We all think that whatever town our university is in, it is the best town for students but Bournemouth definitely is something special! When my friends visit from other universities, they comment on how great it is, so it’s not just my bias… here are a few reasons why:

Beach!

• The Beach. Bournemouth is situated on one of the nicest beaches in the UK. Not many students can say that they can wonder down for a swim/surf/sunbathe/beach bbq after their lectures can they? With BBQs allowed after 6pm, come Summer and it’s so relaxing to sit and have dinner on the sand while watching the waves pass by. As well as the typical beaching activities, there is also the option to do surfing, stand-up paddle-boarding, volley-ball and bouldering. There is literally so much on it’s impossible to get bored! Bournemouth is has the world’s first (and only!) pier to shore zipline if you fancy something a bit more adventurous!

Summer stage centre of Bournemouth

• The Live Music. Home to the BIC (Bournemouth International Centre), the Pavillion and the Bournemouth O2, Bournemouth is one of the key spots that artists visit on their tour. Past performances have seen Kylie Minogue, Blink 182, Newton Faulkner and Jimmy Carr grace the stages. Whatever genre you’re into, there will be the opportunity to see some great shows throughout your time.

• Transport. There are a range of ways to get around Bournemouth without having to step foot into a car. Multiple train stations, buses and cycle lanes mean getting round is cheap and fast so there is no need at all to worry about bringing a car with you to uni. There is also a coach station with links across the country to Manchester, London and Birmingham (and tickets are normally reasonably priced!) so you have the option of visiting even more places.

• Community. It might be to do with the fact that there are a lot of students, or that people are generally happier when the sun is out (Bournemouth gets 18-25% more sunshine in the summer months than the UK average) but there is a real sense of friendliness and people being welcome throughout the town. There are always town rangers around to ask if you need help/directions and people are generally pleased to support you if you need it!

Try an escape room maybe?

So there are a few of my favourite things about being a student in Bournemouth but there is so much I could say! Any more ideas? Let me know in the comments below…