If you are thinking of applying to the University of Sussex in the future or you are going this September, then I’m here (as a current Uni of Sussex student) to provide you with lots of information and show what it has to offer. Hopefully, it will help you decide whether Sussex is a good fit for you or not, giving you plenty of reassurance and helping you feel confident in your decisions!
A campus university = tight-knit community
The University of Sussex is a campus university, which means it is a lot smaller than a city university (such as Liverpool) and all your buildings are in one area meaning you don’t have to trek across the city to get to different blocks. This makes the first few weeks less stressful as it is easier to navigate. I also tend to find that campus universities have a stronger sense of community as usually, your class sizes are a lot smaller, so you tend to make stronger friendships. For example, my course has only 25 people and I have made the best of friends from there. If you would like the experience of lecturers knowing your name rather than knowing you as a number, then Sussex definitely can provide that.
It’s surrounded by nature
Location-wise, Sussex is perfect! It is surrounded by the South Downs National Park and is full of green spaces, creating perfect walks for when studies get a bit stressful. A particularly shoutout to Stanmer Park; it is home to cows, a tearoom and beautiful trees making it perfect for winter and spring walks. I tried to make the most of going here during first year as my accommodation was extremely close to it. I’m upset that I won’t be surrounded by nature like this during second year but I’m sure I’ll still visit as and when I can!
It’s home to excellent cafés and bars
The campus is home to two bars; Falmer Bar and Northfield Bar – both of which are amazing! For example, every Sunday, Northfield hosts karaoke night and every Monday, it hosts a quiz night. Both bars have cheap deals throughout the week and if you want to be sociable but don’t fancy going clubbing, then going to one of the bars is the perfect solution. Now, talking about café’s, my favourite on campus is ACCA which is located just behind Falmer Bar. It is a very vibrant atmosphere where students go to complete their work or just have a catch-up with friends (emphasis on the latter point). It’s filled with plant décor and there is always a ‘meal of the day’ if you are feeling peckish.
There are weekly markets
In Falmer Square (the massive square area as you walk from the train station to campus), on Tuesdays and Thursdays, stalls are set up from local businesses selling their food and drink products. Sometimes, there is sustainable clothing racks set up as well as £6 poster prints for your room! You can’t ignore it on your way to uni as the food smells out of this world – definitely check it out as soon as you can.
CareersHub = the best tool
Now talking about the more academic nitty gritty stuff (equally if not more important than the things above), CareersHub has been a lifesaver for me! A few months ago, I was spending endless hours on LinkedIn and Indeed to find a summer job which didn’t get me much luck. I somehow ended up checking the CareersHub too and found a job which I worked at during this summer. Without it, I would have been severely unemployed, and I ended up having the best time! You can also find networking events, schedule appointments with the Careers Advisor and find placement/volunteering opportunities! Every Sussex student just needs to use their normal login details to access it – it is that simple!
Lots of societies to choose from
Sussex supports over 180 student-led societies. They are very simple to join and vary from Rugby to Strictly society! Wherever your interests lie, there will be something for you to join! I have friends who joined Rugby, for example, not knowing how to play but absolutely loving it! So even if you have never tried something before, there is no better time than the present to start it.
Overall, to answer the question of “Is the University of Sussex good?”, I would say YES! From my personal experience, I’ve enjoyed every single second of it, and I wouldn’t have changed my experience at all. If you asked my friends too, they would agree with me. If you want to learn more about the supportive community at Sussex, then read here about how to access help as a Sussex student.
If you’re sold on the city but still debating unis, make sure you check out our thoughts on how good the University of Brighton is too. You can also read up on how they compare in our breakdown of which Brighton uni is best!
I’m a linguistic student who is passionate about creative writing. I’m particularly intrigued by the power of poetry and how it communicates with people. When I’m not writing poetry, I am thrift shopping, going on coffee dates and visiting bookshops!
