Now that freshers’ week is officially over, refreshers and returners alike have finally started to flock onto campus for reasons other than getting a head start on campus 14 or grabbing a pint at Mooch. To help you get into the swing of things we’ve compiled a short list of what’s new on campus this year.
Buses
Aside from the usual Jubilee, Sutton Bonington and King’s Meadow hopper buses, the most popular bus by far is the 34 as it goes right through campus, down Derby road and into town for just £1. Some of you will have realised that the price has increased to £199 for the Nottingham City Transport (NCT) unlimited academic year pass for this year – but don’t let this put you off! You can now use your bus pass during winter and Easter break. On top of this NCT has introduced new N4 and N34 buses that run from town to campus and back from Monday to Saturday during term time all night, which saves you taking a taxi.
“There’s also a new smartphone app you can download that tells you exactly when the bus is due,” shares Dan Lee, a third year economic student. “Now I don’t have to end up waiting for the bus for 15 minutes in the cold or when it’s raining ‘cause I’ll know when it’s running late.”
The £199 “Academic Year Offer” is available until 13th October 2012, and you can get one from the travel centre in Portland Building or online here. There’s even a new live bus timetable display outside Hallward!
Hallward Library
Ever needed to go to the loo or grab a book but didn’t want to lose your table and lug your laptop around with you? Hallward has introduced 200 different outlets enabling you to lock your laptop up by using a standard combination cable lock – buy one from the Student’s Union shop for £8.99, or from £3 and up on Amazon.
If you can’t be bothered to bring in your laptop, or all of the library ones have been taken out, you can now borrow iPad’s for up to three hours in Hallward as well as George Green and Greenfield Medical libraries.
You can also borrow up to 20 library books, as opposed to the previous limit of 15, with a modified loan period for short loan books. To make it easier for those of us who had to rush to return them by 10am last year, the loan periods have changed to 11am to 4pm and 4pm to 11am the next day on weekdays and from 4pm on Friday to 11am the following Monday if you take a short loan out for the weekend.
Eating in Portland Building
Not much has changed in Portland apart from some subtle interior and menu changes, but here’s a handy run down of what you can eat in Portland.
Up in the food court there is Man’s Gourmet, offering a variety of Chinese food, curry and dim sum. Open during the week from 11am to 6:45pm and 11am to 6pm on Saturday, it’s usually always crowded. While it might be tasty, the price is steep, particularly when compared to its sister restaurant Man’s Restaurant (previously China China) in the city centre – but it’s definitely worth a try between classes!
On the other side of the food court are a selection of other stalls that offer food from £3.50 and up, from 11:30am to 4pm throughout the week: Pasta Pronto, Item Seven serving African Caribbean comfort food, Chicago Town pizza, and delicious chicken wraps and pittas from Love Chicken Joes.
For sandwiches, drinks and snacks head to Mooch, Costa, Starbucks, Boots, the Juice Bar or Portland B Café, which also serves burgers, pizza and pasta.
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Nights Out
From last year’s nights at Crisis to the return of Oceana as University of Nottingham’s official Monday night, we’re spoiled for choice with some of the best nights out that Nottingham can offer.
Monday
Monday’s at Oceana
“With 6 incredible rooms including live music, a disco floor, karaoke and an exclusive VIP, the place to be on Monday nights is the Official Nottingham University night at Oceana.” – Carpe Noctum.
VICE at Coco Tang
Known for some of the best cocktails Nottingham has to offer, Coco Tang’s VICE Mondays offer the best of disco, house and electro with special student prices on all their delicious cocktails. Order a ‘Filthy Lemon Tarte’ or ‘Parma Violet’ and you can’t go wrong!
Tuesday
F*CK HIP HOP at Market Bar
Now completely refurbished with more dance-floor space, Market Bar offers up the very best of old school hip-hop and fish bowls for the ultimate night out.
KOOSDAY Nottingham at Gatecrasher
KOOSDAY Events Company has finally arrived in Nottingham bringing us an all-new student night with five rooms playing a range of house, electro, RnB and hip-hop.
Wednesday
CRISIS at Rock City
Always massively packed, the main room offers up the latest chart, cheese, indie and student anthem hits while things get hard and heavy downstairs in the Black Cherry Lounge with the very best of RnB, dubstep, UK garage and funk.
Thursday
4PLAY at the Forum
Now an official Karnival night, be sure to get your tickets early and be on time, as Thursdays at Forum are notorious for turning people away at the door. With £1.50 drinks all night and the perfect mix of a variety of club hits, 4PLAY has something for everyone.
Friday
Friday at Ocean
Celebrating a decade of hosting official nights for University of Nottingham’s crazy students, tickets for Ocean sometimes sell out weeks before. Gritty and sticky, but a night where everyone can let loose, Friday’s at Ocean are both the ones you remember and the one’s you try to forget.
Sources:
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/news/article/sushop/2962/
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/news/ipads.aspx