It’s that time of the year again. Bright young things, fresh out of school, flock to night spots and the phrases “what are you studying” and “which house are you in” become the sole topic of conversations. If you’re a Fresher, you will likely attend all the Welcome Week events with the hope of finding the right people to spend the rest of your university days with.
One of the biggest problems with these events, especially the evening ones, are the long queues of people waiting to be allowed in. If you are lucky enough you will meet your new best friends in that very line and never even make it inside! In that case, you will need a guide to all the hot spots to go to around the city.
Let’s start with WhyNot Mondays, the crème de la crème of all the student nights. The truth is, this night is less about going out and dancing, and more about seeing and being seen. It’s overcrowded, the music is not really great and the line to get inside is way too long. Despite all of this, every Monday, when you and your new pals will be deciding where to go or when someone asks where you are heading to, your answer might well be WhyNot on George Street.
George Street is filled with fancy clubs that compete for your attention every night with the promise of cheap shots and guest-list entry.
Weirdly enough, they seem to prefer beverage themed nights such as Milk or Creme Soda… But don’t get them mixed up! They might both have the same music and most probably the same crowd but the difference matters when you’re telling your embarrassing stories the next day.
If you’re looking for a more eclectic George Street vibe, why not mingle with young (and not so young) professionals at Opal?
If you’re not into Top 40 and more into, well, anything else, you will spend the majority of your time in the many pubs and clubs in Cowgate. On any given night, there is something going on, it only depends on your taste! For the Indie bunch there is Sneaky Pete’s, but beware of the tiny, closet-like venue that can host only so many of you!
When you find yourself a little claustrophobic, just a few minutes walk from there is the humongous Liquid Rooms, a church rebuilt into a venue. It hosts a variety of artists throughout the whole year.
If you miss your summer nights and want to feel the Latin vibe, head down to either Boteco do Brasil or El Barrio and dance to classic rhythms. Make sure you take some salsa classes in advance- the competition is intense. Plus, El Barrio has free entry and 2 for 1 mojitos on some weekdays.
No matter where you go, there is a guarantee you will end up in Hive at least twice a week and probably get kicked out at least once for “being too drunk”, when you ‘know’ perfectly well you can handle another one or two Jägerbombs. Let me tell you, the bouncer does not care for your bulletproof arguments- he has heard them twenty times already… (in the same night) and it isn’t worth arguing about.
Last but not least is the legendary Potterrow, where you can dance the night away, VK in hand, every Saturday night. Don’t miss seeing the person you have a crush on so drunk that you suddenly realise the error of your way or meeting that student you hung out with during the first day of Fresher’s that you have never talked to again. Be aware of the peculiar queuing system and plan your socialising accordingly.
No matter where you go you will have awkward encounters but you will also have the best time of your life doing so.
Remember, everyone is in the same boat as you so just enjoy the short time you have here, because it goes by too fast.
Image: PYMCA/UIG Via Flickr