Aine Fox, third year law student gives a tour of a vibrant city which
is benefitting from political progress and a thriving economy
Being a student in Belfast
Belfast’s colourful history only serves to add to its vibrancy as a
prospective place to study for three years. With a student population of
around 24,000, Queen’s is firmly at the heart of Northern Ireland’s capital.
Recent political progress means this once troubled place continues to
develop into a student destination fit to rival any other in the UK.
The main University building is situated in the south of the city, just ten
minutes walk from the centre. Its architectural beauty makes it is a major
feature of the city’s landscape. In keeping with Belfast’s compact nature,
the University campus requires no more than a 5-minute walk from the main
Lanyon building to its furthest point.
With Queen’s Union a stone’s throw away, plenty of pubs, clubs and eateries
nearby and the main shopping street just down the road, students are never
very far from whatever their heart desires. Bus journeys to the city centre
from Queen’s cost £1 which is appealing on those rainy winter days but
costly considering the frequency with which those days occur. A clever
student will soon realise an umbrella is a worthwhile investment!
Study Time
A member of the Russell Group of top Universities since last year, QUB is a
renowned centre for research but combines this with top-rate teaching as
well; I had the fortune to be taught human rights law in my second year by a
former UN human rights specialist. Teaching hours seem to be similar no
matter which University a person chooses and it is the availability for
one-to-one contact which sets a place apart. I have always found lecturers
and tutors more than willing to make themselves available to give students
one-to-one help and advice.
Some £200 million is being invested over the next couple of years to develop
the facilities at Queen’s. A new library is to be opened in 2009 and will
certainly help calm the scramble for space in the present libraries
especially around exam time. Wireless internet access is available in the
current libraries for those with their own laptops; alternatively a limited
number of laptops, donated by Queen’s alumni are available on loan.
The Seamus Heaney library, perhaps the most popular for the widest range of
students, opens 24-hour around exam time, which is very useful for those who
find it easier to study late at night. One complaint of many has been the
lack of necessary amenities on occasion - with no toilet roll and an empty
water vending machine at 2am the whole experience of studying can become
even more stressful than it already can be.
Play Time
The obvious attraction for most students (besides the high quality teaching
and beautiful surroundings of course) is University's the social scene.
Belfast nightlife certainly has something for everyone but its compact
nature may not be an advantage depending on your tastes. If you’re after a
city where you could go out every night for three weeks without hitting the
same club twice then Belfast may not be the place for you. While the
night-time entertainment is great, it is limited to a certain degree.
In and around the University area there are a number of pubs which double as
clubs, one of the most popular being The Botanic Inn (aka The Bot). Further
out, towards the city centre The Limelight and Stiff Kitten cater for more
alternative tastes. The Odyssey Arena, Belfast’s very own entertainment
complex is great for a bigger night out on the cheap however getting home
can be problematic as some taxis will take advantage of the longer distance
from the University area and over-charge simply because they know people
will pay. Most clubs close earlier than those other parts of the UK so be
prepared to head out early and have a house party prepared for the 1.30am
closing time!
For those who want more from the social scene than bars and clubs, there are
many alternatives. From cinema student nights in both the mainstream cinemas
and QFT (Queen’s very own arty film theatre) to comedy nights and gigs in
the Student’s Union there is something for everyone. On the rare occasions
of sunshine a trip to the Botanic gardens just off the main campus where you
can while away the hours for free is a perfect day out!
One major downfall of the student social scene at Queen’s however is the mass
exodus which takes place on a Friday afternoon. With such a large attendance
of local Northern Irish students many desert the area and return home every
weekend, leaving the student area eerily quiet at a time when most other
major University cities would still be buzzing.
Accommodation
Accommodation in the area ranges from Elms village to private housing to
University owned housing. Elms village (the halls) has recently undergone
refurbishment as part of the University’s overhaul of facilities. A 5-minute
walk from the University, ‘Elms’ has a shop and ‘Scholars’ Bar. Although
many feel halls is a way of automatically befriending lots of new people,
others say the idea is better in theory than in practice as people tend to
mix only with those on their floor rather than with those in the rest of the
village. Then again the experience is what you make it and halls are
certainly a perfect option for those heading to Queen’s on their own or
international students who are entirely unfamiliar with the area. The high
standard of lodgings (including internet access) as well as payment of rent
for only 38 as opposed to 52 weeks of the year give halls an advantage over
private housing options.
Private accommodation is plentiful in the Stranmillis, Lisburn Road and
‘Holyland’ areas of Belfast. Rent ranges from as low as £150 to as high as
£250 per month for a 4 or 5 bedroom house/apartment; although realistically
you should expect to pay around £200 for a newly refurbished HMO standard
residence.
Student safety in these areas is a concern especially for female students
coming home from a night out and is one of the main issues being dealt with
by this year’s Union Welfare Officer. Raising awareness of safety at night
and providing student alarms free for anyone with a Queen’s student card are
two of the proposed actions.
Facilities and Support
From personal experience I can testify that the enthusiastic careers staff at
Queen’s are genuinely motivated to help students make the right choices
about life after Uni. A Student Guidance Centre has recently been set up to
answer questions on everything from services for disabled students to
worrying economic queries. As well as this the Queen’s Student Support
Service aims to help students who are struggling financially.
The Student Jobshop, part of the Careers Service provides opportunities for
term-time and summer work in Queen’s and the Union. Many students have
weekend jobs at home but there are plenty of opportunities in the local
bars, restaurants and shops around the University area.
Queen’s PEC provides a high quality centre for those wishing to keep fit as
well as those involved in team sports. Membership prices are only reasonable
if you intend to make use of the facilities throughout the year – don’t be
fooled by your seemingly enormous student loan and a sudden enthusiasm to
get fit, this usually wears off by November! So unless you’re a sports
addict the ‘pay as you go’ scheme is more economical at £2 per class.
The Student’s Union is across the road from the main university building and
serves a variety of purposes from social life to society involvement. Its
recent refurbishment means the Union is aesthetically very impressive and
offers top-class facilities for all students such as club rooms for society
meetings, a wireless internet ‘student space’ due to open in April 2008, and
most importantly free advice and representation.
The main eateries in the Union are private companies, including Clements
coffee shop, meaning prices are perhaps higher than other Unions across the
UK. Although still providing the odd reasonably priced item it can sometimes
be more cost-effective to eat in the nearby Botanic Avenue and Stranmillis
areas which many students do.
Against Northern Ireland's historically contentious backdrop, the black and
white principles of the past have been known to infiltrate Student Union
politics in a less than positive way at times. Political societies have an
enthusiastic following at Queen’s but the extremist element has remained,
sometimes preventing progress on real student issues in favour of trivial
nit-picking stuck in issues of the past. The efforts of many within the
Union and the introduction of online voting has encouraged more interest in
student elections in recent times, resulting in real issues being raised and
dealt with.
Conclusion
The political and social strides which have been taken in Northern Ireland in
recent times are reflected in Queen’s forward-thinking ethos. The general
attitude of the people of the city is a determination to look to the future
positively and this is reflected in the progressive character of the area.
Queen’s rich history, beautiful architecture, modern facilities and
world-class teaching coupled with its central setting makes it a most
enjoyable place to spend your student days.
A day in Belfast for under £20
1 First a visit to Queen’s. Make sure you’re looking your best as
you’re bound to get snapped by a tourist taking a photo of the beautiful
main building and grounds.
2 Head into the Union for a game of pool or chill out in the seating
area at the front for a spot of people-watching. Oxfam has an outlet in the
main Union building full of cheap clothes, books and accessories.
3 Check out The Parlour just across the road for lunch (pizza and
wedges for £3.50) or if you’re not as hungry get a freshly made Centra
sandwich in nearby Stranmillis and if it's sunny take it to Botanic gardens.
4 Take a walk along Botanic Avenue and through Shaftesbury Square
towards the city centre where all the High Street shops are located. At
Christmas and in Summer the food and craft fairs at the City Hall are not to
be missed.
5 Take in a Hollywood blockbuster at MovieHouse or an independent film
at QFT and finish off with a drink in The Bot!
A highly underrated University, due mainly to it's distance from the Mainland.
Marcus, Shanghai, China