Favourite thing you did at university outside of studies?

[Avaznee]

For me it would have to be engaging in student politics. Absolutely loved it.

I discovered my lifelong joy of heavy metal in the local nightclubs. And DH to be.

Waterskiing.

It was a bit random, but this was a pretty unremarkable non-Russell group British Uni in the 90's.

Voluntary work. We accompanied trips for a special school and took children in the care system for days out. It was life-changing and I still volunteer for a number of organisations.

What's everyone's tie to their university now?

I can't find "hidden" gems in London anymore. I can only find nice spots to go to.

I enjoyed going "off the rails" in my own antisocial weird way, of staying up till all hours on the early 00s internet on message boards and things. Sleeping in till early afternoon. Walking around the local Big Tescos at midnight. Just going off out of my flat for a walk into town, with literally no one knowing where I was or what I was up to. My parents hadn't been controlling or anything but I was a bit of a loner in a small market town and mostly a homebody, and the complete freedom to do my own thing with no one else involved was fab.

Also did do several societies/activities, some part time work ad hoc, and some lectures and tutorials! But mostly I enjoyed doing my own thing with basically zero responsibility.

Had quite a lot of sex

Rowing

I was so desperate for money that I had to step outside my geeky comfort zone work wise. I was a promo-girl for three years. We'd do anything from credit card promos in service stations to handing out freebies at sporting events or even being mermaids. I'd have thought it was beneath me previously but - honestly - it was so well organised and everyone was a student, resting actress or similar. Made some great friends, got to travel, got paid decently and developed some self confidence!

involved in (good) amdram stuff, but behind the scenes. I did loads of music, volunteering, edited a magazine, jcr, etc stuff but it was my third year that I realised just how many opportunities there were that were not just to get outrageously drunk and I do regret not taking more advantage of stuff earlier. I also lived in a spectacularly beautiful place.

sometimes I did some work on my degree, but not much. I wonder how I’d be now, paying £9k for the experience. I like to think I’d be a bit more focussed on the academic side, but i would probably still come out with a 2:1 and the other stuff was what probably made me stand out enough to get my first job.

Rowing. It was the first time I'd ever been noticeably good at anything physical. I'm incredibly clumsy with ball sports, too big to run fast and despite many years of various dance classes, am very much not a dancer. I can swim a bit - not that well. But I was really good at rowing. It changed my whole life.

Rebelling!
My parents were quite strict, so I went slightly mad in the first year of uni (partying, drinking, smoking and one night stands). I met my husband in the 2nd year and went back to being a ‘good girl’.
Also, joined the sub aqua club and learnt how to scuba dive.

Lived independently, with all that that entails. Sex, experimental cooking, friends, learning to budget properly, rows, dealing with landlords, parties and so on. Independence. It's an invaluable part of the university experience. I feel so sorry for young people who have to stay at home due to housing costs nowadays. I do think they end up a little stunted.

I don't think I joined any clubs or societies until I went back as a post grad. Just enjoyed a semblance of independence, going to rock / alternative clubs and cheap vodka.

I was in one of the college chapel choirs when I was at Oxford. I have some incredible memories of Evensong. Like something out of Brideshead, honestly

I was older (well, 24 when I started and 27 when I graduated) and I loved finding my tribe - none of whom were on my course. It was a London university and my mates were around my age - we all had our own friends and lives outside of college but we spent many afternoons in the Union getting stoned, drinking shit G&Ts and discussing life before wobbling off to our homes, partners and jobs. Good times!

I volunteered for this service at my uni and it was awful. 99% of the time it was blokes wanking down the phone.

When I did my degree, my favourite thing was mainly enjoying myself, going out with friends, holidays, shopping. I am currently in uni doing a masters degree. I have no free time to enjoy a lot between uni, working full time, raising two children, and running a household. How I wish for those carefree, selfish, putting myself first days. Life was so much simpler then.

Same here. I vaguely remember being vair, vair drunk for 3 years straight, at the end of which the university handed me a degree. Which was rather nice of them.

Then again, I did meet DH and we nearly killed each other with sex for the first 6 months after we met.

I greatly underused the facilities and opportunities available to me as a student. It is one thing I would change if I could go back to that time. Too much time wasted mooning over boys who weren't interested in me.

I did drama for a time which I enjoyed a lot. Otherwise, my main free time activities were hanging out with friends, making dinner together, going for walks to pubs etc.

Seeing so many bands, Manchester in the 90s was so amazing for music everywhere.

I spent a lot of energy going off the rails, after escaping my oppressive family.

It was a lot of fun but utterly exhausting.

The department socials! They were utterly brilliant - usually themed, so you dressed up, with games and some sort of pairing off activity that mixed people up e.g. 'famous lovers', so Romeo had to find Juliet. Even the lecturers and technicians joined in (it was a very small course). We did a summer social as well, which was a trip out. Very boozy. So very, very boozy 😆

I loved my course but oh the dancing in a club to 80's music beer in hand, the smoke machine going. Felt so much joy and freedom!!!

Other than having a baby 😳 I would say I loved living with my friends, and that first taste of proper independence! I absolutely loved my time at uni. After a terrible secondary school and college experience, uni was where everything fell into place.