Tips for Glasgow Students

Tips for Students studying in Glasgow

Though this list is sort of random, I thought I would share some of the things I learned as a foreigner and are helpful to anyone studying in Glasgow - or in Scotland for that matter. 

Meal deals 

Glasgow is an extremely Student friendly city with student discounts in almost every store and cheap deals for those on a budget. This is what I always tell people when they ask about studying in Glasgow - I love it. Anyway, the concept of a meal deal, which is (1) a sandwich or wrap, (2) a pack of chips (or crisps) and (3) a drink for around £3 pounds can be found in every grocery store here. And it is worth considering. In Greggs, for example, a sandwich already costs £2.75, so upgrading to a £3 something meal deal is extremely cost effective. 

This cost £3 pounds when an Innocent smoothie usually costs over £2 on its own. 

This is not a thing in Germany (or at least to my knowledge) and so when I moved to Glasgow and I was out with friends and the hunger would creep on, everyone just said let’s just get a meal deal. And I was always like – what? My tip: Get a meal deal even if you don't want all three components; it's more cost effective.

UNiDAYS
If you don't know this app, or you have it downloaded but don't use it, then jump on board. You can find discounts anywhere from clothes, food, technology, memberships, you name it, it's there. The trick is to actually SAY that you have UNiDays in order to get a discount, because a lot of restaurants/ shops participate; they just don't advertise it. My tip: Look into the app regularly and don't forget to tell the waitress or check out person to apply the discount. This applies to anywhere outside of Scotland as well by the way! 

I myself use the app!

Clubs in Glasgow

In Berlin, clubs are only open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and you have to pay entrance everywhere unless you have a table or it is some sort of special event. Clubs open around 11 or midnight and are open until at least 5 am – probably because they are only open so few times during the week. That is the norm to me. But in Scotland: Clubs are open like every day. Clubbing on a Tuesday night is the norm and standing in line starting at 9pm is as well – because clubs are not open late. As a foreigner, this concept was entirely new to me. Have I taken advantage of this norm? Probably. But do I like this concept better than the one back home? Not really. My tip: Look for Student Deals on the night you want to go out, and you are likely to get into clubs for free!

Studying in a Glasgow University

Expect to understand no references given in class if you are foreign and study here – because I usually don’t. The perfect example happened to me last week in my marketing lecture. My lecturer asks the class “what do you think was one of the most successful digital marketing campaigns” and shortly after a monkey-type animal appears on the screen. Everyone nods their heads and he goes “you can probably hear his voice in your head” and my friends start going “oh yeahh I remember him”. I had no idea what that campaign was or what that animal’s voice sounded like, and I was probably the only one in that room who didn’t know! My tip: Ask your friends to explain references you don't understand; they will probably come up again so it is worth trying to understand.