Birmingham - highlights in a couple of hours?

[Brodpit]

DS has applied to Birmingham university based on an open day (which was great). But is now expressing doubts about firming the offer as he hasn’t seen the city.

We’ll be passing through and can spend a few hours there in the next week. Where should we go (and eat?) to get more of a feel for the place? Advice from current student offspring welcome!

DD chose B'Ham and I am so glad she did. The support has been great, accommodation was perfect for her, the sports and other clubs/societies have made her get out and among people and she has grown so much in the 18 months or so that she has been there.

A curry at Dishoom is a must - bloody lovely! The secret garden in Birmingham Library. A walk round campus and photos beneath Old Joe. Pubs and clubs on Broad Street. Street art in Digbeth. Shopping at the bullring. It's also worth a walk around Selly Oak just because that is where most people end up second year onwards (it's not pretty, but there is a lot of 'stuff' there in waking distance of the student houses so he can get an idea of how easy it all is.

Get him to check out Birmingham Uni on TikTok as well - so many students post. There is also the Fab N Fresh FB page (although mainly posts asking for Sports Night tickets!)

There are a few board game cafes, and escape rooms in the centre, and it can be walked in 40 mins from Campus/The Vale. The Uni train station direct to New Street is a selling point as well.

Great that your DD is enjoying it there! We got a really good feel for the university on the Open Day - helped by the lovey sunny day - but spent so long on campus we just didn’t get into the city. We’ll go and have a good look round.

Thanks for your tips re the student groups. I’ll pass those on.