Student city guide to Southampton: top 10 things to do

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Southampton is famous for its port and was even the departure point for the infamous RMS Titanic, but if you’re planning to study in Southampton, you probably want to know what there is to do in the area. Fortunately, there’s loads for students in the city and we’ve done a roundup of ten of the top student things to do across Southampton.

1) Seacity Museum

Good for: Learning about the city’s maritime history.

What it is: An interactive museum telling the story of the RMS Titanic and the broader history of Southampton.

Why you should go: The museum features three different permanent exhibitions, so you can choose to learn about the Titanic, Southampton’s port history or the people of Southampton. There are hundreds of different artefacts on display from thousands of Saxon coins to a Lego model of the Titanic. Even the building itself is fascinating to look at and some of the collections are housed within the historic Law Block. It’s open seven days a week, and they offer a student discount if you’ve got student ID, so there’s no reason not to get down there and learn more about your new city.

2) West Quay Shopping Centre

Good for: Picking up a new outfit.

What it is: A large shopping mall in the city centre.

Why you should go: Many of the shops offer student discounts, and there’s lots of popular high street stores in the mall. As well as the shopping opportunities, there’s also lots of options of places to eat from fast food joints to sit-down restaurants. The complex is also home to a cinema and bowling alley so you can easily pass a whole day here or come out for a fun evening. West Quay also hosts events throughout the year so it’s worth visiting regularly.

3) Engine Rooms

Good for: Catching some live music.

What it is: The largest grass roots music and entertainment venue in Southampton.

Why you should go: The Engine Rooms is well known in the area for putting on a range of events including gigs, club nights, drag performances and comedy nights. There’s plenty of themed club nights to cater for different interests as well as tribute acts for fan of classic bands and artists. The venue also plays host to many different original acts each year, with big names including Dance Gavin Dance and Shaggy having performed at the venue.

4) Southampton Mela

Good for: Celebrating Asian culture.

What it is: A yearly festival that takes place in the summer to celebrate Asian culture through music, dance, activities and trading stalls.

Why you should go: The festival attracts thousands of people and is a highly anticipated day in the city’s calendar. You’ll find loads of art and culture including street theatre, music and dance. Entrance is free, which is always a win for students, and there’s loads to keep you busy throughout the day. It’s a great day to invite your family to as well, as there’s activities to suit all age groups, but it’s also a great day out with your uni mates. Overall, it’s a great way to learn more about and celebrate Asian culture.

5) The New Forest

Good for: Reconnecting with nature

What is it: A huge area of woodland just 20 minutes from Southampton by train.

Why you should go: If you’re looking for a weekend break or just a day trip, the New Forest is the perfect location to reconnect with nature and see the beautiful sights of the English woodland. The New Forest is over 200 square miles in total, so no matter how many times you visit over the course of your studies you’ll be able to find something new to see. It’s free to just walk around, but there are also various visitor attractions and activities within the New Forest that you can opt to pay for if you fancy it.

6) St Mary’s Stadium

Good for: Catching a football game.

What it is: Southampton FC’s home ground.

Why you should go: Maybe you’re missing your home team, or maybe you’re just getting into football, or perhaps you’re already a Southampton FC fan. Whatever your reason for wanting to catch a game is, St Mary’s Stadium is the best place in Southampton to go. The local women’s team play here as well as the men’s team, so there’s plenty of matches to choose from and tickets to suit a range of budgets.

7) Bring and Mix

Good for: Discovering new cocktail recipes.

What it is: A unique night out.

Why you should go: This is a bar with a different approach to drinks. Book yourself a table and bring a bottle of spirits (or more than one bottle) and your table’s mixologist will use the bar’s selection of juices, syrups, fruits and more to create unique creations suited to your tastes. At a set price per person for a two-hour table, you can also be confident you won’t be waking up in the morning and dreading checking your bank account.

8) Jesters Night Club

Good for: Having a good dance.

What it is: One of the city’s most popular nightclubs among students.

Why you should go: The drinks are cheap, the music is good, there’s different themed nights to suit different tastes and it’s open until 2am. One of the rites of passage for students in the city is getting a gold card from Jesters. One warning you’ll hear is to never wear your nice shoes or new ‘fit to Jesters. So get your scruffiest trainers out your wardrobe and be prepared to dance until your shoes fall apart!

9) Mayflower Theatre

Good for: Seeing a theatre show.

What it is: The south coast’s largest theatre.

Why you should go: The Mayflower Theatre puts on a wide range of different shows throughout the year including touring West End productions, dance, opera, comedy and musicals. The theatre also offers tours of their backstage area if you want to find out more about the goings on behind the scenes. If you’ve got a Southampton University Student Union card or an NUS card, you’ll also be eligible for discounted tickets for certain shows.

10) City Art Gallery

Good for: Exploring European art from the Renaissance to the modern day.

What it is: A fine art gallery with permanent collections as well as temporary exhibitions.

Why you should go: Free to enter and located next to the SeaCity Museum (number one on this list), City Art Gallery is perfect for students. The temporary exhibitions change regularly, so there’s a great excuse to go back over and over again. Even the Main Hall which displays the permanent collection is regularly rotated and switched up, so you’ll be able to explore different elements of the gallery’s permanent collection on different visits. One of the gallery’s main points of pride is the Perseus Collection, a series of ten cartoons by the artist Burne-Jones, which can be viewed in the Baring Room.

Key info about Southampton

If you’re thinking about studying in Southampton, you’ll either be at the University of Southampton or Solent University. Both unis are popular with students, with a total of over 20,000 students currently studying at one of the two unis.

Thanks to the high student population, Southampton has plenty of events catering for students, and many of the local attractions offer student discounts, so make sure you take your ID card out with you.

While Southampton is most famous for being a port city and was once known as the UK’s gateway to the world, we hope that this article of the top student things to do in the city has opened your eyes to everything else the city has to offer, from sports to festivals to galleries to nightclubs. The city really does have something to offer everybody, so if you’re thinking of studying here, you can rest assured you won’t be short of things to do.

Thinking about studying in Southampton but not sure what subject is right for you? Start your search here.