I share my experience of being a student in the City of Edinburgh.
While high school, I always wanted to go to a university in a big city and my eyes were set on the University of Toronto. My main attraction was the size of the city and increased opportunities I would get due to it being one of the biggest financial centres. Although, once it came down to choosing I choose Edinburgh, mainly due to the high ranking of the college and the good reputation of my preferred course.
Before going to Edinburgh, my assumptions were that it was a boring, old people city, but I was wrong. Edinburgh surprised me with all it has to offer.
Edinburgh has a medieval touch, surrounded by several gardens and beautiful landscape.
Edinburgh is basically a massive university campus.
Everywhere you go you see students. Students also make up most of the city. If you are going out anywhere, you are likely to see someone you know or at least someone you know of. It feels like a home city.
Here you can live your party life and your nature life.
The Old Town and the Edinburgh Castle create a cosy ambiance, which is interrupted by the night life of Edinburgh. There is no way I am comparing the London party scene to Edinburgh, but Edinburgh won’t disappoint you as there are plenty of clubs here. You can go and experience a night at any of the clubs and choose what your vibe is.
Follow @jigredinburgh on Instagram to get details on events happening every night at Edinburgh.
There is so much to do in the city, while you are also pursuing your education. The city won’t bore you.
- Hiking on Arthur Seat
- Shopping in Princes Street
- Spending time in the Meadows
- Holyrood Park, has a beautiful pond leading you to Arthur Seat.
- Calton Hill, it has the best city views and is topped with monuments and memorials.
- Spending a day walking around at the Royal Mile. The place is filled with picturesque streets and endless food spots.
Ducks at St Margaret’s Loch 
St Margaret’s Loch 
St Margaret’s Loch 
Calton Hill Monuments 
Walk at the Meadows
Two of the BEST VIEWS in the City !!!
This blend of city life and country life is what makes it home for me. There are days where I can party all night and then there are days I can hike on Arthur Seat or enjoy a day at the Meadows. The Meadows have acres of green space, where you can go after a lecture and just spend some time in the fresh air (If the weather is good). As soon as Spring starts to hit, students and local gather out with their portable barbecues and bottles of beer.
End of Semester Time: December Time
The Christmas Market in Edinburgh is one of the largest Christmas Markets in Europe and is a great way to spend some time at after exams are over. Even if you have exams, going there for a few hours is enlightening.
Edinburgh is a city filled with culture, including several museums, galleries, theatre and concert halls.
Additionally, there is a lot to see in Scotland itself. So, if you are feeling bored, catch a train to any other city in Scotland. During off-season the tickets are quite affordable. I took a day trip with some friends to Glasgow. The tickets for a round trip were only £13. Other cities such as Dundee, Aberdeen, St. Andrews, Stirling are all quite close to Edinburgh.
A minor inconvenience.
Despite of all these positive aspects, one thing every local gets annoyed with are the tourists. The pavements are narrow and during most times in the year, the are near Royal Mile can get super crowded with slow moving tourists. This is clearly not a valid reason to not move to Edinburgh, its just a reassurance that you are living in a famous city.
For the first time in my life, I feel liberated as a women.
Being a student, there are some inevitable problems and issues you face, but at least I wasn’t disappointed by the city. Issues come and go, but the city stays with you. Additionally, the city is super safe. For the first time in my life, I feel liberated as a women as I’m not afraid to be out at late in the night. Of course, you need to be aware of your surrounds, but generally it is safe for students. Despite of this, sometimes I have heard to bicycles being stolen, so be careful with your belongings as you would be in any other city.
Here the sun only comes out for 2 hours.
Okay so it’s time to tell you the worst thing. It’s always cold. At times I have never hated Edinburgh more, but once I’m indoors I start to enjoy Edinburgh once again. I have eagerly waited for summer to arrive. Edinburgh doesn’t have summers, it’s just that the sun comes out for 2 hours and then its gloomy for the rest of the day.
Cheap or not ?
One thing to remember in Edinburgh is that it is not cheap. Rent is quite expensive but other aspects of living in Edinburgh are affordable to most levels. Obviously, this is relative to where you are coming from. Therefore, do your research and make your choice.
Food is definitely not an issue.
Being a student and being assigned a non-catered accommodation to live in, I was worried about food. But there is no need to worry about food in Edinburgh as Edinburgh offers a diverse range of food. You can find all sorts of cuisine with my favourites being Japanese, Indian, Chinese and Thai. There are endless numbers of cafes and bars. They are everywhere and you are never too far from one. Cafes near the University are usually filled with students trying to get work done.
MY TOP FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO IN EDI!
- The Views at Calton Hill.
- Walk around in Prices Street
- Go out to a Bar/Clubbing
- Go to a Café to Study or Chat
Everyone wants different things from a city they live in, but if these descriptions of the city describes you, THEN COME TO EDI.
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