Having recently graduated from Queen Mary I have, over the course of the last three years, had the…read moreopportunity to experience first hand the atmosphere, academic standard and social opportunity this insitution offers. Situated in the increasingly trendy area of Mile End, with great transport links to the city, students of this university have the opportunity to live within the last genuine working class area of central London before it is swallowed up in the unstoppable tide of gentrification.
I love this area of the city; there is a buzz in the air everywhere you go, development is everywhere you look and down every street you will find an array of different cultures all contributing something unique to this cosmoplitan sprawl. Mile End and the surrounding areas offer their own range of shops, restaurants, pubs, bars, clubs, parks, markets, cinemas, galleries, theatres and much else besides. Some areas can be a little intimidating but I feel the media plays an overly-large part in stressing the dangers rather than the positives. Chances are, so long as you're sensible, you're not likely to run into much trouble.
Queen Mary campus itself is located a stones throw away from Mile End and Stepney Green tube stations. During the last few years it has undergone a rather dramatic facelift with the completion of work on new buildings such as the curve, remodelling of the student union and the student village and continuing works on a new humanities building. These new features are demonstrative of the increasing popularity of this consistently improving university.
Aside from the forementioned students union which houses Drapers Bar, Queen Mary offers several coffee/cafateria style bars and restaurants, laundry services, excellent library facilities, on campus accomodation (a rarity for London university's), sports facilities including a new state of the art gym, and several shops. Anything not available on campus can be found within a short walk.
Socially there is a wealth of clubs and societies available for you to join from Hockey to Croquet, History to Football and Climbing. Most revolve around drinkin games of one sort or another and can be a great way to branch out, meet new people and secure that elusive criminal conviction. Just down the road one can find the uber-trendy areas of Brick Lane and Shoreditch and after a short walk to the tube, the rest of London's vibrant social scene is at your disposal.
