Sheffield as a student

[mad-dad 29]

Strangely enough, one of the nice things about Sheffield is how easy it is to leave it behind.

 

Just over 2 hours to St Pancras on the train, then another few to Paris...

 

An hour to Hull and the ferries to mainland Europe

 

Doncaster, Leeds-Bradford, East Midlands, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham Airports in an hour and a half

 

10 minutes walk and you are on the outskirts of the city next to a national park. An hour and you are in the Yorkshire Dales.

 

And then you start finding out the places that the locals don't want anyone to know about...

 

Grindleford Cafe, Damflask, Millhouses Park, Kelham Island Museum, the craft beer movement ...

 

I was keeping that one to myself. I hate queueing:rant:

Edited October 8, 2016 by nikki-red
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[Hogg 10]

I think Sheffield is a great city to be a student. I did my Masters degree some years ago at Sheffield University and was very impressed at the quality of the teaching and with the site itself. I did my first degree at a campus University (Lancaster) which was fantastic in many ways, but after the (well protected) First Year in Halls, you are then out in the City without the University around you, so to speak (My own youngster had the same experience with their first degree at Warwick, which is a campus University, and now, they are loving being at Cambridge, which is a city wide University). Sheffield has a great retention rate for its former students. Perhaps because there is a great deal for the party types (Ecclesall Road - a safe, local environment if they want to get a bit wasted), and for the country types, hiking and climbing in the Peak District. Also for the in betweens (like me) a great sports centre at Goodwin (Sheffield University), with a good swimming pool. Sheffield is probably the safest big city in the country - a great place to study and if young people choose to stay on - it is a very affordable city to build a life in.

[kyoto49 10]

Wow, thanks so much for all the replies. I think you've all backed up our initial impressions that Sheffield was really friendly Lots of good info too for which I'm very appreciative.

 

It's tough choosing a Uni isn't it? Both my daughter and I were blown away by Sheffield, loved it, and then today we went to the University of Liverpool and we both loved that too, but for different reasons!

 

Sheffield is smaller, the lure of the Peak District is a massive bonus, and Physics is a good course.

 

Liverpool we preferred the campus, and I think the Georgian area has been redeveloped incredibly well, plus the course had more research into areas daughter likes, but no really good countryside around, and possibly more antisocial issues?

 

Blimey, what a horrible decision

[Funky_Gibbon 42]

Ok... from a student's perspective, Sheffield is about as safe a city to live in as you will be able to find in the UK. It's also one of the cheapest cities to live in so in this age of paying fees to go to university it helps to keep living expenses down. It has a Russell Group university with a particularly strong reputation in the Sciences.

 

There's a thriving night life, plenty of places to eat and drink and be entertained, some of the best sports facilities in the country, music venues, comedy venues and theatres that attract some big names, the Tramlines music festival and a National Park for those who enjoy the countryside just a 30 minute bus ride from the city centre and loads of parks too. There's also a lot of brand new student accommodation throughout the city centre so don't expect to have to live in the modern equivalent of the Young Ones flat.

 

Of course like everywhere else it's not all perfect. There is still crime and obviously your daughter should take all the same sensible precautions when out at night as she'd take anywhere else. Also, job prospects in the local area for young people leaving university aren't anywhere near as good as they would be somewhere further south and I suspect she'd have to move elsewhere to pursue a physics career.

 

---------- Post added 08-10-2016 at 21:06 ----------

 

And then you start finding out the places that the locals don't want anyone to know about... Grindleford Cafe, Damflask, Millhouses Park, Kelham Island Museum, the craft beer movement ...

 

You'll be drummed out of the Secret Society of Local People for this!

[mad-dad 29]

Wow, thanks so much for all the replies. I think you've all backed up our initial impressions that Sheffield was really friendly Lots of good info too for which I'm very appreciative.

 

It's tough choosing a Uni isn't it? Both my daughter and I were blown away by Sheffield, loved it, and then today we went to the University of Liverpool and we both loved that too, but for different reasons!

 

Sheffield is smaller, the lure of the Peak District is a massive bonus, and Physics is a good course.

 

Liverpool we preferred the campus, and I think the Georgian area has been redeveloped incredibly well, plus the course had more research into areas daughter likes, but no really good countryside around, and possibly more antisocial issues?

 

Blimey, what a horrible decision

 

Let me help you out there. HENDERSON'S RELISH, Endcliffe Park, Real ale (It'll grow on her), pedestrian-friendly, no scousers, green spaces aplenty and friendly Yorkshire folk who say it like it is.

[Jomie 30]

Quote from OP, #15:

....plus the course had more research into areas daughter likes,

The Sheffield of today is not the one that your economics teacher spoke of. It is heartening to hear such positive attributes to the city as have been spoken of in this thread. However, as the prime objective of going to university is to study, earn a degree and thereby eventually obtain employment it would seem sensible to attach some weight to that rather than whatever else is on offer. Studying is made so much easier and worthwhile if the subject is something you are passionate about. It sounds as if she would be more interested in what Liverpool has to offer and as a result of that might do far better in her eventual degree. I am sure there is plenty to do in Liverpool and she might enjoy being nearer to the coast, North Wales etc.

[lindylou53 18]

Our son chose to live in Liverpool after doing a year studying there. The city centre is much better than ours with loads more shops and there are plenty of lovely places to visit including beaches but these are probably not quite as accessible without a car as Sheffield places. Having said that there is a regular reliable train service (he lives on the Wirral now). Having lived right in the Georgian Centre previously and loved it, he loves where he lives now too. Friendly people (when you can understand them!)

So I can understand your dilemma but sure she would settle nicely in both areas. Not sure about career prospects though - son studied chemistry. Good luck!

[Unisol 12]

Wow, thanks so much for all the replies. I think you've all backed up our initial impressions that Sheffield was really friendly Lots of good info too for which I'm very appreciative.

 

It's tough choosing a Uni isn't it? Both my daughter and I were blown away by Sheffield, loved it, and then today we went to the University of Liverpool and we both loved that too, but for different reasons!

 

Sheffield is smaller, the lure of the Peak District is a massive bonus, and Physics is a good course.

 

Liverpool we preferred the campus, and I think the Georgian area has been redeveloped incredibly well, plus the course had more research into areas daughter likes, but no really good countryside around, and possibly more antisocial issues?

 

Blimey, what a horrible decision

 

Sheffield is larger than Liverpool

 

The only downside to our city centre is the poor shopping but this will improve drastically once the construction of the new Retail Quarter gets underway (next year I believe).

[Ridgewalk 99]

You do have a difficult choice because Liverpool today is a wonderful city. I'm naturally biased in favour of Sheffield for all of the above reasons, I also guess that Sheffield would be safer than Liverpool. She would also be able to support Sheffield United if she came here, pièce de résistance.

 

Good luck

[Flying Duck 10]

Sheffield is larger than Liverpool.

 

Sheffield is more compact (i.e. most residential parts are closer to the city centre) than Liverpool due to the Mersey restricting growth in one direction.

 

The thing I miss most since I moved to Sheffield is the coast.

[kyoto49 10]

You do have a difficult choice because Liverpool today is a wonderful city. I'm naturally biased in favour of Sheffield for all of the above reasons, I also guess that Sheffield would be safer than Liverpool. She would also be able to support Sheffield United if she came here, pièce de résistance.

 

Good luck

 

Well supporting Sheffield Utd just isn't going to happen I'm afraid as we already support Liverpool and go the game regularly!!! Nice try though!!

 

---------- Post added 09-10-2016 at 13:28 ----------

 

Quote from OP, #15:

 

The Sheffield of today is not the one that your economics teacher spoke of. It is heartening to hear such positive attributes to the city as have been spoken of in this thread. However, as the prime objective of going to university is to study, earn a degree and thereby eventually obtain employment it would seem sensible to attach some weight to that rather than whatever else is on offer. Studying is made so much easier and worthwhile if the subject is something you are passionate about. It sounds as if she would be more interested in what Liverpool has to offer and as a result of that might do far better in her eventual degree. I am sure there is plenty to do in Liverpool and she might enjoy being nearer to the coast, North Wales etc.

 

I agree with you, and suspect the course being more to her taste may well win out, but UofS did make a really positive impression and the course was decent too!

[Jomie 30]

Thank you for replying. I was born and raised in Sheffield and am not that far off your teacher's age. Alas, I do not recognize all those glowing comments about my home city and am always relieved to leave it behind when I go home. However, it is nice that people do appreciate it and are happy with their lives in the city.

 

This is a hugely important decision for your daughter - one that will affect the rest of her life. It is a good lesson in assessing priorities; the degree course and what the university has to offer should be right there at the top. I hope that your daughter makes the right choice and is successful in her studies.

Edited October 9, 2016 by Jomie