Things to do
How do I make the most of three years?
The students who look back most fondly on their degree aren't the ones who worked hardest or went out most β they're the ones who were intentional. This guide is a prompt as much as a list: here's what's available, here's how to use it, and here's what most students wish they'd known earlier.
What's on the student bucket list?
60 genuinely achievable things across six categories β people, academic, adventures, culture, personal growth, and sport. All ticked interactively. None of them require money you don't have. Start with the ones that scare you slightly.
Should I join a society?
Yes β and sooner rather than later. The first two weeks of first year are socially unique. You'll never have more permission to turn up somewhere new without knowing anyone. Most students join two or three societies, attend regularly for one, and look back wishing they'd joined more things when it was easy.
What can I do that's actually free?
Plenty. National museums, university public lectures, student radio, parks, open mic nights, film screenings, free walking tours. A significant proportion of the best things available to students costs nothing. We've listed them all β including the ones students walk past every day without realising.
Make the most of three years
University is genuinely unlike any other period of life. You're surrounded by thousands of people your age with shared interests, low costs of entry to almost everything, and more unstructured time than you'll have again until retirement. The students who use it well aren't the ones who planned it to the minute β they're the ones who stayed curious, said yes to things they weren't sure about, and built a life at university rather than waiting for it to happen.
The student bucket list β tick them off
60 genuinely achievable things across six categories. Click to tick them off as you go.
Your progress
0 of 60 ticked off
Join a society in the first two weeks
Before life gets busy and you default to the people on your corridor
Take on a committee role in a society
President, treasurer, social sec β whatever suits you. Genuine leadership experience.
Make a friend from a completely different background
University is one of the few places this happens naturally β make the most of it
Volunteer for something that matters to you
Most SUs run volunteering programmes. Regular or one-off β either counts.
Become a student rep or course rep
Represent your cohort, develop your voice, get into rooms you wouldn't otherwise
Have a proper conversation with one of your lecturers
Office hours exist. Most academics love talking to engaged students.
Stay in touch with someone from every year of your degree
Your network is being built right now, whether you're deliberate about it or not
Go to a house party where you barely know anyone
Uncomfortable for twenty minutes, often brilliant after that
Cook a proper dinner for your housemates
Not pasta. Something you actually put effort into.
Do something for someone anonymously
Leave good food in the kitchen, cover a shift, pay for a stranger's coffee
Go to a lecture you're not enrolled in
Most universities let you attend any open lecture. Pick something completely different from your subject.
Get your CV reviewed by the careers service
Free, ten minutes, almost always surfaces something you hadn't noticed
Do a summer internship or work experience
Even one week changes how you think about what you want to do
Attend at least one careers fair
Even in first year. Even just to look around. Especially in first year.
Start a project that has nothing to do with your degree
A blog, a business, a podcast, an app, a zine β something entirely yours
Write something you're genuinely proud of
An essay, a piece of fiction, an article β and keep it
Apply for a scholarship or grant
Most go under-applied. You won't get ones you don't apply for.
Read one book per term that has nothing to do with your course
Fiction, biography, economics, philosophy β just something for you
Attend an industry event or employer talk on campus
Free insight into what jobs actually look like β and who's doing the hiring
Use your university library properly
Not just Google Scholar. The actual physical library, the special collections, the quiet floors.
Inter-rail or backpack through Europe
One summer. Multiple countries. Cheaper than you think.
Travel somewhere you've never been on a student budget
Doesn't have to be far. Somewhere genuinely new to you.
Spend a night outdoors β camping, wild camping, or bothying
UK has some of the best hiking and wild country in Europe. Most of it is free.
Do a university society trip
Ski trip, hiking weekend, sports tour, music tour β different from anything you'd organise yourself
Visit another university city for a weekend
Stay with a friend or in a hostel. Every UK student city has a different personality.
Go to a UK music festival
Glastonbury if you can get a ticket. But also: Green Man, End of the Road, Latitude.
Explore your university city properly β not just the student bits
The neighbourhoods, the markets, the parks, the things locals actually do
Do a spontaneous trip β booked less than 48 hours out
A cheap Ryanair fare, a friend with a car, or a train somewhere on a reading week
Apply for a year or semester abroad
The most consistently life-changing thing available to most students β if your course allows it
Try a sport or physical activity you've never done before
Most university sports clubs welcome complete beginners. The barrier is lower than it looks.
Go to a live gig β not just big names
Small venues, unsigned bands, your city's grassroots music scene. Often Β£5βΒ£10 and excellent.
See a play or show at your SU or local theatre
Student productions are free or nearly free. Professional theatre has student standby tickets.
Go to a free museum or gallery exhibition
UK national museums are free. Most cities have world-class collections students walk past every day.
Perform something in front of an audience
Open mic, spoken word, comedy night, music, improv β once is enough. It changes something.
Write for your student newspaper or contribute to student media
Low barrier to entry. Genuine bylines. Better than most work experience for journalism or comms.
Learn something new that has nothing to do with your degree
A language, an instrument, pottery, coding, climbing β pick one thing and actually learn it
Go to an art house or independent cinema
Most student cities have one. Student tickets are usually Β£5βΒ£7. Completely different from a multiplex.
Visit a comedy club or stand-up night
Work-in-progress shows by well-known comedians are often Β£5βΒ£8. New material, intimate rooms.
Explore your city's food scene
Street food markets, independent restaurants, cuisines you've never tried.
Create something and share it publicly
Post a photo series, publish an article, put a design on a t-shirt.
Have a proper conversation about mental health
Yours or someone else's. Not "how are you, fine" β a real one.
Do something that scares you at least once a year
A presentation, a cold-water swim, asking someone out, applying for something competitive
Spend a day entirely alone, deliberately
A solo walk, a solo trip, a solo afternoon at a cafΓ© with a notebook.
Change your mind publicly about something you believed
The willingness to update your views is one of the most underrated intellectual skills.
Disagree with your lecturer in a seminar β politely, with evidence
This is what seminars are for. They will not only survive it β they'll probably enjoy it.
Cook for yourself every day for a whole week
No delivery, no meal deals. A full week of actually feeding yourself.
Take a social media break β at least a week
Most people who do this sleep better, feel less anxious, and don't miss it as much as expected.
Keep a journal for at least one full term
Not for anyone else. To process, to notice, to have something to read in ten years.
Ask for help when you actually need it
From a friend, a tutor, the counselling service. Asking is harder than it looks and more rewarding than you expect.
Forgive yourself for a year that didn't go to plan
Not every year will be the best. That's not a failure β it's three years of a life being lived.
Join a university sports team β any level
Most clubs have a first team, second team, and recreational team. You don't need to be good.
Try a completely new sport
Ultimate frisbee, fencing, water polo, lacrosse, rock climbing. University clubs are the cheapest entry point.
Get a university gym membership
Often Β£80βΒ£180 for the full year. The best-value gym membership you'll ever have.
Complete a charity run or physical challenge
5K, 10K, a long hike β sign up with friends and raise money while you do it
Go to Varsity
The annual sports competition against your rival university β one of the most electric events in student sport.
Swim outdoors β a lido, a lake, the sea
Wild swimming is having a moment and for good reason. Exhilarating and completely free.
Take a long walk with no destination
Two hours, no headphones for the first half, nowhere to be. Underrated.
Establish a morning routine that actually works for you
Not necessarily 5am. Just consistent, intentional, yours.
Spend a day in nature β proper countryside or coast
Most university cities are within 45 minutes of somewhere genuinely beautiful
Learn to cook at least one nutritious meal you genuinely enjoy
Not for a deadline. For you, because eating well is worth it.
What to prioritise each year
University has a natural rhythm. First year is for exploring, second year is for deepening, final year is for converting. Knowing which phase you're in helps you use your time well rather than doing final-year things in first year and first-year things when it's too late.
Join everything β filter later
The first two weeks are socially unique. Join three or four societies before you settle on one or two. Say yes to things you're unsure about β the cost of stopping is zero.
Learn your city
Most students spend first year in a five-street radius. Make a deliberate effort to explore β neighbourhoods, markets, parks, independent venues. Your city is one of the best things about your university choice.
Establish good academic habits
First year grades often don't count towards your final degree β but the habits you form do. Students who build good note-taking and attendance routines in year one rarely abandon them.
Start thinking about work β even briefly
Attend one careers fair. Get your CV reviewed once. Have one conversation with someone doing a job you might want. None of this commits you to anything β it just means year two applications don't start from zero.
Go deeper in the things you love
Take a leadership role in a society you've been a member of. Apply for the internship you researched in year one. Pick the modules you're most excited by. Second year is when breadth becomes depth.
Plan your big summer
The summer between second and final year is the longest free window of university. Plan it deliberately β a placement, inter-railing, extended travel, or a summer internship. This window is harder to replicate after graduation.
Apply for placements and internships
Applications open in September. Most large employers close their summer internship windows before Christmas. Year two autumn is when to move β not spring.
Get honest about what you want
Second year is a good time to do the thinking that first-year excitement made hard: what do you actually want from your degree and your life after it? Not what sounds impressive β what genuinely suits you.
Don't let the degree slip
Final year grades determine your degree classification. Students who have a return offer often coast on their academic work. This is a mistake β conditional offers can be withdrawn for poor results.
Apply for graduate roles in autumn
Major graduate scheme portals open in September and October. Students who secure good offers are the ones who apply in first term, not January when many schemes have already closed.
Say a proper goodbye to your university
It's easy to spend final year so focused on what comes next that you don't enjoy what you have. Block out time for the things you love β the venues, the people, the routines β before they're gone.
Think about what you want your life to look like β not just your job
Where do you want to live? What do you care about outside work? Final year narrows focus to careers. Keep the wider picture in view.
Societies & clubs β finding your people
The average university students' union has 150β300 active societies. Most students join two or three, attend regularly for one, and look back wishing they'd joined more things in first year when it was easiest. The barrier to joining something new is lower than it ever will be again.
The breadth of what's out there
Sport at university
University sport is one of the most accessible and most underused things available to students. Every club β from first team to social team β is looking for people. You do not need to have played before. The social side of university sport is arguably as valuable as the athletic side.
Free & cheap things to do
A significant portion of the best things available to students cost nothing, or nearly nothing. This is for the days between payday and the end of term when the budget is tight but staying in feels like a waste.
National museums and galleries
Every major UK city has free national or civic museums. The British Museum, Tate Modern, National Galleries of Scotland, National Museum Cardiff β all free, all world class.
Student radio and open mic nights
Most university radio stations welcome contributors with no experience. Open mic nights at local venues are free to attend and often free to perform at.
Parks, nature, and green spaces
Most UK cities have genuinely beautiful parks. A Saturday morning with a coffee and a book or a Frisbee costs almost nothing and is genuinely good for you.
University public lectures
Most universities run open public lecture series β history, science, philosophy, current affairs. Free to attend, often with eminent speakers. Check your university's public events page.
Your university library
Beyond books and journals β many university libraries have printing, quiet study rooms, and access to software you'd otherwise pay for. Spend an afternoon in a corner of the stacks.
Student film screenings
Most universities have a film society running weekly screenings β classic films, foreign language films, cult cinema. Usually Β£2βΒ£5. Better than Netflix and more social.
Student theatre productions
Your SU drama society puts on multiple productions a year. Tickets are usually Β£3βΒ£8. The quality is often surprisingly high β and it means everything to the people performing.
Cook with friends
A shared dinner with four friends costs Β£3βΒ£5 per head and is often more fun than going out. Rotate whose house, rotate who cooks. The best student nights are often the unplanned kitchen ones.
Free walking tours
Most student cities offer free tip-based walking tours covering history, architecture, and local stories. A good way to understand the city you're living in β even if you've been there a year.
Get up early and see your city before anyone else
A sunrise walk or run through a city before it wakes up costs nothing and stays with you. Do it once per term at least.
Getting beyond your campus
One of the quieter regrets of many graduates is having lived in a city for three years without really knowing it. The campus and a few surrounding streets become the entire world β and the city itself stays largely unexplored.
Explore a different neighbourhood each month
Pick a part of your city you've never been to. Walk it, find a cafΓ©, look in the independent shops. Every city has corners that most students never reach.
Rent a bike for a day
Most cities have cycle hire schemes. See far more of a city from a bike than on foot β and for less than a day's bus fare.
Get to the coast or countryside
Most UK university cities are within an hour of genuinely beautiful countryside or coastline. A day trip by train split four ways costs less than a night out.
Visit a local market
Farmers markets, street food markets, and covered markets exist in every student city. Better than a supermarket on a Saturday morning.
Use your 16β25 Railcard for day trips
A third off rail fares opens up almost every UK city for a day. A Β£25 return on your Railcard is often cheaper than a night out.
Attend cultural events beyond student venues
Diwali celebrations, Chinese New Year events, Eid gatherings, Caribbean carnivals β most university cities host significant cultural events that are free, public, and genuinely unmissable.
Frequently asked questions
I'm in second year and feel like I missed out on a lot in first year β is it too late?
I don't drink β will I miss out on the social side of university?
How do I balance having a social life with actually doing well academically?
What if I'm an introvert and find all of this overwhelming?
I'm struggling to enjoy university β is that normal?
More student life guides
Everything for life at university, beyond the lecture hall.
Nightlife & social life
Nightlife gets a disproportionate amount of the "university experience" narrative β and it's genuinely a part of it for many students. But the social life that matters most and lasts longest is rarely the nights out. It's the late-night kitchen conversations, the society trips, the spontaneous Sunday afternoons, and the habits of connection built across three years.
Student Union nights
Your SU is usually the best-value night out available. Cheaper drinks than commercial venues, student-specific events, and the social density of knowing half the room. Use it across all three years.
Live music venues
Every student city has a live music scene beyond the big venues. Small rooms, Β£5βΒ£10 entry, artists you'll be able to say you saw when they were small. Dice and Resident Advisor are your best discovery tools.
Pub quizzes
The ideal mid-week social. Free to enter, cheap to play, and one of the few student activities that genuinely mixes different friendship groups. Most local pubs near campuses run weekly quizzes.
Karaoke
Aggressively underrated. Private karaoke rooms (KTV style) are often Β£5βΒ£8 per person for two hours. Better than a club for groups who actually want to talk.
Late night food rituals
Every university city has its own sacred late-night food institution. Finding it, knowing it, and defending it is a legitimate part of understanding your university.
The nights you didn't plan
The best nights out rarely were. A spontaneous decision at 9pm, a route that went unexpectedly. Leave room in your social life for these.