So What's It Really Like?

Stella Koukounis, Cyprus

Sheffield is an amazing, happening city. I am in my third and final year at the University of Sheffield, and the memories I have from Sheffield as a city and as my University are sweet and vivid. With a variety of nightclubs and club nights, Sheffield can carry you into its mysterious web seven nights a week. For a tropical night I choose Cubana, where the tasty cocktails completely sweep me off my feet and for a posh night I choose Sola.

Sheffield Union is one of the best in the country and it is not a coincidence that it was voted as such in 2001-2002. Whatever you need, you can find it all in a big, live and colourful building. Bank machines, a photo developing booth, an insurance company and a nice shop, which sells everything (from magazines to pot noodles and toilet paper!) at competitive prices, are only a few of the facilities the Union offers. Also the Union hosts three cafeterias (all of which have their distinct personality and regular offers) and five club nights (among them the famous Pop Tarts and Frouk)

The people in Sheffield are very friendly, they will happily explain where everything is, (the kind of help you will definitely need when you are a first year) and they will always call you their love! How good is that?

The University is quite modern, with sufficient computer access and it is very well organised so that whenever you need even the slightest thing sorted out, you can do it through the University.

Sheffield City is becoming more and more cosmopolitan as time goes by and this is reflected by the gradual but steady development of the city centre. The latest creation of the Winter Gardens (the jewel of Sheffield city centre) and the Millennium Galleries added a cultural twist in the life of Sheffield. On my last visit at Crucible theatre I watched the internationally acknowledged Iphigenia by Euripides. The famous cast of the play demonstrated that artistic activity in Sheffield is high and in popular performances like that, you better book a month earlier otherwise, seats are impossible to find.

I would recommend Sheffield for studying to anyone and everyone because it combines very intellectually demanding courses with an amazing and unforgettable student life, guaranteed to satisfy everybody's tastes. The international student community is already large but becoming even larger every year. The Union Sabbatical officers are always there and eager to help every student with their problem and this kind of help is essential especially when you live away from home. Events such as the International Food Evening or the Cultural Evening hosted by the Union reflect the amount of attention that international students are given, and also the fact we have the opportunity to express our culture to others.

The newly built S10 gym shows how the University cares for our health, since by enrolling at the gym you can have the best workout of your life for a very low fee! Every aspect of international students' life is taken care of by the University.

The only thing new International students should worry about, is where to find time to experience everything whilst they're studying in Sheffield and, of course, how to achieve a good degree!

Stella Koukounis, Cyprus