you need to know about UEA that wasn’t in your prospectus

If you’re reading this you are most likely a fresher coming to UEA in September – if so, congratulations on getting into arguably the best university in the UK. You’ve made an excellent decision.

There are loads of things about UEA that make our uni truly one of a kind, so we’ve created a run-down on what you can expect from university life that wasn’t explained during your open day visit. After all, I doubt your Student Guides told you about how many VKs they had to strawpedo the night they first arrived, or the professor which gave your introductory lecture disclosed how many of the five Ls they’ve completed since first coming to the uni. That, my friends, is where The Tab comes in. Through your three years at UEA, we’ll bring you all the news that you actually care about, and what better way to start than with this insider’s scoop on all things Norwich.

Cloud Dog

The infamous Cloud Dog become an icon of UEA and was routinely spotted all over campus. Cloud Dog has in fact gained so much fame she went on to win BNOC of the year last semester. Quite an achievement for our famous canine.

Derby Day

Even bigger than the Olympics, even bigger than the world cup, is Derby Day. What is it you may ask? Derby Day is annual sports event between UEA and Essex University, the day include a whole host of sports – Football, Rugby, American football, Lacrosse, the list goes on and on. It’s kind of like an overgrown primary school’s sports day, just with a lot more binge drinking and chants. Over the past four years UEA has dominated Essex and this year it’s our turn to host, which makes for an indescribable LCR night. No pressure to win then, freshers.

Gender Neutral Toilets

Something that may surprise you is that our campus has numerous gender neutral toilets. UEA is renowned for being a progressive uni when it comes to LGBTQ achievements and equality, and our union reps are constantly looking to better the campus environment for anyone that identifies as anyone other than cis.

Greenery

UEA is full of greenery, and actually won greenest campus last year for it. Expect to spend plenty of time outside enjoying the company of the bunnies – the hill outside Colman House offers great views of the whole campus whilst the lake is a great spot for a BBQ in the summer.

Concrete 

There is a lot of concrete at UEA – loads in fact, although that comes with being built in the sixties. Don’t let it put you off though,as concrete is in fact a defining feature of UEA with the Ziggurats being Grade II listed buildings.

Livewire

Perhaps the best radio station out there is Livewire. Run by the students it offers a great variety;  from your favourite 90s hits to rock and hip hop. It also runs a charity competition called JailBreak, where teams of students try to get as far from campus as possible within a 48 hour period, relying solely on the charity of others to get out of Norwich and beyond whilst fundraising for the Livewire’s chosen charity. Students have made it to Dubai, Toronto, Russia and Budapest in the past, so see if you and your flatmates can try and beat those records come March when the event takes place.

LCR 

The LCR, or Lower Common Room to give its full title, is the club on campus. Tuesdays and Saturdays are the major club nights on campus – called Damn Good and A-List respectively with each other offering a different vibe – Damn Good is a feel good retro disco with all your favourites and guilty pleasures as well as unmissable dressing up opportunities. A-List is the place to be if you love house, electro, hip hop and mainstream anthems. The LCR is also a great place for gigs. Last year Slaves, Foals and the Wombats all played. Ben Howard came the year before and called us all c*nts – that was a pretty big deal.

Oh UEA Chant

A chant that you’ll come to know inside out by the end of you first year is the famous Oh UEA. It goes something to the tune of ‘When the Saints Come Marching In’:

Oh UEA/Oh UEA

Is wonderful/is wonderful

Oh UEA is wonderful

It’s full of tits, fanny and rabbits

Oh UEA is wonderful.

It sounds cringe now, but by the time you’re graduating it will feel like the soundtrack to your entire existence.

Pimp My Barrow (PMB)

One of the biggest days and nights of the year is Pimp My Barrow -a charity event which runs every year and takes students on a pub crawl across Norwich, with their own pimped-out wheel barrow in any theme they desire. This night is one of the biggest LCR nights of the year, if you even manage to make it that far.

Prince of Wales Road

The major club spot in Norwich is the Prince of Wales Road, with at least two dozen clubs along its perimeter. Here is where you’ll spend many a night out dancing, drinking, and probably having a kebab after. It’s like Norwich’s answer to the strip, only way more tragic with ten times as many hen-dos.

Rabbits

So many rabbits, an abundance of them. I don’t think personally I’ve seen so many in my life. It makes spring time particularly nice, with the little rabbits entering the big wide world. UEA’s rabbits are the original mascot of the Uni defending their title against Cloud Dog.

Red/Blue Bar

These bars will be where you spend a lot of down time between lectures and seminars. Offering student prices but also a chance to chat and chill, Blue Bar is also home to Sports night on Wednesdays – a mini club night of sorts where the sports teams celebrate their victories of the week.

Sainsbury’s Art Centre

You’ll have seen the Sainsbury’s Art Centre before, in a little known film called the Avengers, as the headquarters for the famous superhero team. Apart from that, it offers a great selection of art to see for free.

The 5 Ls

The most infamous thing at UEA – The 5 Ls. This is challenge as old as time itself which is set for all students to achieve by the end of their three years. The objective is to have sex in five locations around campus – the laundrette, the lake, one of the many lecture theatres, the LCR and the library. So the legend is told that if you manage to complete all five Ls, you should get a tattoo of an ‘L’ somewhere on your body (most people apparently preferring the bum as it’s easy to tell people you’ve completed the challenge without having to whip out your tattoo in a public place).

Although this list may not definitively state every unique trait that UEA and the city of Norwich has to offer for its undergraduate inhabitants, it does give you a few heads up as to what you’ve got yourself in for over the next three years. Good luck freshers, and see you in September.