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.

It is a fairly large city and quite expensive, but it's got good reputation as a university and it really is up to your dc

That will help a little. In the past few years there has been a real problem with sufficient library space.

But still the problem of late night noise for those whose courses demand early starts. The daughter of someone who messaged me, and who was on the verge of dropping out, apparently described it like living permanently at a festival whilst still being expected to study and take exams. The odd one was that tutors did not seem to notice that some students completely failed to attend for weeks, even terms, at a time. I really hope that this has improved as it was both dangerous to lose track of young people, and also the scope for anti-social behaviour at night if you did not have to get up in the morning, is so much higher. And indeed DDs course did not have tutors so when things went wrong there was no one for her to turn to.

Most places you can count on things quietening down as loan money runs out. In Bristol some seem to have quite a lot more money so can keep going.

@NCTDN please don't be put off. DD is a normal comp kid, not wealthy or used to the finer things in life. All her friends seem pretty normal too. Doing a demanding 5 year course so needs to study, but finds plenty of time to be young and try out new things. Never had a problem with noise in halls but then had considerate flatmates I suppose.
Bristol were fantastic during lockdown to her flatmates. I think every Uni will have students who love it or hate it.
Let your DD make up her own mind as it's a fab city. There will be issues everywhere if you look for them.

It's not too spread out. It's all around Clifton and Whiteladies Road really. It's all walkable. Great university and place to be. Not scary. I'd think fine.

Drugs everywhere but not a single Mumsnetter's kids anywhere near them...

Mumsneedwine, my understanding is that Clifton Halls are much better. First you are not so isolated so can get involved in societies and stuff, as well as having shops nearby, and also the halls have real life neighbours who would complain about too much late night noise. Many students seem to have found Stoke Bishop more challenging, though equally others have loved what is effectively an isolated and largely unsupervised student village.

Contrary to MN thinking, plenty of “normal comp kids” seem to have a lot of money. A lot more than some whose parents had stretched themselves to pay school fees. It was not unusual to see first years turn up with cars and have plenty of money for casual spending. It is a pity that in places like Bristol, students seem to define themselves by the school their parents chose to send them to and to stick to the familiar. University should be the time to make friends from different backgrounds.

That said DD was lucky to be sporty, which provided an identity of is own away from the standard normal-state/posh-private divide.

On a teacher's wage I can assure you my DD does not have lots of money. Nor do any of her comp educated friends. They've all worked since 16. And some work while at Uni to make ends meet. So not sure where all these uber rich students are from.
I'm afraid I think it's a bit 'rich' coming from someone whose kids went to a £30,000+ a year school to say they struggled to pay school fees. Most people struggle to pay the gas bill. 'Struggling' to pay school fees is beyond 90% of the population.
As for drugs. I don't know many students who do them now. Most stick to booze these days. It's just not a thing for most of them anymore because they are much more sensible than us. Obviously some kids do, but they seem in the minority - I teach at a pretty rough school and weirdly drugs are frowned on by most of them. Just not cool. And far too expensive.
Anyway, this has all got a bit weird so I'm off. @NCTDN hopefully your DD can decide for herself where she likes.

AllI can say is that state or private is a far from accurate way of gauging wealth. And that it is a real pity that “comp educated” kids at Bristol feel the need to self segregate based on possibly inaccurate stereotypes. Again I am not sure the extent this is common elsewhere. It was not in London but then the majority of coursemates came from overseas so UK students tended to be more aware of what they had in common, rather than in what divided them.

In practice DD has not witnessed much of this as her friendships have tended to be based on common interests and sport. However she was certainly seen some kids with pretty deep pockets, with state school backgrounds.

I went to University of Bath and it was on campus for the first year. Then most students lived in Oldfield Park. It was a little bit drugg tbh, but I'd say the vast majority of students there didn't do drugs. It was quite a sporty university and not super artsy as there are a lot of engineering, maths and pharmacy etc students. I think Bristol was where people from Bath went to for raves tbh! But nowhere is 100% risk free, is it? I felt happier in Bath though.

Students at Bristol Uni housed in Bath! thats crazy, I feel so sad for them.
Bristol is such an awesome city. So many fabulous things to see and do. Beautiful too - the hills mean there are beautiful views across the city, many beautiful buildings, the suspension bridge, the downs.
Yes there will be drugs, a lot of drugs. But there are a lot of drugs at most unis. Loads of dealers - but no requirement to participate! And plenty of other students who wont want to.
Alcohol too, consumed by the bucketload but again plenty wont.

I wouldnt pass up a chance on Bristol tbh - not unless the alternatives are more fabulous!

Also.......dont take peoples anecdotes about drugs from when they were at uni 10/20 years ago as to how things are now.

Drugs werent huge when I was at uni 25 years ago. Its very different now I think.

@Lovemusic33

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.

@Lovemusic33 With knowledge of both Exeter and Bath I had to reply to this. Exeter uni is a great campus uni in a small city. Students mainly live on campus in first year and in the city but walkable to the uni thereafter. Bath Spa has a far less good reputation and is set within a lovely campus right outside Bath - also a small city btw - but is not in or in any way walkable to that city. There is nothing near Bath Spa uni so every trip into the city necessitates a bus ride plus lots of first years live in Bath itself and after first year they almost certainly will. I definitely wouldn't rule out Exeter based on your points above.

Thank you, I’m hoping we get the chance to look at Exeter, we are still waiting for a reply/offer but dd applied for 2023 instead of this year as originally she wanted to take a year out. If they do make her a offer I’m unsure if they will change it to this year.

Exeter is great. I know someone who went there. It's a beautiful city.

My friend who went there found it a little bit 'posh', but I didn't especially notice it.

True that drugs might be around more now. Bath is close enough to Bristol for it to spill over even if, (as was the case when I was at uni and also ten years before I was there, when I was little and we visited Bristol), Bristol has a worse reputation for drugs. I like Bristol as a city though and used to go there quite frequently. But I think some people suit smaller cities better, as I did at that age. Lived in bigger cities after uni though and also loved them

Bristol will have a worse reputation for drugs simply because it is a major city. They are more available etc...

I have seen homeless smack heads almost passing out after their fix on the main shopping street in the touristy centre of Bath, however.

Not seen that in Bristol, although it probably happens too.

Yes, I think I sort of implied that already, when I said that some people suit smaller cities at that age. There is (and was) a drug problem in Bath, but if she can get into University of Bath and likes it, at least the first year is on campus with minimal people passing out from smack or whatever. Which was op's point as well; is it spread across the city? Yes is the answer and some people do prefer campuses at that age

I have watched this thread, nervous of posting because last time I was attacked very badly for disagreeing with the Bristol is wonderful beliefs on Mumsnet. However, to help the OP, I am sharing my perspective based on my DD’s experience.

I would never recommend Bristol for a child from a sheltered background. My DD, who had a fairly normal 6th form experience with parties and drink (so not overly sheltered by my measure) was totally shocked by the students at Bristol. The drug taking is, in some halls, extreme and impossible to ignore. She could not open her window without the smell of weed drifting in. There are no wardens in hall so she felt completely unsafe at night. There were incidents when people came back in terrible states and there was no one to turn to for help. The responsibility was all left on the students to sort out people they hardly knew. This is not the case at other unis eg Nottingham where they have kept wardens I believe.

The social life is centred around clubbing and drinking and most students come to Bristol for that life. It means it’s hard to find friends where this is not their main interest. She was envious of friends at other unis where their first year had lots of activities in halls or colleges and less centred on big club nights so it was easier to meet more people. The social side was so hard for my DD that she actively investigated swapping unis after the first few months. She persevered because she didn’t want to restart again but she and her small group of flat mates still feel like they don’t fit the Bristol norm.

The reputations of unis are there for a reason. Do think, therefore, with their different reputations, what people the uni will attract.

Obviously never been to Newcastle then! If someone has been sheltered from life it’s really best to go smaller and not big city. There’s magic mushrooms elsewhere though! So many alternatives. It pays to match your personality and upbringing with a university. My DD wax at Bristol when there was a warden. Was he ever seen? No! Anyone thinking these made a difference is delusional. As for Nottingham?! Another party city!

It's not magic mushrooms that's the problem at Bristol it's ketamine. I have looked round Bristol twice and it is a beautiful city and I don't think it matters that it is spread out. The problem is the reputation. We live on the south coast and the west country is a very popular option. The ones who want to party the most go to Bristol and others prefer Bath and Exeter.

My DD did apply as she is studying vet medicine which has limited options. It was in her top 3 as it ticked many boxes despite reputation and is still an attractive choice. She went elsewhere though.

@Lovecatsanddogs
Honestly!!! I meant magic mushroomed at other rural small universities! If other people take drugs - they do! No one seriously thinks Bristol is the only place where there are drugs? Surely? The clubs have been closed. Stupid people are all over the UK.

You are totally wrong about the reputation of Bristol. And you are naive if you think people don’t take drugs elsewhere. As a medical student she wouldn’t be clubbing anyway so just turn a blind eye. My DD knew several medics at Bristol and they all had clean lives there. Why anyone thinks a university is full of drug takers and the university they chose has no issues is utterly false!

Research into drug use has found: The biggest areas with drug problems are Wales and London. Brighton and Edinburgh have specific problems too and also Cardiff and Belfast. Different choice of drugs but Bristol doesn’t feature in the list at all. So hopefully no one has students in any of the above areas or cities.

My fairly quiet DD went from a small private school in a quiet seaside town to Bristol. She knew no-one when she went. Her halls were in Stoke Bishop. She had a ball and didn't find it intimidating at all. She made loads of great friends and didn't find the city daunting in the slightest.

Also she said there were people who were into the drug scene. She says they were easy to spot and avoid. She found plenty of like minded people to befriend.

@ApolloandDaphne
Exactly. It’s like this for the vast majority.

As a medical student she wouldn’t be clubbing anyway

Weird comment. Why on earth would a medical student who enjoyed clubbing not go clubbing? Although the matter of Fitness to Practice might dictate that indulging in illegal activity of any description would be too much of a risk to take, merely going to a normal nightclub doesn't actually fall under that heading.