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Original poster

Royal Holloway - is the area isolated/a bit dull?

26 replies

Ozzie9523 · 29/09/2021 13:51

We attended an Open Day here on Sunday and I was blown away by the sheer beauty of the place (I realise that's not the only reason to pick a uni!). It also offers a cyber security course which not many unis offer and which our DS is interested in. However, our main reservation was the area - it almost felt like being on holiday in the campus but the village itself is very quiet and any shopping, cinema etc is a train ride away in Staines. Waterloo is an hour away by train. I'm wondering if the novelty of living on such a beautiful campus would wear off quite quickly. I also understand that around a third of students leave at the weekend, confirmed by our student guide who said it was indeed very quiet at weekends. Does anyone have any experience of this uni and how students found the whole experience? Thanks

OP posts:
Talipesmum · 29/09/2021 14:23

I was there for a one year masters (quite a few years ago). It’s a lovely campus but surrounding area is v quiet - 15-20 min walk down into town, and you just end up in Egham, which is really quiet and small. But you get good on campus stuff to make up for it. For me, I found it ideal for one year concentrated study. I wouldn’t have wanted to be there for my whole undergraduate time - I was at a city centre uni for that - but I think the students there really liked it - depends what you want! It had a good international mix too, and has excellent reputation for some courses in particular. And it’s an easy base if you’re doing London-based internships.

shallIswim · 29/09/2021 14:32

Young friend went. Loved it. But she was v sporty so had social life centred around clubs. I think that's the thing to remember - a lot of the fun is about the people.

vjg13 · 29/09/2021 14:40

I went for interview there many years ago and was told it can be deserted at the weekend when many students go home so that isn't a new thing.

LIZS · 29/09/2021 14:43

Quiet but accessible to larger towns. Events take place on campus.

LIZS · 29/09/2021 14:46

As far as dead at weekends I'd say no more so than Kent or York for example.

TizerorFizz · 29/09/2021 14:49

I wouldn’t choose a campus at a small town for 3 years. RH is known for being quiet and students do come home a lot. They live a commutable distance away. A friends DS was always at home. Liked his course though. Analyse what makes DS tick. Often students don’t think a beautiful campus is the top criteria! It’s a parent thing!

PacificState · 29/09/2021 14:56

LIZS I was just going to say - sounds like York, campus was a ghost town at weekends when I was there. York itself is probably a bit more exciting than Egham, but so throttled with tourists we tended to avoid it anyway. But we made our own fun. IME unless you're really passionate about something that you need physical infrastructure for (shopping, cinema, clubbing and gigs, concerts, art galleries) your uni experience will be made or broken by the friends you make - everything else is secondary.

CraftyGin · 29/09/2021 15:01

There is a huge redevelopment project in Egham, which will include a cinema and lots of hospitality.

The train to Waterloo is about 40 minutes, and there is also Windsor on the doorstep.

As part of the University of London, the student loan is at the London rate.

Piggywaspushed · 29/09/2021 17:08

I have never heard of York being dead at the weekends! Very few students are properly local.

I have, however, heard this repeatedly about RHU.

LittleMysSister · 29/09/2021 17:12

I went to uni here but I did live at home as I was local. I think there are a fair few who do this, and also many who go home for the weekends too. But equally lots who don't :)

The area is fairly quiet but as you say, the transport links are good into London and surrounding areas. Windsor is also super close and has good nightlife. Plenty of pubs around Egham too.

RH has loads of sports team and clubs etc that your son could be a part of if he wanted, and also has a good student union.

In short, it is different to going to a big city uni where everything is on your doorstep, but I don't think you miss out socially at all. It's easy enough to hop on a bus or train to Staines/Windsor or even London.

LittleMysSister · 29/09/2021 17:17

IME unless you're really passionate about something that you need physical infrastructure for (shopping, cinema, clubbing and gigs, concerts, art galleries) your uni experience will be made or broken by the friends you make - everything else is secondary.

Completely agree with this too, a lot of fun just takes place in halls, in the SU and in student houses. Parties etc. Most don't have the money to be out and about in the town all the time, even if they are in big places like York, Manchester...

cheesegloriouscheeseyum · 29/09/2021 17:29

@Piggywaspushed

I have never heard of York being dead at the weekends! Very few students are properly local.

I have, however, heard this repeatedly about RHU.

I went to York (many moons ago) and it was definitely not dead at the weekends. We used to go to student nights at local clubs in the week, but at weekends fun nights were organised at the college bars on campus. Sure people went home to see family but only sporadically over the terms.
Helenluvsrob · 29/09/2021 17:32

We looked at it with one of ours.
The impression was that everyone went to London or home at the weekends

cheesegloriouscheeseyum · 29/09/2021 17:33

@Ozzie9523 your DC could have best of both worlds at RH: an amazing campus with all the facilities/ clubs in one place, but with London / southbank 40mins away for the odd special night out. Sounds great!

Piggywaspushed · 29/09/2021 17:33

I did too, and also have two younger colleagues who went there recently. Lived on campus in first year and every night was basically the same as far as I noticed! Sunday quieter but that's the same everywhere, isn't it?

ItsNotMeAnymore · 29/09/2021 18:30

Maybe ok if you like sports but it’s not a place to go if you like clubbing. Check out the closing time of the student bars and compare with other uni’s. I don’t know if it’s still true but I think there was nothing open on Saturday nights after 9 or something like that….. That’s going out time at other uni’s. It’s extremely quiet at the weekend and Egham is very small and boring. There is more of an old people vibe than a student vibe. It’s just a street with some boring shops. Nothing wrong with it at all but it’s dull.

If you get a good house then I’m sure you can still have fun but if you are after a party/clubbing type of student experience then RH isn’t a good choice and even if you aren’t interested in that then surely most students would prefer to be somewhere where there are things to do locally such as student’s restaurants, board game cafes or similar.

Royal Holloway - is the area isolated/a bit dull?
TyrannysaurusXXrightshoarder · 29/09/2021 18:34

Parking here as DD interested in Royal Holloway……..

Whattodo121 · 29/09/2021 18:49

I went to RHUL and had a whale of a time (this was 20 years ago though!) most of my friends went home a similar amount of time as me (once a term if that) and we were never bored. The student union had party nights two or three nights per week, and we would go to Windsor or Staines to the crappy nightclubs there or to the cinema. Kingston and Richmond were not too far away, and we would go into London to do things as well. I stayed an extra year to do a masters, met DH there and have such happy memories. I was very involved with the music and musical theatre stuff there and was playing in concerts and rehearsals and shows all the time. Was bloody marvellous.

CraftyGin · 29/09/2021 19:08

@ItsNotMeAnymore

Maybe ok if you like sports but it’s not a place to go if you like clubbing. Check out the closing time of the student bars and compare with other uni’s. I don’t know if it’s still true but I think there was nothing open on Saturday nights after 9 or something like that….. That’s going out time at other uni’s. It’s extremely quiet at the weekend and Egham is very small and boring. There is more of an old people vibe than a student vibe. It’s just a street with some boring shops. Nothing wrong with it at all but it’s dull.

If you get a good house then I’m sure you can still have fun but if you are after a party/clubbing type of student experience then RH isn’t a good choice and even if you aren’t interested in that then surely most students would prefer to be somewhere where there are things to do locally such as student’s restaurants, board game cafes or similar.

The old people would beg to differ!

If you want a board game cafe, there is a free one at Egham Literary Institute, or at The Missing Geek in Staines.

Not all students want to go clubbing.

Finknottlesnewt · 29/09/2021 19:15

What is not to love at one of the most beautiful universities in the world (official according to the students )

Have you actually SEEN IT ??

My Dd loves it ..

ItsNotMeAnymore · 29/09/2021 19:31

@CraftyGin
The old people would beg to differ! Presumably that's why there are so many of them 😅

If you want a board game cafe, there is a free one at Egham Literary Institute, or at The Missing Geek in Staines.
That's a million miles from a board game cafe. It's once an ad hoc 2'hour games session that looks like it only runs once a week. 🤦🏻‍♀️. Staines isnt that close. It's a bus ride away or an hours walk.

Not all students want to go clubbing. Obviously, I said that really clearly in my OP. It depends on the student.

CraftyGin · 29/09/2021 19:33

Nothing wrong with students setting up their own bespoke board game cafe...

What on Earth is wrong with the Missing Geek? It is highly acclaimed!

321zyx · 29/09/2021 20:09

I live locally to RH, I think the building is amazing, however I can't imagine being a student there. From my perspective Egham and Staines don't do it for me and I wouldn't want to trek in to London for night life (if that's what you are after). DS didn't even consider it and has gone 'up north'.

ItsNotMeAnymore · 29/09/2021 20:17

@CraftyGin
What on Earth is wrong with the Missing Geek? It is highly acclaimed!

I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it apart from the fact it’s a bus ride or an hours walk away from the University Campus.

neonjumper · 29/09/2021 23:10

DD had 3 friends started there this term. One is commuting from Hertfordshire, the other living in halls for first year then also commuting from Hertfordshire second year onwards . Another is going home every weekend as they have a weekend job that pays more ( in tips ) than the Egham branch .
A commute into London for clubs / bars is not the cheapest!