Uni of Bristol- is it very spread out?

[NCTDN]

Dd loves here and would put it as her top choice for uni in September. However, she's led a very sheltered life and I worry that she will be totally lost ( not necessarily physically but pastorally) in Bristol. It didn't have the same feel as a campus (obviously) and with everything being so spread out, I worry if there is the same sense of community. I was very impressed on the open day with everything about the uni but can't allay these fears. I know it's not my choice btw.
Please share any experiences of there.

The buildings are spread out but there is a large student union building. The halls are dotted around.

It is quite spread out but I love Bristol as a city, she'll soon find her bearings.
There has been a shortage of accommodation this year, with some students being housed in Bath. It might not happen again but it's important to be aware.

@Theimpossiblegirl

It is quite spread out but I love Bristol as a city, she'll soon find her bearings. There has been a shortage of accommodation this year, with some students being housed in Bath. It might not happen again but it's important to be aware.

That's one of my concerns. I know if she puts it as form she gets accommodation somewhere guaranteed, but not if put as insurance.

I similarly was a bit sheltered before going to Bristol for uni (grew up in a village, small schools, enjoyed being at home with my family, never lived or spent much time in a city etc) but I absolutely loved it and I definitely felt a sense of community, which developed v quickly. Flatmates and I (in self catered halls in Stoke Bishop) bonded very quickly and they became my “people” for the rest of the three years and we all lived together throughout. Similarly I formed a friendship group with people on my course. It might feel a bit spread out from an initial visit but that wasn’t my experience - if living in Stoke Bishop you walk down to lectures together, there are the usual spots students go to for lunch, drinks, clubs etc. I moved to London after uni and in hindsight saw Bristol as the perfect stepping stone - it’s a fantastic and busy city, but there isn’t the same risk of being a bit overwhelmed and anonymous, which I felt in London a bit occasionally.

I absolutely loved Bristol so please don’t let the lack of campus put either of you off - I’m sure she would thrive there. Best of luck to her for her applications!

@NCTDN DD is a 2nd year at Bristol and loves it. Uni buildings are nearly all in nearby buildings, so not a campus as such but a Uni within a city. And the Great hall at Hogwarts is based on the hall in the Wills building. It's stunning (lost on DD but I was impressed 😊).
Halls this year were a problem due to the inflated grades last year and Bristol honouring all offers. There are loads of new halls being built in the city.
Social life seems to be fantastic. Mine has friends from loads of different courses, does all sorts of sports and goes clubbing a lot too.
Only downside for me is the cost. It's a pricey place to live !

What's the reality of drugs? It appears to have a reputation for being the uni known for drugs but I'd like to think I don't believe a word.
Is it more expensive to live there because it's down south, or specifically uni prices are expensive?

@NCTDN I'm sure there are drugs at all Unis. But I suppose it depends on your kids and their opinion of drugs. Mine thinks they are stupid and just sticks to booze 😊.
Think there are a lot of richer students at Bristol which might be why it has that reputation. But there are many many normal moneyed kids too.

@NCTDN and it's expensive because it's a v lovely city so house prices are more, so rent is more I suppose. And it's down south. My other one is at Notts and it much much cheaper.

There is a dedicated university bus that covers halls and most if not all uni buildings so that will help with orientating themselves quickly. It is an expensive city as there is shortage of housing, not just students but for people working and living here too so tent is high. I would guess apart from rent, other living costs are similar to other towns/cities.

Rent, not tent.

Three of my children went to Bristol and loved it ( all in catered Stoke Bishop Halls (Wills and Churchill) for the first year and then sharing with friends in rented houses in years 2 and 3. They didn't find it too spread out and used a free bus service back from Central Bishop to the Halls. Good sense of community. One of my twins had two groups of friends - Will Hall and the other on his degree BSc. The other had hall friends mostly although also got to know some people on his course (BA).

Thanks- good to know. I'm hoping dd will go for catered accommodation.

My dd has also lived a sheltered life (we live very rurally and she’s not had much experience of big towns let alone cities), DD’s first choice was Exeter uni but I think even if she gets the grades she now won’t be going. Dd has Aspergers and some mobility issues so I’m really worried about how she would cope moving around a city on her own. Dd is now looking at Bath spa which seems to be much smaller and has catered halls. I’m not a fan of Bristol, I know others love it but I’m pleased Dd has chosen Bath.

To be honest, I advised my daughter away from Bristol for a few reasons (and I grew up there!)
First it’s really spread out and I didn’t like the thought of her walking alone across the downs, second it’s got a poor reputation for pastoral care (high number of student suicides) and third it’s a party city and my daughter doesn’t drink. She’s now at a campus university and it’s much more her.

My DD is coming to the end of a very happy time at Bristol. The university seems spread out especially in the first year if you are in halls like Wills which are a bus ride away. However, as so many people move closer to the city centre in the second year, it feels much more compact. My DD has found most of her friends living within a few roads in Clifton.. This is unlike unis such as Warwick where everyone is on campus in the first year and then spread around Leamington and Coventry thereafter. Compared to some big cities, like Manchester, Bristol feels very safe as long as you are sensible

I don’t think you can avoid the drugs however. Bristol’s ethos as a city tends to attract a bohemian crowd and there are lots of recreational drug users. However my DD has never felt pressured to take drugs and has enjoyed the laid back liberal attitude of students.

The students at Bristol do generally seem very wealthy both state and non state students. My DD said the state school DCs often have bigger cars, larger allowances and more second homes in France than the private school pupils.

The pastoral care has really improved. My dd is going through a hard time at the moment and they've been really supportive. It was quick and easy to get a counselling referral, much better than waiting for the gp.

My DX went to Bristol years ago and they were told not to walk on the downs or alone at night anywhere! If the buses have stopped, everyone got taxis. The halls have such restricted parking, only a few bring cars. The majority are decent students.

Drug taking is pretty much everywhere and parents are naive if they think it’s not! Drinking is addictive too in case no one noticed! Students just have to know their limits. If they don’t take drugs before they go to university, why would they suddenly become weak willed at uni? Is it mixing with other wicked young people who have all turned up in Bristol? Or could it be they are in Manchester and Nottingham too? Or even at Bath Spa? (Which isn’t comparable with Bristol uni or Exeter so a weird choice).

Bris uni has a residential halls area at Stoke Bishop which is around 1.5 miles from the uni main buildings. Clifton area where most faculties are, also has halls . Students can live in the city centre if they want more boozers and clubs! The union isn’t a big deal at Bristol uni. Or wasn’t. DD hardly went near it. Largely populated by the more politically active. Not the privately educated by and large. So DC find their tribe.

It’s a place with expensive houses. If you want to fall out of bed and be in a lecture in 5 mins. You pay more for your rent. If you live further out, it’s cheaper. But then you get a bike or get the bus , or get up earlier and walk! Bristol is a fantastic university city. Everything you could want is there.

DX???DD

DS is in first year at Bristol and loving it. He is in catered halls at Badock (Stoke Bishop). The free student bus runs frequently and through the night. He put all Stoke Bishop halls on his choices form (9 choices) and for his 3rd but loves it and has met some lovely people in his halls, his flat and on his course and sports teams.

If they are on a night out and 4 of them the Uber is only £1.50 each.

He will be in a shared house of 10 next year in Redland. This means he will be able to walk to lectures (history student).

He loves access to the varied music gigs around town and has discovered various new (to him) genres too.

He is quite simply having the time of his life.

Mine was in halls in town centre and loved it - even with Covid stuff. Walked (or electric scooter) everywhere v easily. Certainly no car at Uni or 2nd homes in France for her or her friends 😂. All pretty normal range of kids - some rich, some on full loans.
Great pastoral care - it was the first Uni to ask students' permission to contact parents if they were worried about them. During lockdown when kids were stuck in for 14 days the Uni were fantastic.
And it's got a fantastic nightlife, if DD is anything to go by. Loads of sports and societies. Not everyone drinks at parties apparently- v normal to not these days.
It's a good Uni and a good city. Quite jealous I don't live there.

@mumsneedwine

Mine was in halls in town centre and loved it - even with Covid stuff. Walked (or electric scooter) everywhere v easily. Certainly no car at Uni or 2nd homes in France for her or her friends 😂. All pretty normal range of kids - some rich, some on full loans. Great pastoral care - it was the first Uni to ask students' permission to contact parents if they were worried about them. During lockdown when kids were stuck in for 14 days the Uni were fantastic. And it's got a fantastic nightlife, if DD is anything to go by. Loads of sports and societies. Not everyone drinks at parties apparently- v normal to not these days. It's a good Uni and a good city. Quite jealous I don't live there.

Trust my DD then to roll with the wealthy crowd! She has been offered ski trips to Daddy’s chalet, been asked to champagne tastings and lives in an exorbitantly expensive flat in Clifton because cheaper options didn’t include a dishwasher! There was a discussion about a cleaner but Covid bubbles squashed that idea! 😂

@Muchtootall
DD wanted a dishwasher too! In larger flats it’s vital apparently! MN is usually full of DC surviving on a veggie wrap and drinks in a flask! My DD enjoyed life at Bristol and I’m glad she did. I know others do have less money but everyone gets on. DDs best friend’s dad was in prison!

Mine has a dishwasher 🥴. But then so does my DD in Notts for £80 a week. Seems more normal these days to be standard.
Wish mine had offers of ski chalets. Has been to Cornwall to a friend's house. No champagne tasting parties yet - but lots of trips to Spoons where I believe they have buckets with straws. Classy.

I don’t think it suits everyone and like dramaqueen despite having grown up in Bristol and working at the University I didn’t encourage DS to apply as don’t think it would suit him whereas I think DD would have really loved it.

Most will love it but I am cautious now having told a friend’s DD she would love it and she has massively struggled being there and spends as little time there as possible.

@Volterra
It’s horses for courses isn’t it.? Sometimes DC don’t gel with a place or other people. @Xenia’s DC did and so did mine. Also DC need to evaluate what they want and not go on someone else’s ideas. I cannot see why anyone wouldn’t like it at Bristol but friendships and living arrangements are often key. Also never expect anything or anywhere to be perfect. Sadly if someone comes home all the time, they don’t have friends or absorbing activities. That could, of course, have happened elsewhere so don’t beat yourself up over if.