Hello again everyone!

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful two weeks since I’ve last posted 😁

The winter holiday is approaching and it’s definitely gotten much colder here in Guildford. As you walk around campus, you see everyone wrapped in thick coats and blanket scarves. Winter is definitely my favourite season and all of the Christmas decorations make both the University and the high street in town feel so cozy. Seeing as I love the university campus and the town of Guildford so much, I thought I would share some of my favourite things about them with you guys in hopes that you could see just how great living here is!

Firstly, I love the cozy feeling of the town and the high street in Guildford. The main high street is paved in cobblestones, which glisten beautifully when we have a sunny day here in the UK. Towards the end of November, the Christmas lights will be switched on in the centre of town each year. Having grown up in both Dubai and South Africa, I haven’t really experienced a winter-ish Christmas, so seeing the Christmas lights and experiencing that cozy Christmas atmosphere has truly ignited my inner child.

This year, the university has introduced several new places where students can go to study and relax. Some of these places include the Nest and the Marquee. Within the nest, there are some lovely beanbags and some pods where you can either sit and just relax, or do some work in comfort. The university has also included a kitchen space (you can also find one in the Hive), where you can use the hot water taps to make either your tea, coffee or beverage of choice without having to leave the comfort of the Nest. It’s definitely been a welcomed addition to the study/relaxation spots on campus!

Along with the Nest, the newly opened Marquee has served as both a study space and a social space, where food and drinks can be bought during certain occasions. Along with the wonderful decorations covering the roof of the Marquee, the brightly coloured tables and warm atmosphere within the Marquee has created a wonderful study space or just a place that you place that you can escape to when you need a break from studying! My flatmates and I have definitely made use of the Marquee during our midterms, and the music being played in there has made it one of my favourite places to study whilst I’m on campus.

Since the academic year has started again, I’ve sort of started the tradition of going to visit the Fruit&Veg/Bread market that the University has organise every Thursday. They sell a plethora of the most fresh fruit & veg, and as for the bread market, the bakery Brown Bread supply the market with the most wonderful Focaccia breads and a wide range of differently flavoured cheesecakes. I like to treat myself to their chocolate fudge slices and a focaccia bread every week. These treats definitely accompany warm soups and roasts beautifully during this winter. I would definitely recommend that you pay the Thursday market on campus a visit when you have the chance 😊. Along with the Thursday market, we also have a bunch of take away food options available on Thursdays at the University, some of which include paella (perfect for a cold day ❄️).

Sometimes, when I can’t study as efficiently in my room anymore, I like to pay the library a visit. The library has 5 floors, providing you with any kind of study space imaginable. Personally, I prefer the quiet study spaces if I really need to focus, but the group study floors definitely provide a nice change of scenery. The exterior of the library is covered in gold panelling and in the sunshine, it stands out from the rest of the campus beautifully. It is definitely a favourite study space of many of my friends, and if you love to study in academic settings, I think you’ll definitely love our beautiful library. On the ground floor of the library, we have a shop called Simply Fresh, and it’s a one-stop shop for some of your favourite study snacks. The library definitely has everything you could possibly need for a successful study session, including printers that are available 24-hours a day.

I hope I’ve done the University and the town of Guildford some justice and I hope that you guys will all love the university campus as much as I do. It’s definitely a warm and inviting place, and has now become my home away from home!

That’s all from me this week 😁

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and week laying ahead of you!