What do Sussex students really miss about campus?

We all know that the last year at Sussex has been a tough one. Spending most of the day glued to your computer, using all your energy to get out of bed and get dressed to make yourself feel productive – even though you definitely aren’t. We dream of those classic sunny days spent at Falmer bar drowning your stresses in a pint of Amstel.

It’s time to remember just how great (or not so great) Sussex University’s campus is. Immerse yourself in these memories of what students miss most about life at Sussex pre-Covid.

Campus bars – Konstantina, third year

“I miss the chicken wrap from Northfield bar, I think about her everyday”

We all remember Friday nights at Falmer right? Waiting around the bar area for about twenty-five minutes whilst your friend is scavenging for a booth. And let’s not forget that enormous portion of loaded nachos that always seems to take about twenty five minutes to arrive. It’s always worth the wait.

The 25 bus – Kallum, third year

“I don’t miss running to get the twenty-five bus to then have to stand up for half an hour hyperventilating uncontrollably”

We all know that feeling. Lesson ends and either you make the decision to speed walk/ break into a full sprint and risk looking like a fool attempting to frantically wave at the bus driver who is definitely not going to wait for you, or you decide to take it slow, shivering at the bus stop hoping that that 9 minute wait magically turns into a 1 minute wait if you just don’t look at the bus timetable for a while. It’s safe to say that this is one we will NOT be looking forward to…

Campus’ green spaces – Lewis, third year

“I miss meeting friends after a cheeky lecture on the hill outside the library with some tinnies”

Ah yes, those rare blissful moments where campus is sunny. Getting a 4 pack from Co-op after your lecture and sitting up on that grassy hill outside Falmer bar with your mates just sunbathing without a care in the world. Oh to be a first year again!

The Laundry rooms – Kayla, second year

 

“I don’t miss this thing” (lower image)

Finding people’s dirty underwear and socks sprawled all over the floor where you’re trying to discreetly wash your stuff is not the one. Neither is putting a wash on in the last empty machine then coming back when it’s done to find someone has taken it out of the machine and put it on the dirty table in the corner. Maybe it’s because you took five hours to remember it was in there. Maybe not. Either way, not cool…

Flat parties – Rhys, second year

“Definitely miss Brighthelm parties”

Okay, does anyone else remember the same Uma Therman Pulp Fiction poster on every door in Brighthelm and a random ass traffic cone in the middle of the room? Honestly, every Brighthelm flat looked the same. But the parties were always amazing. Maybe there are some memories that will forever be lost in the drunken corners of your mind but at least you know you had a good time.

Bottles. EVERYWHERE. – Joey, third year

“I do not miss walking into your flat the morning after a house party and having to pick up hundreds of beer bottles and walk them half a mile to the nearest communal bins”

They are basically room decoration at this point. And don’t lie to yourself, we all tried to collect enough to make an entire wall. The most satisfying was when someone brought a crate of Budweiser’s and they lined up so neatly on your windowsill.

What was not so fun was when you decided enough is enough and attempted to remove the bottles. It was basically your daily exercise to bring four bags of post-party debris to the communal bin section.

SEAGULLS – basically everyone

“Seagulls are something that I see in my nightmares”(Jess, 3^rd year)

Someone had to said it. Seagulls SUCK. If they aren’t literally ripping food from your poor student hands, they’re glaring at you unwaveringly as you tentatively walk to your seminar. The devil in bird form, they guard the outside parts of campus, watching, waiting, for some unsuspecting first year to be holding a £5 hot dog out in the open ready to snatch it out of their hands.

That being said, apparently Seagulls can bring some joy so…

Seagulls… again? – Jess, third year

(left image by @nacho_problemz Instagram)

“Feel like this makes me a bad person but I do miss bring entertained by watching people run away from Seagulls or having their food stolen from them, my priorities are clearly very clear…”

Okay. This one may just be a select few of us. But does anyone else get just a little bit of joy from seeing food being whipped away by a Seagull?. There is surely a tiny portion of each of us that is laughing on the inside. Also seeing someone squeal and run from the army of gulls that are chasing them for their last remaining chip you can’t deny is just a little bit funny. Again, maybe that’s just *ahem* 1 or 2 of us hehe.

Campus life clearly has its positives and negatives. Hopefully our campus life can return soon and we can all get back to the proper Sussex experience, Seagulls and all.