Tips

Here are some helpful tips to make sure you’re keeping safe and making the most of your time at Strathlcyde.

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Welcome to Glasgow

Before we begin ensure the first thing you do is follow us on Instagram and TikTok to be kept up to date with all the latest goings on at Strath Union.  Now then, lets go...

Strath Union and The University of Strathclyde call the city of Glasgow home and for those of you who are arriving in Glasgow for the very first time, welcome!

Glasgow is Scotland's largest city, with a special mix of history, culture, entertainment and education. It has great scran (food), top patter (conversation) and plenty of activities to keep you occupied - when you're not studying of course...

All of the buildings on campus, including Strath Union and Halls, are located between Cathedral and George Street so you're right in the heart of Glasgow. Pop into the Union to say hi if you're in the area before September!

Glasgow Phrases

Glasgow has its own amazingly colourful dialect, with many slang terms frequently used by locals. Here are some we feel you should know:

  • Aye - Yes
  • Naw - No
  • Scran - Food
  • Patter/Banter - Light-hearted conversation
  • Wee - Small
  • Wae - With
  • Weegie - Glaswegian native
  • Ken - To know something
  • Refuweegie - Adopted Glaswegian
  • Quid - A Pound
  • Fiver - Five Pounds
  • Tenner - Ten Pounds
  • Tea - Dinner, but can also mean the drink

How to get around

We're less than 15 minutes walk away from the major train stations, Central Station and Queen Street Station, and Buchanan Bus Station.

All types of travel in the city are operated by different providers so there's no universal ticket option but most offer some form of discount for students:

  • First Bus offers discounted ticket bundles (weekly and monthly options) available to buy in their app. Download the app by searching for First Bus.
  • Under 22s Free Bus Travel - every 5-21 year old living in Scotland for more than 6 months of the year can travel for free by bus with a valid National Entitlement Card or Young Scot National Entitlement Card. Find out more and apply on Transport Scotland's website.
  • ScotRail accept railcards offering up to 33% off on all tickets after a certain time. These have an annual fee and can be purchased on the National Rail website.
  • Glasgow Subway offer savings on travel with their Smartcard scheme. Register online for a card, get it delivered to your door and top up online or at stations around Glasgow.

Moving away / staying at home

Moving away to university can be quite daunting but you're certainly not alone if you're feeling overwhelmed. Here are tips whether you move away or stay at home to help you have a great experience!

 

Moving away 

Finding accommodation

Explore the Advice Hub's House Hunting Starter Guide if you need help finding housing or you're struggling to find a flatmate. You can also take a look at the dedicated housing advice page for help. Listen to Jodie, one of our Advisors, give some top tips on finding accommodation on our podcast.

Planning your move

If you connect with your flatmates online before you move it may be helpful to establish who's doing/bringing what. This may save everyone some money and space plus it might stop the “stop using my stuff” arguments too.

 

Move in week

Establish a cleaning rota

Cleaning up after yourself is, let's face it, a basic skill that everyone should know. That said, good personal hygiene won't keep the floors, bins and toilets clean. Get together early on and make a plan to share cleaning tasks out so everyone is on the same page. As a general rule though, clean up after yourself, especially dishes and the bathroom; no one likes cleaning up after someone else!

Make a group chat

This may seem obvious but make a group chat, you'd be amazed how often people wish they'd done this earlier. You never know when you'll need to make a group decision or when someone gets locked out and needs help.

Tell someone if you're struggling

It can be tough sometimes to make friends with people you don't know and now have to live with - little frustrations can escalate and it might be hard to figure out how to fix them. Talk to someone you trust or reach out for support if you need it.

 

Staying at home

Commuting students

As someone who isn't living away from home it can sometimes feel that you're not getting the full experience. This isn't true - how much time you spend on campus or how involved you get is entirely up to you.

Make Freshers count

Freshers' Week is a focused time of year when everyone is on the same page. Get involved as much as you can, branch out and build your network. Try something new, there are plenty of Societies and Sports Clubs to explore, so you're guaranteed to find something you love.

You can get involved with most Societies and Sports Clubs throughout the year if you don't sign up at Freshers. There are plenty of other opportunities out there including Volunteering that you might be interested in.

Things to do

In Glasgow

  • Strath Union (51 Richmond St, G1 1XU) - We might be biased but this is our favourite place in all of Glasgow.
  • City Centre - The campus is surrounded by this area packed with restaurants and shops, highlights include Glasgow Museum of Modern Art and the Glasgow Mural Trail.
  • Dennistoun - A great student friendly area in the East End of the city with sights including Glasgow Green, the Necropolis and Alexandra Park.
  • West End - Another great area for students with places like the Botanic Gardens, Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery.
  • Shawlands - In the Southside of the city this area is home to Queen's Park and Hampden Stadium.
  • Open Top Bus Tours (nearest stop George Square) - The open top bus tour is a great way to see all of Glasgow's sights and get to know the history of your new home. You can hop on and off these as you wish which makes them a great way to explore the far reaches of the city.
 

Outside Glasgow

  • Edinburgh - As much as we HATE to admit it Edinburgh is a really beautiful city. It's got winding streets full of culture, that big iconic castle and hunners of hidden gems.
  • Highlands - It's a total cop out to lump the Highlands as one package but this is basically an excuse to say that Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries on Earth. Some highlights include The Isle of Skye, Loch Ness and Glen Coe Valley. If you don't a car there are plently of tours that take you up north to explore.
  • West Highland Line - Another way to explore further north, this line takes you to Mallaig from Queen Street Station, along the River Clyde, through Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Rannoch Moor and the famous 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct. The cinematic landscapes speak for themselves.

Shopping

Supermarkets

  • Sainsbury's (135 George St, Glasgow G1 1RD) - Ah the meal deal… truly a staple of the student diet, this shop is close enough to campus to grab one in between classes.
  • Oaka Supercity (130 George St, Glasgow G1 1RG) - Your go-to place for Asian groceries, dim sums and comfort in Glasgow with a wide range of products. 
  • Aldi (132, 136, 140 High St, Glasgow G1 1QF) - Just down the steps along from the Union, this is a great place for food shopping if you live in the on-campus halls.
  • Tesco (6-7, Merchant Building, High St, Glasgow G1 1NL) - A little further down High Street this shop is handy if you live in Andrew Ure Hall.
  • Morrisons (5 Barrack St, Glasgow G4 0TZ) - A short walk from campus and if you're staying in the private halls on Havannah Street particularly handy.
 

Health and Beauty

  • High Street Pharmacy (128 High Street, Glasgow, G1 1PQ) - This is the closest pharmacy to campus providing pharmacy first service which you'll be eligible for if you are a resident in Scotland and/or registered with a GP in Scotland.
  • Boots (220 Buchanan St, Glasgow, G1 2GF) - The one stop shop for necessities from shampoo and conditioner to medicine and first aid. With a number of stores across Glasgow they also offer help with any pharmacy needs.
  • Savers (104-114, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3DE) - A great location to save yourself some money when shopping for health, beauty and household cleaning products.
 

Furniture and Homeware

  • Welcome Hub - Head to our Welcome Hub based at Lord Todd's on the weekend of 8th-10th of September to pick up some bargain home essentials courtesy of our friends at The Salvation Army Donation Centre in Renfrew
  • Argos (40 Stockwell Street, Glasgow G1 4RT) - Pick up everything from kettles and toasters to laptops and printers here. You can purchase products online or in store with the option to collect items inside select Sainsbury's supermarkets.
  • IKEA (99 Kings Inch Drive, Glasgow G51 4FB) - A bus ride away from campus this is the one stop shop for all things home. Book your space now on our IKEA Trip!

Student-friendly jobs

If you are keen to ‘earn while you learn' then the Strath Union JobShop is the place for you! We guarantee that every job listed here will pay either the Glasgow Living Wage (minimum £10.90) or National Living Wage and there is not a zero-hour contract in sight!

The University Careers Service offer CV checking appointments to Undergraduates and Postgraduate Taught students if you need some advice with applications. You can access their services for up to 5 years after graduating.

International student support

The University's International Student Support Team, offer guidance and information. They've created a handy checklist featuring important things to do once you arrive to ensure a smooth transition into university life.

We've gathered the highlights to some commonly asked questions:

If you are arriving at Glasgow Airport between September 9th and 24th, you can register your arrival using this form to facilitate a smooth passage through Immigration Control and onward travel to your chosen accommodation.

If you are arriving outside of the above dates, check the university's airport arrival guide here.

Student discounts

Explore our dedicated section listing the best student discounts and rewards including:

  • Online discount platforms including Totum Digital, Student Beans and UNiDAYS offer thousands of student discounts in-store and online - all you need is your university email to sign up.
  • Streaming services including Spotify and Amazon offer student discounts worth checking out.
  • Food delivery platforms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat, Pizza Hut and Domino's regularly offer deals to students, especially during Freshers.

Societies and support groups

We know that settling into university life may not always be straight forward, so the Union offers wellbeing support, a safe space where you can always find someone to talk to, offload your worries, and be signposted to additional support if needed.

 

The Advice Hub

The Advice Hub is a service available to all Strathclyde students offering free and confidential information and advice. They're independent from the university and can work with you on academic, housing and/or finance related issues, just to name a few. It's easy to book an appointment, explore services online or contact them.

 

Hear to Listen

Hear to Listen is a service that offers informal, friendly, confidential, wellbeing support, in person, and a safe space where students can find someone to talk to, to offload their worries, or be signposted to additional support if needed. They don't provide counselling, nor intervention, but simply pastoral support, offering a listening ear to anyone who wants it - even if it's just to chat because someone is new to Strathclyde and still getting to know people and the campus.

 

Glasgow Students' Nightline 

Nightline is a non-judgemental and confidential listening and information service run by students for students with volunteers from all 3 universities in Glasgow. Open through the night, Nightline can be contacted by phone, text or online chat for free and in complete confidence.

 

Christian Union

The Christian Union isn't just for those that follow the Christian faith at Strathclyde. It welcomes everyone under its banner and presents new students a fantastic way of networking and expanding within the student community. They also organises events and workshops on a regular basis to encourage maximum engagement.

 

Strathclyde University Muslim Association (SUMSA)

SUMSA is the place for all of our Muslim students to meet and find new friends. There is a dedicated space in the St. Paul's Building on Martha Street. There are prayer rooms, social events and gatherings to discuss faith.

 

Language Cafe

This society is a wonderful place to meet other students while learning a new language. They regularly host language exchange events with a cup of tea. Who knows, you may have the chance to share your own language too.

 
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