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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Will my daughter like Newcastle if she doesn't like Glasgow?

106 replies

feedmefudge · 04/02/2025 01:14

My daughter is keen to go to Newcastle Uni. We're in Scotland. She's an anxious girl and sensitive to her environment.
I was brought up near Glasgow and went to uni in the city. I'm very fond of the place. 18 year old doesn't like it at all and finds it rough. Sorry, I know that sounds so bad, but I'm unsure how else to express it.
I've never been to Newcastle but I get the impression it's a fun and lively 'party' city, similar to Glasgow. I just don't know if it's going to be for her and think she may feel more at home in a calmer place, eg York.
I know she sounds like a total snob, but it's just her anxiety.
Thank you in advance for your thoughts. And if anyone has ever lived in Newcastle or went to uni there, I'd love to hear from you Smile

OP posts:
MorrisZapp · 04/02/2025 10:08

WearyAuldWumman · 04/02/2025 02:26

Agreed re Glasgow. My dad didn't want me to go there - his only experience of it was a football match...

Once my mum saw Byres Road, she and my dad were both fine!

They must have expired at Ashton Lane then! Ooh the banter 😊

MorrisZapp · 04/02/2025 10:12

Another factor is the bottomless brunch effect. Scotland doesn't allow drink promotions by law, but most uni towns in England will have promotions which turn some streets into gin lane at the weekend. York included, though it's my favourite city.

Anothernamechane · 04/02/2025 10:13

Newcastle and Glasgow are similar cities imo, but if she was going to Glasgow Uni she wouldn’t be hanging around the city Centre and I really don’t think anyone could call your average Glasgow Uni attendee or the West End rough. If that’s too rough for her, I think she’d struggle anywhere.

cheezncrackers · 04/02/2025 10:13

Maybe a city university isn't for her OP. Has she looked at campus unis? Might suit her better.

Monster6 · 04/02/2025 10:15

I’m from Glasgow and visit Newcastle often. I enjoy both cities but they’re both a bit rough round the edges. Lovely people, etc etc…but I’ve never seen so much vomit on the streets on a Sunday morning as you do in the Toon!! They’re similar, basically. As others have said, St Andrews, York, maybe Durham? Newcastle is a mid sized, northern city with areas that are nice (jesmond) and areas that are not so nice (byker) much like Glasgow. 🤷‍♀️

Monster6 · 04/02/2025 10:16

cheezncrackers · 04/02/2025 10:13

Maybe a city university isn't for her OP. Has she looked at campus unis? Might suit her better.

This! Everyone I know who went to Stirling absolutely loved it

Redbushteaforme · 04/02/2025 10:17

I know that liking the place you are studying in is important but surely the quality of the teaching, reputation of the course/degree and outcomes for graduates need to be taken into account too when choosing? Not all universities (or degrees) are equal!

craigth162 · 04/02/2025 10:22

feedmefudge · 04/02/2025 06:30

Yes, she's cut out for it Smile
I do know what you mean though.
Living in Edinburgh has spoilt her a bit Shock but she fancies spreading her wings.
In fairness to her, the city centre of Glasgow has gone downhill a bit, especially around the stations (though it was always a bit dodgy there). My dad attends GA meetings in the city and even he feels intimidated around the Bath St area at night. He is someone who ADORES Glasgow and won't hear a bad word against it. He's always telling me how much nicer the people are in Glasgow Grin And he's not the kind to feel scared easily as he worked at Barlinnie prison all his days!

My mum was born and brought up in glasgow and went into city centre every weekend as a teen. She hates it now and finds it intimidating even during the day. I worked there for years esrky 2000s but it feels so different now. Dirty and threatening somehow. My 15 year son feels very uncomfortable in it. Never thought as a west coaster I'd say it but prefer Edinburgh now

ThatsNotMyTeen · 04/02/2025 10:24

I’m from Glasgow and I really like Newcastle as a city, I could definitely imagine living there. As for the Uni my son is at Glasgow and planning to leave as he hates it. I think the Uni and the city are definitely different vibes. Not sure about Newcastle Uni v city

ThatsNotMyTeen · 04/02/2025 10:26

Has she thought about Aberdeen? Mine is now considering there.

FartyAnimal · 04/02/2025 10:29

How about a campus uni - Loughborough or similar? All big cities have rough areas.

namechanger986 · 04/02/2025 10:30

BigDahliaFan · 04/02/2025 09:25

I really wouldn't recommend Lancaster, the city itself is so run down now. I know a lot of people who go to Lancaster.

I'd have said Stirling or Durham. York is so touristy. Newcastle around the Jesmond area is fabulous. But while I'm very fond of it ... I'd say it was similar to Glasgow in feel.

It really isn't. Lancaster is a small city with two universities so a very high proportion of the people there are students. It's increasingly vibrant and buzzy with lots of improvements over recent years and the campus is now beautiful.

SnoopysHoose · 04/02/2025 10:31

Has she actually visited Glasgow Uni? my DD is there and is definetely not rough

BigDahliaFan · 04/02/2025 10:35

namechanger986 · 04/02/2025 10:30

It really isn't. Lancaster is a small city with two universities so a very high proportion of the people there are students. It's increasingly vibrant and buzzy with lots of improvements over recent years and the campus is now beautiful.

Fair enough, I go through it about once a month and have felt it go downhill over the years.

shoogal · 04/02/2025 10:37

I went to uni in both these cities. Glasgow for MA, Newcastle for PGCE. I absolutely loved Glasgow. Newcastle not so much but then I was only there a year and friendships were already established through undergraduate. Both places have rough and nice areas. The areas round both unis are full of students and are pretty nice. At least they are when I went years ago. I would let your daughter decide. She’s old enough to make a decision/live the consequences and she’s the one that’s going to be there. Both great cities. I like York too.

Printedword · 04/02/2025 10:39

One of DSs best friends is in Newcastle. It's a party city and that's the main social vibe. DS has visited a fair amount, he's enjoyed it but prefers all the cultural stuff like cinema, art etc. that you would get in Manchester, Leeds, York, London.

Pluses of Newcastle are easy access to the beach, near Durham where a lot of their cohort went.

IrisM22 · 04/02/2025 10:49

Glaswegian here whoever worked at Glasgow Uni for many years. I did a one week residential school at Sussex Uni a while back and can highly recommend if she's looking for a different vibe. The campus is self-contained rather than sprawled throughout the town, with it's own shops, pub etc, and it's not far on the train to Brighton for the beach and a bit more nightlife. Really lovely and very different from Glasgow. I also stayed in their halls of residence and it was really great.

IrisM22 · 04/02/2025 10:50

Sorry, lots of typos above. Typing on the go and on phone.

EdgarAllenRaven · 04/02/2025 10:51

I think Newcastle is pretty chilled and friendly actually, lived there for some months.
If that’s where she wants to go, she should go - and if it’s a bit busier than thought it could be a good learning experience for her.
Uni is a time to stretch your boundaries and get out of your comfort zone…

ethelredonagoodday · 04/02/2025 11:09

Went to Newcastle Uni, live in York.

As others have said, both cities can be what you make of them. As a resident of York I rarely go into the city centre at weekends, especially not on race weekends or whatever, but during the week it's a fab city! I also think, as a resident you get to know which areas are where the piss heads and stag/hen dos tend to go, and avoid those!
It is busy with tourists, but this ebbs and flows depending on what's on. Last weekend was busy as there was an ice sculpture trail which brought lots of people in...

Same for Newcastle, although it's a long time now since I went there to uni there. I think Newcastle, is much nicer than Leeds for example, and the areas where students tend to live like Jesmond are little communities within themselves.

Fransgran · 04/02/2025 11:16

My youngest daughter, who suffers from anxiety, liked the vibe of Newcastle but finally plumped for Warwick where she stayed an extra year to do a Masters. She enjoyed campus living and really liked Leamington where she lived for a year. One factor to be borne in mind was that at weekends, campus mostly emptied out as so many students went home. Things like that need to be considered. My daughter was fine with it as she visited her boyfriend at a different, relatively nearby, university. One of my nephews also ran up against the same situation. He came here (Ireland) for university (from England) and his halls of residence were empty every weekend. I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't had family to come to. He's a very sociable, out-going character but you need to have other people around! By the end of the first year, he had a cadre of good friends and we seldom saw him - he was too busy having a ball - but it is something to consider when choosing a university, especially if it's not feasible to pop home (with laundry!) at weekends.

JackieGoodman · 04/02/2025 11:17

She might be fine with Newcastle, Glasgow has a much bigger centre than Newcastle, IMO Newcastle just feels smaller (I prefer Newcastle). Glasgow has a huge city feel to me.
Go for a visit.

Cakeandusername · 04/02/2025 11:21

Best thing is to visit the universities. I’d do several open days and see what she likes. It’s time consuming but important to get somewhere that’s a good fit.

Lollzi86 · 04/02/2025 11:28

I went to Newcastle and loved it. But I love big cities! And it does have its rough parts like any other big city….maybe try Warwick? I visited there and decided it wasn’t for me as it was a bit quiet 😀

xILikeJamx · 04/02/2025 11:28

I'm from Scotland, but lived in various east coast places and never Glasgow. I quite like all that there is to do in such a big city, but I'm probably with your daughter and find it a bit rough and wouldn't really want to live there. Would live in Edinburgh quite happily.

We visited Newcastle for a couple of days during the October holidays and my impression wandering around the pedestrianised shopping areas was that it was very similar to Glasgow but not as well looked after. Would say Glasgow was slightly nicer.

However if I was a uni student again I'm sure I'd absolutely love all the nightlife and things going on in Newcastle and think it was an amazing place, rather than mid-life me getting annoyed at the awful patchy repairs they've made to the shopping street paving slabs.

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