HERE AT ASM, we all know that Aberystwyth University is the best place to spend your student years. That is why we came here. If you don’t know it now, you will do soon. To let this sink in a bit more we have compiled the ultimate A-Z of what makes Aber, Aber; and why it is so irresistible.
A is for the Arts Center. The cultural hub of Aber: home to plays, exhibitions, live music and comedy. Perfect for a night with friends or family.
B is for the beaches. Aber’s beaches are perfect for a BBQ, a beer or a bonfire. The beaches are also a perfect place to chill. Relax away from the busy university schedule – soak in the sea air and the blue sky, and remember that this is something most universities don’t have.
C is for Constitution Hill. Located at the edge of Alexandra halls, Consti gives brilliant views of Cardigan bay and is an excuse to buy some ice-cream. C is also for the oodles of churches that pave the streets in Aber.
D is for diversity. Aberystwyth definitely prides itself in its diversity. In Aber you will meet people from all over the world, as people come to study from partner universities abroad. There are not just people of different nationalities, but there people with different interests and backgrounds. This is shown by the amount of clubs that are there to celebrate different cultures with people from those cultures, and with others who are just curious to find out more about those cultures. Embrace the diversity because it is part of what makes Aber, Aber.
E is for energy. During term time, there is this ecstatic energy that the students have. It brings the town to life. The students are a vital component to what makes Aber, Aber; and without them most of the things we have grown to know and expect would not be there. Whenever you go away for a weekend or a reading week and come back to university you will notice the buzz. Every time you leave after that you will be left with the Aber blues and itching to come back.
F is for food. There are so many great places to eat in Aber from local bakeries, to restaurants and takeaways that there really is something for everyone.
G is for a great town. Aber was crowned a Great Town by the Academy of Urbanism in November 2014. We already knew it was great, but now it has been awarded for its greatness.
H is for the hills. Welcome to Aber: a hilly coastal town. You can either moan about the walk up Penglais or Cardiac hill every morning, or you can get on with it. The walk will do you good. H is also for Hinterland, as Aber is where it is set.
I is for ice-cream. Aber being a seaside town is brilliant, because it means during the warmer months ice-cream is everywhere. On the seafront there at least three places to buy ice-cream in a huge variety of flavours.
J is for the jetty. It may seem like a good idea to walk on the jetty in your intoxicated state but it probably isn’t. You will be told this in your first week and you will do it anyway. It is cold and windy at night and the sea is shallow and rocky around the jetty, so just be sensible.
K is for Kanes. Kanes and all of the other pubs in Aberystwyth. Aber has the most pubs per square mile in the whole of the UK. You know you have come to the right place.
L is for the languages. Aberystywth prides itself on being a bilingual university, allowing many of its students to study in Welsh, keeping the language alive. There are various ways you can begin to learn Welsh, if you haven’t already, or expand on your foundations. It is refreshing to hear other languages being spoken around the university and the town. If you want to learn a new language then this is your chance.
M is for the mountainous surrounding area. This is perfect if you love going for a relaxing walk. Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales, is about an hour from Aberystwyth and so should be on your list of walks to do whilst studying at Aber.
N is for the National Library. In Aber you have ZERO excuses for not doing your work due to a lack of books. The National Library has a copy of every book ever published in the UK and because you cannot take books out of the library it will always be there. Not just that, but the National Library is gorgeous and normally much quieter than the Hugh Owen/Thomas Parry libraries.
O is for opportunity. University is the perfect opportunity to try something new and build on skills you already have. With so many clubs and volunteering opportunities in Aberystwyth it would be a shame to miss out. There really is something for everyone and if there is genuinely nothing that takes your fancy then why not start something else and found your own club?
P is for the Pier. The Pier has an ice cream parlour, a doughnut shop, a restaurant, a pub, and a club all in one. Let’s not forget the abundance of pubs Aber has to offer.
Q is for the quizzical drinks. Every pub you enter from now until you finish your last day in Aber will have its own specialty drink. Some of them are quite normal and some of them are just bizarre. We’ll leave it for you to decide this for yourself but don’t knock them until you have tried them.
R is for the Rhiedol railway. This train is the perfect excuse for a day trip away from the Aber bubble to Devil’s bridge. Again, if you like walking there is an extended walk you can choose to do, or even if you don’t it is a fantastic day out.
S is for the sunsets. Sunsets like no other. Prepare yourself for Facebook timelines full of photos of Aber sunsets and nights staring out of the window at the sky when you know you should be revising. S is also for student safety as Aber is top for student safety in the UK. This means that you can stroll home at three in the morning feeling safer than you may do at home.
T is for train station. Aberystwyth has to be one of the only places, especially in a university town, to have a train station in which a train arrives once every one or two hours. Not only this, but the train only goes to Birmingham via Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton and half a dozen Welsh towns. Yes, it is frustrating that getting out of Wales to go anywhere other than Birmingham is a chore, but, it is also quite refreshing. Use it as an excuse to look out of the window and take in the scenery. Or use the few hours that you know you will not be able to get any wifi or phone signal to crack on with that essay you should have started two weeks ago. The train isn’t that bad. It’s one of those things we love to whine about and if you miss your train just wait for the next one in Spoons over a cocktail or two.
U is for the university. After all, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the university. Regardless of any league tables – we believe that Aberystwyth is the best place to study.
V is for Varsity. The annual war against Bangor…. Bangor who?!
W is for Welsh cakes (a national delicacy of Wales). Yummy, scrummy Welsh cakes. You can purchase freshly baked Welsh cakes at any of Aberystwyth’s delicious local bakeries.
X is for that extra something. Aberystwyth has a certain je ne sais quois that other university’s don’t have. Maybe it is because of the tight-knit community that we just have that extra edge.
Get acquainted with Borth’s resident Tamarins!
Credit: Rebecca James
Y is for Yokos (Y Knot). This is where you will end up at the end of your night. You may think it is a tad dingy, and you would be right – but it is our dingy night club. You can complain all you like, but you’ll still be outnumbered by your friends – so you will end up going there, and you will end up enjoying yourself.
Z is for Borth Zoo. Although it isn’t technically in Aber, it’s close enough. A speedy train journey around the bay and you will arrive in Borth. The zoo is a short walk from the station. Enjoy a picnic and a day out in Borth at the zoo.