We went to the first Yolo of the year and here’s what you might have missed

The queue for Yolo, Orange VKs, and the torture of a 9am on Thursday morning have been a far cry from the reality of last year, thankfully though, the wait is finally over as the SU has reopened its doors. What better way to kick off the 2021/22 term than with the greatest battle of the year, shadowed only slightly by Nicki Minaj vs the British Government: Yolo vs. Juice.

Yolo vs. Juice is as divisive as Marmite, some love it, some hate it (does anyone actually hate it?) But no matter where you stand, it doesn’t change the fact that the SU is the butter to the bread of Cardiff University.

Ah the SU night out… where necking a stranger feels so sexy in the moment until you see the video your bestie got from the side… Alcohol and bad lighting is not the best mix.

From socials to Varsity afterparties the SU is a staple of any Cardiff students week. If you’ve never been to the SU for a night out, we’re not sure how you’re graduating (Freshers, take notes: attend YOLO). From foam parties to zoo parties to neon raves and guest DJs, the SU offers it all throughout the year, and (fingers crossed) we finally get a return of it this year.

I bet you never thought you would miss the queue for the bar but then the second your feet grace those empty VK bottles lining the floors, you’ll feel like you’re finally home.

So the night itself. The SU opening is the restart of Cardiff University’s greatest night out, and you’ll be glad to hear some things haven’t changed. The prices of the drinks were still pretty steep, but can you put a price on good times and the best memories? If you were at all familiar with the SU pre-covid, you’ll have expected a queue half way round the city.

Pub golf at its finest

The night started strong with some shocking dance moves which can only be blamed on the year’s worth of lockdowns. Rugby corner was still going strong, it felt almost nostalgic as if they’d never left in the first place. And of course, the certain je nais se quois of Cardiff Student Union, was the balcony full to the brim of people hanging over the edge playing real-life Where’s Wally?

Just because none of us had seen Yolo for 18 months, it didn’t mean anything had changed. Smokers was rammed, including the odd few of us who like a wander on a night out, only to regret leaving the safety of the group later on.  And as the early hours dawned, so too did the creme de la creme of the evening, don’t pretend you don’t know what we’re on about … I’m loving angels instead. Does anyone know if Robbie Williams knows the chokehold he has on the entirety of Cardiff Uni on a Wednesday night?

The lights come on, and it’s time to head to the kebab shop and then to bed. The less said about where some of us ended up that night, the better.

The SU may not be for everyone, but what this historic Wednesday night showed us was that while you can take the students out of the SU, you can’t take the SU out of the students.

Related articles recommended by this writer:

• The final round of Cardiff’s most eligible bachelorettes is here

• Meet Moove: A student-run website that reviews housing in Cardiff

• All the weird things Cardiff students do that no one else would understand