UQ Program: Bachelor of Engineering/Commerce
I can’t remember why I chose Glasgow for an exchange, but it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made. You may be tempted to go for Edinburgh for a smoother ride, but I think Glasgow has much more character and a lot more going on. I went to Glasgow ready and vigilant for someone to come and stab me, but I was pleasantly surprised how friendly everyone is.
There’s a terrific music scene in Glasgow. In the first couple of weeks I found loads of small pubs with live Jazz music playing through the afternoon, where I drank with older locals and listened to their stories. There’s heaps of venues around the city with gigs on all the time, which launched the careers of many famous bands. The pubs at the end of Stockwell St are probably my favourite.
I would highly recommend taking advantage of all the sporting clubs Glasgow uni has to offer. I joined the kayaking club which had trips almost every weekend to some amazing parts of Scotland and some scary rapids. I also joined the ski club (went on a week trip to the alps), the cricket club, and climbed a few mountains with the mountaineering club. There’s always a great atmosphere and a lot of laughs, and I made a lot of friends this way.
Murano Halls is a must for accommodation. It’s the biggest uni residence in Europe with nice big flats and is another avenue for meeting lots of Scottish friends, as well as some other international students.
The university itself is located in the West End which is a relatively safe and pleasant area mostly populated by students. It has two big student unions, each with around 15 bars, food, billiard halls, frequent events, and most importantly very cheap drinks. There’s also a commonly known schedule of the best clubs to hit on each night of the week!
There’s much more I could write but needless to say you’ll have a blast if you choose Glasgow. I was never once bored and enjoyed some of the greatest experiences of my life, and became a much more confident person.