Going to Southampton for a bachelor’s degree in history was kind of a mixed bag. Some departments look dated but the campus itself is good with a nice library. My course has a great variety of topics, but I’m having trouble with feedback. The college is great overall and offers a standard college experience. I wouldn’t say it goes far beyond that, but I wouldn’t say it’s a terrible place to study either.

Okay so here’s the honest truth, I didn’t like uni. In fact, it made me want to kill myself. You are thrown into a sink or swim situation and expected to survive it. I understand that attending uni and independence is ‘part of becoming an adult’ but let’s be honest something needs to change. Whilst university-age students are technically adults many still struggle to adapt and find it hard to reach out. My experience at Southampton was that there was nobody to turn to. I know of a number of students who took their own life during that time and those who didn’t resort to self-medicating in the surprisingly thriving drug scene. With regards to my course, it was oversubscribed and I didn’t find the politics lecturers were balanced in their views. Overall I wish I hadn’t gone.

Laden with as many flower beds as there are bus stops, The University of Southampton makes a clear and conscious effort to produce a green and inviting space around the main Highfield Campus area that offers no shortage of accessible transport all over the city via a unique transport hub in the middle of campus. The university is, by all means, an open and accepting one, with a multitude of societies and sports clubs. I’d challenge you to think of sport without a club there.

Academically, the Modern History and Politics course had a wide-ranging choice of courses for each semester. They are somewhat carefully selected to encompass a broad range of historical periods/topics. Despite this, some topics can seem rather outdated or slightly mundane. Academic support, while present, was somewhat lacklustre throughout COVID-19 lockdowns. Within the Humanities department, there is no shortage of passionate lecturers with years of experience, despite one or two appearing indifferent to jobs.

My favourite thing about The University of Southampton is the open and welcoming campus, with plenty of green space and surrounding areas, along with the ability the pursue academic topics that are dear to you, within your degree.

The University of Southampton is an excellent institution. Not only a Russell Group, it has so many opportunities for learning and development. The nightlife is fantastic and the campus and students union has a great atmosphere.

The University of Southampton provided me with some of the best memories of my life. As soon as I walked into halls on the first day in first year, I was made to feel welcome and provided with lots of opportunities to firstly meet new people, then to begin to explore my studies.

As a Russell Group university, the facilities on offer are excellent and in many cases world-class, with global experts being employed to help students excel in their chosen disciplines. Student life is fun-filled, with countless societies provided to meet new people and bond over new activities.

If it’s a nightclub scene that takes your fancy, Southampton has many options on offer, with every major nightclub providing a cheaper night out on different days of the week. But if you want something quieter or more chilled, then plenty of options exist there too, such as film and pizza nights run by Student Life.

Halls accommodation has what you would want, from kitchen facilities to bathroom facilities to ample space for socialising, and even meals cooked for you in selected accommodation, although the cost of doing laundry could be reduced.

Despite not being perhaps as well-known as other notorious universities, it would be a disservice to Southampton and its university to suggest that you would be better off going elsewhere for your studies. It has everything you could want from a university experience, and very few people indeed would leave after their time here feeling disappointed.