Student Life in the South East
As the most populated region of England, the South East contains some of the most lively cities in the UK. Although technically not part of the region, London also has a big part to play in the area’s vibrant atmosphere, contributing massively to the region’s culture and its student population. The South East can also boast one of the UK’s, if not the world’s, most famous and respected universities: the University of Oxford.
Traditionally, the South East is famous for its beautiful landscape and coastline, with areas such as Surrey, Oxfordshire and Windsor providing particularly picturesque scenery and historical buildings, many of which are big tourist attractions. Possibly the most popular tourist attraction in the South East is the historic town of Windsor, which offers visitors beautiful natural scenery, stunning historical architecture and Windsor Castle, one of the Queen's official residences. The city of Oxford is also popular, providing green surroundings and beautiful architecture, with many of the city's attractions those of the university itself. The city’s Thames setting also makes the area ideal for outdoor sports such as rowing, cycling and jogging. Other popular places in the region include Thorpe Park in Surrey, one of the UK’s most visited theme parks, and Canterbury Cathedral, home of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and a UNESCO world heritage site. There are also a number of coastal towns and cities in the South East that provide the region with beach resorts and active ports.
Because the climate in the south of England is much warmer than in the north, especially during the summer months, the region is popular with Brits for weekends away: places like Brighton provide lively summer spots for students from the whole of the UK. Places such as Portsmouth, Southampton and Dover are also popular summer areas, offering vibrant social scenes and night-life. These towns also provide some of the country’s most important ports, offering ferry services to France and other parts of Europe.
In terms of the region’s social scene, much of the student activity in the the South East is based in and around London. Although Oxford has the South East’s largest student population, London’s wealth of cultural and social opportunities often proves the temptation for students living in the region. Access to the city is easy via the numerous bus and train services, making London an ideal place for students to go for weekend nights out. This said, cities such as Southampton, Milton Keynes and Bournemouth also offer plenty of social opportunities, each city well-equipped with bars and clubs to suit all tastes. London also provides most of the region’s cultural attractions, offering some of the UK’s most famous and respected museums, theatres and art galleries, making the city an ideal place for students to visit during holidays and weekends.
The cost of living in the South East is quite high. Property prices and the general costs of living are typically much higher than in other places in the UK, and students will need to budget carefully while living in the region. Crime in the area is also pretty rife, with rates higher than the national averages proof that students living in the area need to be careful with both their personal safety and their possessions. The areas in the region that are most affected by crime are those immediately surrounding London: Reading in particular is considered to be a 'problem' area. This said, places like Southampton and Brighton also have relatively high crime rates, although this has on occasion been linked to the summer drinking culture in these cities. However, it should be mentioned that places like Oxford and Surrey enjoy reasonably low crime rates, which is reassuring for students, as these are the two most student-populated areas in the region.
Because of its close proximity to London and the region’s abundance of industrially and commercially important docks, the South East is an easily accessible area. By road, the region is serviced by the M1, the M40, the M4, the M2, the M20, the M23 and the M3, which cover all the major towns and cities in the area. The South Eastern Main Line, West Coast Main line, the Brighton Main Line and the Chilton Main Line train services provide the region’s major rail connections.
The regional ports provide ferry services to mainland Europe, and there are also a number of international airports in the region such as Gatwick Airport and Kent International Airport. There are also numerous train and road links to London’s Heathrow Airport, the UK’s biggest airport with connections to far-flung destinations throughout the world.
