Below is a collection of assorted flyers
Introduction
These pages are work in progress, much like my beer gut. These pages' main purpose is to give me something non-alcohol related to do while at uni - not for your entertainment. In the fullness of time, there should be pics, stories and other boring stuff. Probably irrelevant, uninteresting stuff that may even be removed at a later date, once its extreme lameness has sunk in. Keep checking - it'll be updated on a regular basis.
NOTE: Pictures will be up by the end of the month
I'm currently in the 'fortunate' position of being a First Year at Plymouth, having already done two years at Birmingham Uni, and having visited numerous others unis, numerous times.
I reside in what must be one of the scabbiest halls known to man: Mary Newman, in which carpet is considered a luxury. The corridors resemble hospital ones, and you often find yourself half-expecting to see operating trolleys coming past, and wishing for low-flying planes in the vicinity. I actually live on tenth floor, and hence enjoy a magnificent view, ranging from the building work (which seems to commence as early as 7.00, EACH morning), to the inevitable drunks returning from their night out. Mary Newman is not much to look at, being about as aesthetically pleasing as a baboon's ass, and is mainly home to university offices. One of the very few good points is that there are the chance of 'Superior' rooms, which are large (18 square metres) in size, and have the 'luxury' or carpet. Gives one the chance to laugh at one's unfortunate neighbours, in their much smaller, uncarpeted rooms, if nothing else. ALL Plymouth's halls are self-catered, so if, like me, you have difficulties even using a microwave, and your culinary talents stretch no further than Pot Noodle making, you might like to consider elsewhere...although, there's always the option of catching your own fish, given our seafront location. The other halls seem a lot more friendly, although all of Plymouth's Halls are all about as communal as a Turkish prison cell, and to most Plymouth Students, 'JCR' is but a random combination of three letters *shakes head*. Mary Newman is rumoured to have its own Common Room, but I've seen more welcoming and substantial Railway Station Waiting Rooms than what was alleged to be the said Common Room. However, Mary Newman gains brownie points on account of its close proximity to...well, everywhere, being as it's actually ON campus. Not that any of Plymouth's Halls (with the exception of Devonport) are more than about three minutes from campus. Even when crawling. Yeah, if you want to become a fat, unfit bastard, Plymouth comes highly recommended. The campus is right on the edge of the city centre, also, so you don't have to go very far for....anything. In fact, during my first term, I seemed to live within a 1/8 mile radius....from going to buy tea, to attending (occasionally) lectures, to bringing a new meaning to the term 'inebriated', I never seemed to have to endure a walk of any more than four minutes in duration. If you go out drinking in Plymouth, wherever you go, you probably won't need a taxi back, which is a bonus. Most places are within easy crawling distance. Just make damned sure you don't end up in the sea, and wake up in France (croissants are nowhere near as good when hungover as full-English, TRUST ME). As a reminder, Plymouth does NOT have its own beach. Doubtlessly, many Plymouth students wake up on the beach, but only after a particularly heavy night.
Which would take one onto Plymouth itself....not a bad city, reasonably friendly. Crime rates aren't bad, but avoid Union Street....well, actually, no, that's where everything's 'happening', so DON'T avoid it, just take extra care when there...go out in groups. Union Street has Millennium, a great club. Their Friday nights '£12 drink all you can' are an absolute must, for a piss-head such as myself. Plenty of beggars, even near campus, but such people are easily ignored.
Plymouth's Union...hmmm. Having visited numerous Unions, I can honestly say that words that initially sprung so readily to mind when I set foot in Plymouth's Union for the first time (or, come to think of it, anytime) are 'scabby' and 's**thole'. However, it has the basics...does it have a bar/s? Yes. Do they serve cheap booze to thirsty students? Yes. And that's what it's all about, to a large extent. You can also get reasonably-prized meals, there, and the toilets are well reachable within the time taken between realisation you're going to be sick, and actualy time of vomiting. As someone who has frequented Unions up and down the country, though, one can't help but observe the lack of size and facilities. While many Unions come complete with Travel Shops, blah, blah, blah, cashpoints, blah, blah, blah, and even the odd adventure playground (OK, slight exaggeration, but you get the picture), Plymouth's seems to have little to offer. The shop is small, the 'cafe' basic....and don't even get me started on the decor.
Plymouth's Famous Alumini is far from impressive, in fact the best they've come up with is Pam St. Clement, aka Pat Butcher from Eastenders (are Plymouth undergraduates really not set up for fame and fortune?). You could just imagine the past cries of "Lock up your daughters, Plymouth, Pam's on the town!").
So, there we have it. If you want a Union to show off to your mates, go as far away from Plymouth as possible. If you want a communal Hall, go as far away from Plymouth as possible. However, if you want a reasonably friendly, reasonably crime-free, reasonably-climated, reasonably alcohol-stocked location, with little or no chance to burn off all those calories you worked so hard at putting on....then I'll be waiting for you with open arms at the A34 Plymouth Junction.
Below is a collection of assorted flyers