The definitive list of reasons why being a student in Birmingham is the best

Every reason why you’ll love being a student in Birmingham

You’ve seen these articles everywhere, the “500 things only Birmingham students will know” that hope to give you a definitive guide to being a student in Birmingham. Usually full of vague anecdotes that you kind of relate to, like “that one chip shop on the street that has a dog outside of it all the time” – classic blog fodder.

However, this list is a little different. You’re here because you want to connect to your second city, your home away from home and the city where you will discover yourself. You already know of its quirks and charms, but what really encapsulates student life in Birmingham?

Whatever you’re into, you can find it here

No matter what your squeeze is, Birmingham has something to satisfy your hunger. The night clubs pound away into the night, the smaller gig venues such as The Sunflower Lounge bliss out pundits with modest acts, and the smaller suburbs give that homely feel to a forever-restless city. Birmingham is a melting pot of culture. Be it music, religion, food or a good time that unites you and your squad, Birmingham will always be the hostess with the mostest. Being a student in Birmingham means finding your niche, whether your stomping ground is Broad Street or Digbeth, Selly Oak or Moseley.

Exciting things are happening

Those of you who have just moved to Birmingham have arrived at the most opportune moment. Not only has a £150 million station stood tall amongst the skyscrapers, modern tram works spider web in and out of the city, making transport more convenient than ever. The impressive and expansive rail works of Birmingham will be growing even more with the help of the new high speed rail, although when you live in a city full to the brim like Birmingham, why would you want to leave?

There’s a fantastic sense of community

You would think that, being in such a large city with so many universities and college, we would be at war. We would be lost in a sea of commuters and busy-body city folk, however the student community in Birmingham is as vibrant and alive as any other. Over 80,000 students call Birmingham home and have created an unbreakable unit. As well as the student communities of Selly, Edgbaston and beyond, sabbatical officers form the different universities have come together to form One City, and initiative created to fuse the student community together with Birmingham’s locals, to create an even better city together.

There’s loads of opportunities when you graduate

Everyone has the same pipe dream of moving to London to “find themselves” and land a career in the capital. Although this is of course a perfectly valid life choice and will no doubt lead the success, the streets of Birmingham are paved with golden opportunities (and has the huge benefit of being where you live already). With start-up collectives, like Silicon Canal, and a thriving level of entrepreneurship, Birmingham is bursting with opportunity for someone on the hunt for work experience or for landing their dream job in a city they love. If I still haven’t convinced you, you can find some work experience tips so you can start experiencing the excitement of working in this vibrant, bustling city.

Behind the Bullring and beyond Broad Street, Birmingham is a fantastic hub of creativity and community. Every street is an adventure, home to local businesses, taste adventures and hang out spots to call home. When you’re a student in Birmingham, why would you want to study anywhere else?

Is there anything Sophie’s missed from her list? What do you think makes life as a student in Birmingham great? Maybe you disagree? Connect with us in Facebook or Twitter and let us know!