Forget the alphabet, here is the definitive A-Z of Sheffield student life

Sheffield student life is one-of-a-kind, to say the least. We’ve got it all – everything from mullets to curtains, cargos to skinny jeans, charity shops to independent boutiques.

Being in Sheffield for over a year now, I’ve had the privilege to live through all the highs and lows of being a student here, so if you were wondering what that’s like, here’s a definitive round-up of all of the best (and worst) aspects of Sheffield student life.

A: Aldi

As a student, it goes without saying, Aldi is a lifesaver. It’s everyone’s favourite place to shop. How can you deny 32p bags of lettuce? Or chicken breasts for £2.99? For most of us, Aldi is the epitome of student life.

See also: Arctic Monkeys

B: Bar crawl

The infamous North vs Midlands vs South bar crawl is iconic in Sheffield. Bar crawls in general have students’ hearts since it’s so easy for us to do one on West Street. Nothing beats a Saturday night bar crawl followed by a recovery-Sunday.

See also: Botanical gardens

C: Charity shopping

You’re not a certified Sheffield student if you don’t love a good bargain at a charity shop. Sheffield is full of them, and if you ever go in one, you’re bound to be met with at least five other students who are all looking for those same cargos that you are.

See also: Coffee, Code, Corp

D: Devonshire Green

Dev Green isn’t one the best aspects of Sheffield student life, I must admit. You never know if you’re going to be walking past some kind of weird festival or a group of boys practising with nunchucks. Nevertheless, it’s an iconic area.

E: Ecclesall Road

What is student life without Eccy Road? Wetherspoons, Nursery Tavern, Nando’s, Tesco, charity shops, coffee shops… what more could you ever need?

See also: Endcliffe Park

F: Flu

You haven’t experienced student life to the full unless you’re always ill. I can speak for myself when I say I never used to get ill before coming to uni, but since being in Sheff, I’m never not complaining about an illness. It could just be constant hangovers, but I’m convinced there’s something about being a student in Sheff that means you always get ill. I’ll let you guys think about that.

See also: Freshers, five-pound-rounds, football

G: Golf Fang

Sheffield’s favourite mini-golf place. Also iconic for Instagram photos.

H: Hallam Nation

A Hallam favourite. Going out clubbing in fancy dress with your society? Can’t beat it. What are Wednesday nights without Nation?

I: ID

Forgetting your ID on a night out is worse than heartbreak in my opinion. It took me a while to learn this, but as a student, you always need to carry your ID. You never know when you will be making an emergency stop at the pub after a lecture. Bonus points if you always carry your student ID, too.

J: Jäger Bombs

Unpopular opinion but you genuinely can’t beat jäger bombs. Especially when they’re three for a fiver. Not only are they yummy, but they’re so conveniently fast to drink, so you’re smashed in no time.

K: Kebabs

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve genuinely never eaten more kebabs in my life since being a student in Sheffield. For whatever reason, a night out doesn’t feel complete without a filthy kebab on the way home, especially if it’s from Chinos or Kebabish.

L: Leadmill

Sheffield as a city is known for it’s iconic music history, and for being home to The Leadmill. As a student, you can’t go wrong with their club nights and events. Drinks are literally the cheapest in the entire city (£1.50 doubles) and there’s a club night for everyone. Are you even a Sheffield student if you don’t have a regulars card?

See also: lectures, library, London Road

M: Molly Malone’s

Who knew we’d love a little Irish themed tavern as much as we do? With pub quizzes, live singers, and sing-along anthems, it’s an iconic part of student life in Sheff.

See also: The Moor, mullets

N: North Face puffers

Everywhere you look, there’s a student in a North Face coat. I know it’s cold in the north but you don’t need to wear one all the time, thanks.

See also: Nursery Tavern, night out, no sleep

O: One-night-stand

A classic part of student life. We’ve all been there, we’ve all regretted it.

P: Pub

Sheffield is full of pubs. You’re not fulfilling your student life to the max unless you’re at the pub on the regular. Whether it’s Nursery Tav, The Cavendish, or just a Wetherspoons, at the centre of every Sheffield student’s heart is the pub.

See also: Peak District, pub golf, photo-booths

Q: Queer Junction (QJ)

Ending up at QJ is a classic way to finish a night out. It doesn’t close till 6:30am so if you’re looking for somewhere to carry on drinking, QJ is the place to go.

See also: Queuing, quizzes

R: Roll-ups

Purely because it’s the cheapest form of smoking, students in Sheff love roll-up cigs.

S: Societies

When in conversation with another Sheffield student, it’s not long before the topic of societies comes up, especially since Hallam Nation is a student favourite. Going out in fancy dress on a Wednesday night is a vital part of the week.

See also: seminars, Student Saturdays

T: Tank

A beloved student favourite, Tank Nightclub will always be important to student life. Although it’s slightly out of the way from most other pubs and clubs in the city centre, a night at Tank is always an unforgettable one. Whether it’s because you’re completely smashed off VK’s, or deafened from the bass, it’s a unique night.

See also: Tactical chunder, tote bag, Tiger Works

U: Uber

Ubers are literally a lifesaver for us students. If you can’t be bothered to walk up a million hills for your lecture, or if you’re too smashed to walk home after a night out, Uber is the way forward. So conveniently cheap, too.

V: Vapes

Vapes have a hold over almost every Sheffield student, in ways you wouldn’t imagine. Students in Sheff will be able to tell you where the nearest vape shops are, how much everything costs, and what the best flavours are. If only we knew the same amount of vital info about our degrees…

See also: Vodka

W: West Street

A night out in Sheff isn’t complete without going to West Street. It has whatever you need for the best night out. It’s got pubs, clubs, bars, kebab shops, convenience stores… you name it, West Street has it.

X: X-Factor

What boys think they’ve got when they scream the lyrics to Naive by The Kooks down your ear in Molly’s.

Y: Yorkshire

If you haven’t already realised, being a student in Sheffield means living in Yorkshire. Not only does that mean we get to experience gorgeous views of the Peak District and neighbouring student cities like Leeds and York, it means we are now part of Yorkshire culture. This means just saying ‘t’ instead of the word ‘the’, and calling everyone ‘pal’.

Z: Zig-zag

The pattern which all students walk home in after a night out.

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