These are all my favourite things about Nottingham as a final year

As the end of my time at university draws closer, I’ve discovered my favourite parts of Nottingham for both my time alone and my time with friends. There is something for everyone here whether it’s cold walks, cosy coffees, nights out, or festive fairs. There are so many things to do in your three years at Notts, so here’s a list of some of the essentials.

Wollaton Park

Nothing quite refreshes your day quite like a stroll in Wollaton Park. Whether it’s too hot to sit in a stuffy room in halls during the summer, or if you just need some fresh air after a busy night out, Wollaton does the job almost every time. It can make an especially great picnic spot in the summer where you can become an avid wildlife watcher and take a peek at the resident deer, or take a trip into the house for some education on natural history. Always a great idea for those final-year trips out when staring at your work has started driving you insane.

The Goose Fair

As someone who didn’t get the experience of having the Goose Fair during my first year, I very much made the most of it during my second and third years. It’s possibly one of the most enjoyable nights for any Nottingham student, and the range of rides caters for everyone, whether you’re a thrill seeker like me or a bit more nervous like my housemates who always ended up on the teacups. Plus the food is exactly what you’d expect: Some great Yorkshire pudding sandwiches and sugar-rush-inducing candy floss which is the perfect pick-me-up for when the final-year pressure has been getting to you.

Portland Coffee

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A fan favourite among UoN students, Portland Coffee is everyone’s favourite coffee spot on campus. Their brownies are criminally good and their drinks never fail to put a smile on sleep-deprived faces. Especially when you’ve had a long lecture a nice brew of some kind as a pick-me-up works wonders before the rest of your day. Just make sure to get there early enough because the lunch rush is always insane and no one has time to wait in that queue, let alone someone running to a dissertation workshop.

Ocean Fridays

Say what you want about Ocean, but nothing beats a UoN Friday. Having gone in dressed as a cow for a sports social or just for a night with my friends, the chaos that Ocean brings is simply unmatched, just like the hours and hours of cheesy music that will still be ringing in your ears the next morning. The only place where I will sacrifice my eight hours of sleep and honestly the rest of my weekend with how the hangovers are hitting me these days.

The Rose and Crown

Despite my undying love for the big O’, I simply do not have the time to be clubbing every week now that I have the daunting concept of a dissertation on my mind. So for those nights when you’re in desperate need to get out of the house and have a drink or two but still be able to function the next day, The Rose and Crown is the perfect place to go. With great student deals and good vibes, this is the perfect clubbing substitute that won’t make you feel like the Grandparents we begin to act like when we reach final year.

Sport Wednesdays

Nothing says university quite like a rainy Wednesday spent doing some kind of sport, whether it’s actually playing or if it’s a sport social to Crisis. As one of the two season ticket holders for Chem Soc F.C., it can be confirmed that the vibes of an IMS match are unrivalled. Plus it’s a great way to get out of the house when there’s nothing on and join a new group of people, you don’t have to play every week but it’s great to go along and support because it’s always a good laugh and will fill your final year with great memories of you and your friends.

House Nights

So many core memories from uni have been created by a night in with housemates. My absolute favourite was our house Christmas dinner but we had so many more like themed cocktails, games and quiz nights. Nights out are always good but especially for those third years the appeal of nights at home is slowly creeping in.

Walks by the lake

If you really can’t be bothered to cross the road to go to Wollaton or are just bored of doing the same route, take a stroll around the lake on the Uni Park campus, there’s a lot to see including this very fun dinosaur bench and some stepping stones back to the other side of campus. It’s a great way to wake yourself up after a long night especially as our immunity to hangovers decreases the further into uni we get.

The Christmas Market

As a person who loves the holidays, the novelty of the Nottingham Christmas Market will never wear off. It’s a place where many of us like to waste away our student loans, especially knowing that we’re headed home soon anyway so it doesn’t matter too much. So whether you want to go ice skating, on the wheel, or indulge in a nice Bailey’s hot chocolate or a regular one, this is the best place to go to get in the festive mood and have fun with your friends. This market holds some of my favourite memories from uni and it’s definitely something I will miss once I graduate.

Everyone has their favourite things at uni and these are just a few of the things I will miss once I leave. The only thing I can say to anyone else is to enjoy your time here, say yes to as much as you can, and make as many memories as possible because it’s over before you even realise it.

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