Did you stay in your university town or did you never go back?

[JaimeParis]

Or what?!

I studied in Manchester for four years and only ever went back once to visit a friend about a year later. Most people on my course left too. In fact I ended up teaching in the same school in London as one of them. I know some people live in their university town for life. What did you do?

I went to uni in a Northern city and stayed for 3 years after graduating. Then I moved back to London where I had family. I haven't been back since, not even for a visit. I have some dark memories of it tbh and it would be triggering - a shame as it's quite a nice place to visit from a touristy pov.

I'm not in contact with any uni friends any more, but as far as I know most of them have left too.

I left straight after I finished uni and have visited many times over the years but couldn’t have lived there. I possibly would now.

Still here 30 years later

I studied in London, stayed for 5 years after graduation and then left as soon as my career would allow.

I'm not a city person and only go back for the day if I can't avoid it.

I now live close to where I went to university but it was more by accident than design. I left after graduating but ended up back in the city 10 years later.

Stayed for 2 years then left. Go back around every other year, but live only about an hour away.

I know a fair number that stayed although most don't.

I stayed in my university city for 10 years, then moved to a nearby town. Most of my university friends stayed too and we are still close friends 20 years later.

I stayed for a year, left, came back for 6 months, left again, planned to go back but circumstances changed and I didn't in the end.

DD is now at university there, so I get my fix of it visiting her .

Left. But not necessarily out of choice as drs have v little control over where they live..I've spent 9yrs trying to get within an hour of my parents house

I stayed. So did a fair few of us. Those that stayed travel to be those who had become integrated in to the local community through work or volunteering. Those whose lived revolved only through the university left.

I did. It was the thing to do before the EU because it is the capital, everyone young wanted to go there. Then the EU happened and everyone went abroad in all directions. Friends left for Japan, the USA, Germany, the UK and France.

I battled trying to have a career and stay in my country and unfortunately this did not work out. So moved to the UK

Stayed for PhD then left, hardly ever been back though we did have a night there earlier this year and had a walk down memory lane (we met there).
It's a big city, ok as a student but not somewhere I'd ever have wanted to stay.

DD has stayed in her uni town so far, loves it.

I stayed. I’ve moved around the city a bit but have now been here for almost 25 years. I know many, many people who have stayed or come back,after living abroad for a bit, to settle down. Most of them are couples who met at uni. I believe I’ve read that the city had the highest graduate retention rate though, so I guess it isn’t surprising.

Moved to somewhere completely different. We visit it about once a year as a group but it’s a nice touristy town so I enjoy going back to look around.

Stayed for years, then moved to a smaller nearby town. Wouldn't have gone back 'home' for anything!

@TheMoreItGoes Sheffield?

London for me, and yes I did stay.

Came to Bristol for university, dropped out in my first year but met future DH (who was also at uni here) and soon returned and quickly found work. That was over 25 years ago!

And I come from a small town in the South East, there's no way I wanted to spend my life there, although it's pleasant enough to visit

Question here. Do you ever visit your old university?

My son went to a good university in London and he likes going back to campus every now and again. He sometimes works from his old university. (He still lives at home with us in London)

Not from the UK, came to study, stayed on for a doctorate at the same institution, then left — have only gone back very occasionally for a gaudy, or something, but though I loved it there as a student, I find it slightly eerie going back.

A lifetime ago for me and I've never been back. Went back home for a short while then got married and bought a house in another town.

DS has only been back once in 9 years for a reunion holiday. He still loved it but it's not an ideal place for work. He's never been back to his post grad location even though it's in easy striking distance of his home.

I'm still here 20 years later. Met a local guy, got pregnant in the 3rd year and stayed. At the time I was relieved not to have to go 'home' but increasingly I kinda wish I had.

I did 2 degrees then postdocs. It was considered good practice to move around from University to University to gain different experience so I did my degree, PhD and postdocs in different places moving every few years in my 20s (lived in 5 different towns and cities between 18 and 31). I have good friends still in the city I did my PhD so we go back there regularly but the other places feel strange, I know them but don't know them and am not in touch with anyone who lives close by.

Went back a lot in the first year or so after graduating. Haven't been at all in over 10 years.

Stayed for a year then moved back to London to be closer to family and job opportunities. I still have a number of close friends up there and go back probably once a year.