Experience in Glasgow, United Kingdom by Nefi

Source

What is it like to live in Glasgow? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

It has to be said: Glasgow is a city that loves to drink. It is also the most violent city in the UK but also the friendliest! Don't be scared though nothing has ever happened to me or anyone I know in the past 5 years. Just a heads up!

The city centre is very busy with lots of traffic and tall Victorian and Georgian buildings. At eye level its not very beautiful so look upwards a lot to see the true beauty of the city.

The West End is the posh area, you get lots of really good diverse restaurants there with a ton of vintage shops and thrift stores. Its where the Glasgow University is and most of the student cafés and places are too.

Public transport is sort of okay. There are many bus companies and you need different tickets for each one: this is bad. Living in the city centre is fine, walk or get the subway. Outside the city centre is more hassle. Trains are fine but it can get very expensive! (Ex. : Glasgow-Edinburgh is £12. 50 single journey).

What is the student lifestyle like in Glasgow?

Being a student is Glasgow is great! It is one of the top cities for student life, there is plenty to see and experience you just have to really look for it. On the surface Glasgow is like a typical city but if you search you will find a million things. It has an exceptional art and music scene! Thursday nights at the Glasgow School o Art's VIC are one of the best places to be. Also, Sub Club is a good place to check out. I've been living there for 5 years and I would never want to leave.

Source

How much does it cost to live in Glasgow?

Prices are reasonable, its similar to prices in Austria, Berlin and Lisbon. Much cheaper than London. More expensive than Budapest. Most of your money will go on rent and bills.

Good tip: When going out partying and you want to drink, buy booze in Tesco, pre-drink at home and then go party because if you want to get drunk at the club it will cost you a LOT. Nearly everyone in Glasgow does that. My friends and i do that all the time!

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Glasgow? Is there any advice you can give?

You need to keep looking. I live at home but my friends who came from abroad had some difficult times finding a flat. Moving in with a few other people will be cheaper and easier to find a flat for 3-4 people than for 1 or 2.

Looking on zoopla.com is probably the best. Also, drug stores in the West End usually have flat adverts on the windows.

Source

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

There are better places in the world than Glasgow when it comes to food. Those people that can eat everything and are not allergic to certain foods its good. There are tons of chippies (places that offer French fries and burgers and the like) which is a UK speciality! Lots of Italian, Indian, Chinese and American places. Lots of takeaways which students love. For those who are lactose and /or gluten intolerant like me its a bit more difficult to find a variety of food. You need to ask what's in the food. I usually cook.

What places would you recommend visiting in Glasgow?

I recommend visiting the Necropolis, Glasgow Cathedral, Tramway (south side), Trongate (east end), and the Barras Market (east end), which is a gem. Added to this, I recommend going to Pollock Park and Kelvingrove Museum. The East End is generally very good to look around, since it is interesting and different. I also recommend going to Southside, the lighthouse, the Griffin pub, and the famous riverside museum Zaha Hadid. Just work around a lot, since you never know what you might find.

Source

Source

Source

Is the nightlife good in Glasgow? Where is good to go?

Nightlife is epic. Its one of the best cities to go out in. If you like to enjoy the music, drink, have a really good time and you are more of the "art school" type go to Sub Club, La cheetah, Stereo, Make-do, the VIC. If you are more of a high-heels-minis-look-pretty-hook-up-and-drink type of person then places like Bamboo, Kushion, Sugar Cube, Common are your places to be. But if you google the above mentioned places you'll know what I mean straight away.

Source

What advice would you give future students heading to Glasgow?

Go out and experience the city both night and day. Try things, don't be scared because Glasgow is the best place to be. At first you will complain but eventually the city grows on you. And don't be scared if you don't understand what the people are saying, they do speak English, but what they speak is a dialect called Glaswegian.

Source