to ask you all for positive (or at least realistic) stories about Manchester/University Of Manchester?

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I’m panicking a bit about DD starting Uni in September. We’re from down south and the vibe feels so different up there. Not in a bad way at all, just very different. I know I’m seeing it through my middle-aged eyes, but I keep reading about the crime rates and the constant rain, and it’s making me anxious! Please help me see it in a more positive light. (I’m being upbeat with DD, but I’d like to actually feel that positivity myself.)

Have you spent any time there, or are you just looking at crime rates? It's not a leafy home counties idyll no, but which city is. It feels a lot safer than London to me.

Can I reply to your question privately @EscapadeVelocity?

OK so you’re familiar with London, and Manchester is a smaller city.

work wise she has some paid experience, so has a head start on some others, the main challenge is likely to be competition for jobs with reasonable (and relatively few) hours. If her current place is a chain she might be able to transfer while seeking something else. it might make sense for her to investigate opportunities and what the recruiting organisations require and identify her transferrable skills.

Manchester uni is full of southerners - which wasn’t the vibe I was expecting at all. Most of the drug-using students DS encountered (including unfortunately in his flat) were very well off London types.
The student union has job listings for students but any student union jobs go fast.
Fallowfield is gritty - the supermarket security is a bit in your face and you are aware you are living in a less affluent area. But DS has not had any problems with crime.
You do have to be streetwise like in any big city. He does know people who have been mugged late at night walking home. There was a student murdered outside a takeaway a few years ago. People do get spiked. You do need to spot trouble and walk / run away from it. That’s no different than me growing up in London donkeys years ago or any other big city.
There’s a great bus service, uber, bikes, scooters etc so no need to be walking alone late at night.
All the young people I know there love it. It’s young and vibrant with great music scene. Much cheaper to live than London. Easy to find shared houses.
Students look out for each other it’s a huge student population and a city in its own right.
If you can afford it and she won’t abuse it then set her up on your uber account so she never has to worry about getting home.
Boys are statistically more at danger (from drunk men picking a fight) than women. Advice is always go back to somewhere busy eg pub or club (where there is usually security) and get a taxi if you’ve had a negative interaction with anyone in case they wait for you / follow you home. We found that out the hard way when DS got beaten up on his way home after standing up for a girl being harassed in a club but that happened in our local town not a big city!

Buy her a warm and waterproof coat and shoes - she'll thank you. It is colder upu here (we are from the north west and DSS went to Newcastly - even though he was acclimatised he was super grateful for the warm and waterproof coat!).

I’d recommend a visit to John Rylands library.
I think part of process is trusting they know themselves and have chosen best fit for them.
I’ve enjoyed visiting my dc a few times and getting to know a new city.

Sure … 🤷‍♀️

My daughter has just graduated from University of Manchester. She shared a house in Moss Side for the second and third year.

She's not had any problems, although she takes the usual precautions of not walking around at night - she takes Ubers or the bus, which are plentiful. She has witnessed some trouble on the local streets, but this didn't involve students and appeared to be local teens fighting. I suspect you'd get this in most urban areas.

I don't think Manchester is more unsafe for students than any other big city.

I came to Manchester from the South East as a student in the late 80s, and never left.
There's always lots to do. Housing is getting expensive but more affordable than London. There's a great vibe for young people, a strong music scene. Last time I went into town I saw a few tents erected and there are always spice heads in Piccadilly gardens, which a is a bit grim since they put up that ridiculous concrete wall but I don't go there often. Most students don't spend that much time in the town centre though.

It's great to see that I am overwhelmingly being unreasonable on this one 😁

I’ve lived everywhere from Torquay to Oxford, came to the NW for uni and have never left
yes it is wet!

You absolutely are but it is understandable!

Honestly, it's a lively, lovely and friendly city with SO many different parts to it! Yes of course there are areas that are a bit rough round the edges but that applies to pretty much and city or town in the world!

My cousin went there in 2017 and I used to go and visit her. We had an awesome time (I won’t go into details because I don’t think that would put your mind at ease). We did get into some states but there were street pastor people about in the city who always helped us getting into cabs ect. The doormen were always nice and helpful. I didn’t feel unsafe and she was never the victim of crime while she was there. I have family who live there and yes there’s some rough areas, but that’s the case anywhere.

I went to uni in Edinburgh which is seen as a “safer” city and got followed, and mugged over the four years I was there. It really is just luck of the draw. I’ve lived in Glasgow and surrounding areas for years now in some places with high crime stats and not been a victim of crime. I understand your worries, but all you can do is tell her to be sensible.

Did you actually say you are anxious about the rain?

I studied in Manchester and loved it. Great student city.

It does rain a lot but crime is just like any other city.

Everyone I know who went to Manchester enjoyed it. My neighbour’s daughter is going there and really looking forward to it.

I've re-read my OP and that's exactly what it sounds like but no, I am not anxious about the rain. I mentioned it more in the sense that it might all feel a bit sad and gloomy.😁

I know two young people who left Manchester for other universities in the last couple of years. One boy, he said he did not like the city, but it was clearly that he had social issues there. Anyway, he is much happier now he has moved to
Edinburgh. The other girl left because she really hated the city and felt it was dirty. Most of all she could not bear the weather. She is much happier now in London.

None of them mentioned the crime. People change universities for all sorts of reasons, so let your daughter make up her own opinion. I have family who live in Manchester and love it so I’m sure she will be fine!

It doesn't rain all the time in fact there was a thread just a couple of weeks where posters were complaining about the miserable weather in the SE and it was cracking the flags in Greater Manchester
Yesterday waa very warm.

Not sad and gloomy at all
(Disclaimer - not a huge fan of Pride but gives a flavour of Manchester)

100 photos that sum up the joy of Manchester Pride 2025 - Manchester Evening News

I am also from 'down south' - born in London and grew up in Herts, then London again, went to university in a southern city. I now live in Manchester.

It's a brilliant city - especially for students. It has one of the largest student populations in Europe, which they're incredibly well catered for. It's lively with great night life, but in a way that means there's something for everyone - there are plenty of places for low-key socialising so it's not like it's all big clubs etc. There are lots of small, quirky indie/artsy venues as well as clubs and a big creative scene with lots of opportunities to see live music in every conceivable niche genre and so on. The arts/culture and creative scene in general is really great and there are also endless opportunities for sports and so on. And similar to the night life, there's a huge variety of shopping and so on - obviously all the big high street chains, trendy places and designer shops are here, but loads of really good independent niche/quirky shops as well.

I'd very much say it's a city with something for everyone - it has a reputation as a party city but to be honest it's way more varied than that. I wasn't a party animal as a student, but I would have loved to be a student here! And if your DD is more of an outdoorsy type, it's very close indeed to moorlands, the Peaks and the Pennines and I'm sure the university will have clubs for walking/climbing etc.

Public transport is very good and now cheaper than most other big cities.

Crime is no worse than in any other big city. I've lived here for over 20 years now and have never been a victim of crime at all - and that included when I lived in a very gritty city centre area.

I always feel that it rains a lot but statistically, there is no significant difference in rainfall between here and the south. And we've had the same hot, dry summer that everyone else has had.

she really hated the city and felt it was dirty. Most of all she could not bear the weather. She is much happier now in London.

Having lived in both Manchester and London, I can assure you that Manchester is no more 'dirty' than any other city.

I will be honest and say that after any lengthy period in Manchester, the sunlight in the SE does feel a bit like going on holiday. But you get used to greyer skies when you’re there. And there’s so much going on.

What the actual fuck? 😂🤔🤣 Panicking?

It's one of the best universities in the country.
The city is a normal city.

HTH