Arriving to your accommodation early? Staying until your tenancy runs out? Whatever your reason, at some point you’re likely to be in Bournemouth during the summer. When societies take a pause and you’re (temporarily!) free from lectures and seminars, you might start to wonder what to do with your spare time. Of course, Bournemouth is home to a glorious seven mile long coastline, but I promise you there’s much more to do than just sunbathe!

Bournemouth Beach

1. Go to the beach

Ok, you caught me. I already mentioned the beach, but how can I leave it out when it’s just so beautiful? Plus, you can do much more than sunbathe. Look for the goats on the cliffs, buy some inflatables, swim in the sea, read a book, whatever you fancy. If you stay out long enough, after 6pm you can have BBQs to enjoy some tasty food and take in the beautiful sunset. Don’t forget your suncream!

2. Visit nearby places

Bus to Swanage (via the chain ferry)

Bournemouth is located within Dorset, a very beautiful county in the south of England. However, Dorset is home to many more beautiful places, not just Bournemouth! Take advantage of the transport links and take a bus (and a chain ferry!) over to Swanage, drive with your friends to Lulworth Cove and Durdledoor or head on over to the nearby New Forest to see some animals and enjoy some relaxing walks. For closer options, head to Christchurch or Poole, or even just grab some food and visit the Lower Gardens in Bournemouth!

3. Exercise

Okay, maybe you don’t want to spend all your summer in the gym, but if you’re still looking for a fitness kick and some fresh air, I have a solution for you! Download the Beryl App and use the code ‘BUBERYL100’ for 100 free minutes. Head to your closest bike stand and cycle wherever you want – but bear in mind there are cycling restrictions along the beach in July and August, so try cycling somewhere new!

4. 

   Beach BBQ

   Meet up with other students

Amongst the thousands of tourists that Bournemouth hosts each year, it can be easy to feel as if you’re the only student in town. Trust me, there are so many students who stay here each year, so get involved with them! Just because a society has stopped for the summer doesn’t mean you can’t see the society members – in fact, I’m a member of the Cocktail and Mocktail society and we have so many ‘unofficial’ meetups – pub quizzes, music bingo, beach BBQs and club nights out. The academic year ending doesn’t mean your fun has to!

5. Final suggestions

Okay, I’m running out of space so I’ll list a few of my suggestions: bubble tea, pub crawls, pottery decorating, learn a language, study for next year, cooking competitions, go to Summerball or get a summer job, whatever takes your fancy. Most important of all: relax. University can be difficult, and it’s important to have some time focusing on yourself and relaxing, so don’t feel guilty if you spend all summer sunbathing, as long as you’ve got plenty of suncream and you’re having fun!

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