Everything you need to know about Sussex that the prospectus doesn’t tell you

Although we’re already well into second term now, and whether you’re a fresher or a third year, it’s always good to know the strange things that Sussex Uni and Brighton as a city has to offer.

The prospectus is full of logistical uni stuff, which although useful when applying, it misses out on some of the best (and weirdest) things you will find throughout your time at Sussex.

So, here is a list of things the prospectus won’t tell you:

1. The East Slope steps

If you’ve been to campus or have lived there then you’re definitely familiar with the hike that is the East Slope steps. There are at least 100 of them, and you’re lying if you say you didn’t have to take a small break when going up them the first few times. Maybe you had the absolute luxury of living near the bottom so you could skip the steps all together and take the Fulton lift (a great shortcut).

It does, however, end up getting easier the more you go up them, and it even turns into a nice workout.

2. Seaside Kebab will become your best friend

After a night out (pre-coronavirus of course) one of the absolute best places to get your cheesy chips hangover cure has to be at Seaside Kebab. It’s located right in between all the seafront clubs and the Old Stein bus stop, making it the best pit stop before going home after a night of drinking and dancing.

3. You’ll only see the sun a handful of times during the winter

actual representation of what it’s like walking outside when it’s raining

Living in Brighton makes everyone think that just because we’re right by the sea means we must see the sun more than most places in the UK. During the winter months it non-stop rains and unless you have a indestructible umbrella the ocean wind mixed with rain will 100 percent destroy it.

4. Your library card will work one out of five times

At least every Sussex student has had to go through the painfully awkward experience of swiping their library card to open the library barriers, and no matter what you do it just won’t work, so you have to awkwardly move to the side so you don’t hold up the queue. Then you just hope that the next time you try it it’ll magically start working again.

5. The seagulls are terrifying

One thing the prospectus definitely does not tell you about is how aggressive and scary the seagulls are. Seriously, they’re lethal and hold absolutely no remorse. It’s as if they have a vendetta against students or something. They won’t hesitate to swoop down and grab your co-op meal deal so hold on to it tight or better yet, hide it.

6. Sussfessions

If you don’t already know, sussfessions is a Facebook page where Sussex students can submit anything they want anonymously. Whether you’ve seen someone fit on campus and want to let them know discreetly, or if you just want to rant about anything and get some supportive responses, sussfessions is where it’s at. It’s seriously a freshers life saver.

7. You’ll call lecturers by their first name

Coming fresh out of school where we were all made to call our teachers by their surname, it comes as a surprise to everyone when you find out that now you get to call your lecturers by their first name. It takes some getting used to, but after a while you can’t even think of calling them anything different.

8. Campus is pretty much a maze

Pre coronavirus, when we were allowed to actually go to our classes in-person, looking for what building your class was being held in was like solving a puzzle. Especially if you’re a fresher and haven’t really been around campus much. With buildings like Chichester I, II and III as well as Pevensey I, II and III how are you supposed to know which door leads to where?

Even worse when its a 9am the day after a night out and you accidentally end up walking into the wrong lecture theatre.

9. The on campus bus only goes fully around campus after 8pm

You would think that with such a big campus the main university bus, the 25, would take the full tour of campus 24/7. But sadly, that is not the case. Before 8pm it doesn’t go all the way to the end of campus by Northfield, it goes to North South road and then immediately turns to Science Park road and leaves campus.

On the other hand, coming back after a night out at 4am the last thing you want to do is walk a marathon back to your Northfield flat, so at least by that point, you’ll actually get dropped off at Northfield. But make sure not to fall asleep because then you’ll end up back at the start of campus and will be forced to take the long walk back.

So there we have it, everything Sussex students wished they knew before coming to uni. Sussex students to be, bin your prospectus – this is all you will need.