10 things you’ll only understand if you were in Glen Eyre

Glen Eyre was without a doubt the best halls in Southampton, with all the disease and mould that came with it! The bright and glossy photos in the uni prospectus did not match the flats after first year.

Here are 10 things you'll only understand if you were in Glen Eyre.

Getting the U2B from the interchange

First things first, you would do well to catch the bus from campus and take the leisurely two-minute ride up Glen Eyre Road and stare at the unfortunate souls who didn't make the same decision. That free bus pass seems like a god-send now.

The saviour

The hike up Glen Eyre Road (Glen Nevis)

If you were not one of the enlightened ones who caught the bus, then you had to trek (and I mean trek) up the hill. You'd defo have to stop to take your coat off and then once more for a breather before you got to the summit.

There was a reason we all called it "Glen Nevis". It was especially bad trying to complete it after a night out – then it really seemed like it wasn't going to end.

Mad Old Terrace pre-drinks

There is a slight bias in this article, I admit, but that's only because Old Terrace did indeed have the best pres. I mean, it just did. The kitchens were spacious and the tables were deliberately designed to make beer pong (or whatever-drink-you-have-in-your-hand pong) as easy as possible.

20-odd people from the other flats in the block would join your pres and by the end of it, you're basically best friends. People would be smoking out the windows, causing mayhem upstairs and someone would always have to chunder in the showers when both toilets were occupied.

Messes

The desperate rush for the last bus after pres

There are many things that make a good pres: good tunes, bants, drinking games and at least one casualty. But if you went to a Glen Eyre pres then you'll know there is another element to add to the list: the every-man-for-himself scramble to Chamberlain halls bus stop.

The panic would start at around 11.30 when your mate would shout "bus!" and everyone would either down their drinks or take it with them to sneak on.

You'd hear the panicked shouts of other flats: "He's left his ID!", "fuck him," "Jenny's still in the toilet!", "fuck her!" As soon as you were on the bus, you knew you were safe.

The running track for the bus

Being neighbours to Highfield campus

Despite the hill being a bitch, Glen is so close to Highfield campus it's a joke. You could almost smell the over-priced Pret A Manger or Costa coffee in the morning. If you're being honest with yourself, you should never have missed that 9am coz you're literally five minutes away at most.

Whilst being convenient for most students, Humanities students had to get to Avenue which was another trekkk.

Old Terrace residence will understand the hike to the laundry room

Although not as long as Glen Nevis, the walk to the laundry was just far enough.

And let's not forget it was a fiver for a wash and dry! That bus pass seems a long time ago but no one cares to remember the Circuit laundry fondly.

BBQs on the grass

When it got warmer, Glen got even better. During the winter you'd be crazy to be seen outside but when it hit 20 degrees it would be all-out-warfare to secure a good spot.

There was nothing like coming home from a pointless Friday afternoon lecture to the sight of your mates stretched out on the grass, Dark Fruit cans in hand and burgers sizzling away.

Heaven

The gym

Despite being incredibly small, and even further than the laundry unless you were Jellicoe, the gym was perfect for a quick work-out with its running machines, weights and mats.

Glen Bar: the shittest bar in Soton

Everyone remembers the first and only time they went to Glen Bar because it was a compulsory meeting on the first day of freshers – we were told to head there around 5pm for an introductory lecture. We were all gassed to have bar in our halls but we were in for a serious let down.

Never again did any of us step inside the building. The place was always closed, unless, of course, you had a yoga or a self-defence class. So, we had to improvise just outside.

Extremely relaxed security

You often hear horror stories of grumpy and aggressive student halls security teams, picking on certain flats and being general "fun police." But that wasn't the case with Glen, at least for most of us.

Throughout our whole time in Glen we had one noise complaint. One. And that was only because a particularly up-tight New Terrace student called them first. And even then they only told us to turn it down and then left. The Glen Eyre "Resident Services" were truly understanding of the sesh and they secretly wanted to join in.