This question feels like a no brainer for me, after spending just one year there I couldn’t recommend it more. I could start by telling you where it ranks in league tables and that it’s a Russell Group etc., but that’s widely known and easy to google! Instead, I want to tell you about my experience as a first year student at Sheffield to really paint a picture of life as a student here. I have broken it down into social life, University life and Sheffield as a city to organise my thoughts a little.
Social life at the University of Sheffield
Sheffield is such a social city and the university is no exception. There is a constant stream of events and opportunities to meet fellow students and get to know the city, not just in freshers’ week but throughout the year. I recommend downloading the Student Union app as it compiles a list of all the upcoming activities and events and you can buy tickets to them there (even though lots are free). One of my favourite types of events is called Give it a Go (GIAG) and they run sessions doing all sorts from sports events, arts and crafts to trips to cities all over the UK. In freshers’ week they host lots and it’s a great way to pick out what societies you might enjoy and find some friends outside of your flat and courses!
Societies
Societies are a really good way to expand your social circle and an essential part of the university experience. The University of Sheffield has over 300 societies and 50 sports club so there will be something that tickles your fancy, click here for handy list of student societies at the uni! If I am being honest I did not make the most of them in first year, so I am hoping to for second year. However, that leads me to an important point; you cannot do everything. Starting university is pretty overwhelming and there are so so many things to fill up your time and social battery that you can only do so much. I was lucky enough to love all my flatmates and have some great course friends, I also worked part time all of first year so my time was pretty full up!
The Student Union (SU)
University of Sheffield’s Student Union has won WhatUni ‘Best Student Union’ for the last seven years and it is a pretty great one! It has a nightclub downstairs called the Foundry and although everyone agrees it’s a pretty cheesy club it’s a staple of student life in Sheffield. They run the student sport nights on Wednesdays called Roar, even if you aren’t a part of a sports society you can still go and it’s definitely something to tick off. Students have a bit of a reputation of getting a little worse for wear at Roar and you can’t attend the University of Sheffield without having experienced a severe hangover from the likes of Roar! Next up is Poptarts, which is every Saturday and attracts a similar but less wild crowd as Roar does! Soul Jam is my favourite of the Foundry Club nights, it plays funk, soul and disco music I went to the last Soul Jam of the year and it was an emotional experience, to say the least! We had such an amazing time we stayed until lights on and the very last song they played was “It Must Be Love” and I felt like it wrapped up my first year perfectly. I have fallen in love with Sheffield; the city, the university and all the people I have met here and I think that song will always take me back to that exact feeling stood in Foundry as an overly soppy but happy first-year!
The University part of uni life!
I study politics and international relations so I’ve been lucky enough to have most of my lectures and seminars in the Wave, which is the new social science building and minus its lack of ventilation, it’s a great building! The lecture theatres and study spaces are nice and it’s the closest building to Endcliffe (the main student accommodation). All of the buildings I have visited and my friends go to are good enough and do the job so I wouldn’t worry about that!
As you may know, plenty of courses at Sheffield offer opportunities to study abroad or complete a work placement which attracts many students here! I can only speak for my course, but it has lots of elective modules that enable me to learn about exactly what I am interested in which I love. My friend at the University of Nottingham studies the same course and barely got any choice during her first year of study!
Libraries
There are two main libraries to choose from, the Information Commons (the IC) and Western Bank (doesn’t have a widely agreed upon nickname, some people come up with some creative options but none of them have quite stuck as of yet!). The IC tends to be more popular in term time as you can talk with friends and experience a more casual study environment, whereas Western Bank is the silent library and you can quite literally hear a pin drop. It tends to be the go-to during exam times. I prefer it though, it stops me from getting distracted so it makes me more productive and I love the views of Crookes Valley Park out the windows! My favourite spot is upstairs on the left as you can see Firth Court (the prettiest of all the university buildings, where everyone gets their graduation pictures taken) to your side and the park ahead of you!
Mental Health & Wellbeing Support
In terms of mental health and wellbeing support, I cannot recommend Sheffield University highly enough. I started with a working diagnosis of ASD and anxiety despite not having an official diagnosis they provided me with a personal mentor and an individual LSP (learning support plan) that ensures university life is as accessible as possible for me. They also provided an ASD assessment for me that enabled me to receive an official diagnosis. Everyone I spoke to was welcoming and supportive, if you have any concerns at all, reach out to them and they will do everything they can to ensure you are as comfortable and as happy as possible.
Accommodation
I spent my first year in Endcliffe which is the student accommodation in Sheffield. It is known as Endcliffe student village because it has lots of facilities, such as a shop, a bar, a study area, a fitness studio, tennis courts etc. I loved my time there and would highly recommend it to future students! Different blocks within Endcliffe have differing reputations so it’s worth looking into it to see what suits you most. Derwent, Froggatt, and Yarncliffe are typically the louder party blocks and Ranmoor, just up the hill from Endcliffe, is an extension of the student village which is quieter. Just a few days ago I visited my flat for the last time and I am convinced Endcliffe Student Village will hold a special space in my heart for the rest of my life. When you first move in everything is new and a totally blank canvas, less than 12 months later those very same walls hold memories and moments you will treasure forever. Read more on where to live as a student in Sheffield here.
Is Sheffield good as a city?
Sheffield is home to a thriving student nightlife which is cheap and cheerful! Excluding the Foundry there are two main locations for a typical night out in Sheffield, Leadmill or West Street. Leadmill is a nightclub on the other side of town (please get the bus to it and don’t walk to it like we did in freshers, it took forever and walking home was an absolute mission). It holds student nights every Friday and typically has Sonic Saturdays and special themed nights on Tuesdays. This club is where I spent almost every Friday of first year and I wouldn’t have it any other way. West Street is the strip with tons of bars and clubs that you can dive in and out of as they tend to be free entry, Bierkeller is with a student ID! For your first night out in West Street, I recommend West Street live to neck a few cheap-as-chips drinks, Bierkeller for a boogie because you can’t not and Tiger Works for a great time.
There is much more to Sheffield than just the nightlife though, home to the peak district and being the greenest city in Europe the natural beauty surrounding you speaks for itself. It is beautiful and makes the summer term one of a kind!
I hope this has helped you to reach a similar conclusion to me, that Sheffield University is not just a good university but a great one!
I’m a second year Politics and International Relations student at Sheffield, I am particularly passionate about social justice, reducing inequality and international affairs. Outside of academica, I try to make the most of every day and like to keep myself very busy! I enjoy writing about student life, particularly top tips for new students and mental wellbeing.
