Glasgow Reviews

Living in Glasgow

Glasgow, the home of Scottish engineering, Irn Bru and three universities. Glasgow Caledonian University, the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde are all based here.

Scotland is pretty well known for it’s cold weather but if you like to take a more active role in your sport then the Great Scottish Run, the third largest of its kind, takes place at the end of the summer. An Ice Rink is set up every year during the Christmas holidays for the public to skate on, so even in the winter there’s no excuse for missing out and staying indoors! Beginners can still take part, as there are Ice Marshals on hand to help you get started.  Glasgow is the home of Celtic Football Club. Or Rangers, if you prefer. In fact there are three professional football clubs based in Glasgow, as well as Scotland’s only professional basketball team, the Glasgow Rocks.  You’re also quite near to the coast, with Glasgow Port only 30mins away by train, and Loch Lomond (yes, the one from the song) only 40mins via Balloch station.

When exploring the town, it’s worth sparing a few hours to explore ‘The Barras’ market in the East End of Glasgow. This historic flea market (officially called ‘Barrowland’, and you’ll find the old Barrowland Ballroom next to it) is a slice of proper Glaswegian history, and you can still dig out a bargain amid the stalls and market traders you’ll find there. Just a few streets over is Glickman’s, the oldest sweet shop in Glasgow.

For the rest of your retail therapy needs, the majority of high street stores can be found around Sauchiehall Street, in the city centre. For independent shops, vintage outlets, and boutiques, go to the West End. Alternatively head south towards the river and you’ll find the Enoch Centre, which is a little more upmarket, and then the Argyle Arcade and Princes Square nearby. These last two are probably a bit high-brow for someone on a student budget, but who doesn’t love a bit of window shopping?

A must-do (or at least must-try) for Glasgow students is the Subcrawl. This involves buying an all-day Discovery ticket for the Subway and visiting the nearest pub or bar you can find at each of the fifteen stops. After a drink, it’s back on the subway and on to the next station. It’s very rare for any student to actually finish the circuit, which is marked by drinking in the same pub you started in, but the fun is in the attempt so for goodness’ sakes pace yourself!

Whether you’re living on campus or de-camped into a house in town, if you happen to come back early after your summer holidays , you’ll be just in time to catch that essential blast of Scottish culture, the World Pipe Band Championships. Take your mates along and see who can hold out the longest!

Out on the town:

• Sauchiehall Street is the main student nightlife zone, and a good place to start if you’re new to the Glasgow. Venues like The Garage, Nice n Sleazy, and Firewater cater to different musical tastes, while Campus, an American Frat House style venue, also opens in daylight hours to show all the major football matches on their big screens.
• Bath Street has a higher number of young professionals and bars, so when you feel you’ve outgrown the typical student hangouts, you haven’t got far to go to add a more sophisticated flavour to your social life.
• The Curlers Rest: This pub is 600 years old and looking very good for its age. Nice enough to convince your mum that yes you are eating properly, but not beyond the limits of the student budget. Book in advance at busy times.

Good to know:

• Subway: Glasgow’s very own subway circles the city centre and west end, so if you find yourself heading there a lot, use your degree-level mathematics to work out if it’s worth investing in one of their multi-journey tickets
• Taxi: Black cabs run in the city centre and round the campuses. For pre-booked, try Glasgow Taxis Ltd.

24 Glasgow Reviews