EVERYONE is nervous when they first start university, even if they don’t seem it at the time. I know I was terrified and after talking to the friends I have made in the last year, I now realise that they were too! You soon learn the ropes and realise where is best to go but let me give you a little kick start in the right direction with this basic guide to student life in Teesside.

Butterflies usually seem delicate and sweet but the ones that pound their wings in your stomach and leave you short of breath at the thought of creating yourself a brand new social life feel like bullets of nervousness as you catch your breath in an attempt to appear confident.

I, like most people, felt nervous when I first started university but if you’re in a strange place, surrounded by strange people and have no idea where to go or what to do then the best advice I can give is to go out and befriend those strange people and investigate this strange new world together. Once you have a comrade in this mine field that is life things don’t seem half as scary and the butterflies you once experienced just flutter away.

I found that the best places to meet new people and wave goodbye to your inhibitions are undoubtedly student nights. Created for students and attended by students in their masses, student nights are the perfect place to socialise with people who are in the same boat as you and you can always be sure that some nice person with throw you a life jacket.

If you’re new to student life in Middlesbrough and don’t know where to start it is probably best to begin at the very heart of our thriving student community with a night out at the student’s union.  Most people start their night at the Terrace Bar on campus where there is always something going on and fellow students to meet!

Student Union.

The Student Union are currently concocting their plans for September’s Fresher’s Week. Freshers 2009 runs from Sunday 27th September until Saturday October 3rd and is sure to impress!

Martin John of Middlesbrough Student’s Union said: “It’s an amazing mix of freebies, discounts, essential info, drinks promotions and the best evening entertainment anywhere!

“If you’re starting at Teesside in September or back for another year then make sure you don’t miss out on a single minute of Freshers 2009.

“We are setting up a group of Facebook for everyone to get more information. This group will have all the details about how to get here, where to go, advice and support, not to mention all the details about Freshers Week 09 and all the events that will be going on around the campus for you to take part in.”

The Terrace Bar is a warm and friendly place, I’m not going to pretend that it’s Central Perk or the bar from Cheers, it’s not but it’s pretty welcoming none the less.

Once you and your new found friends have grown slightly in confidence it is time to venture from the campus and sample the other delights Middlesbrough has to offer. All of the main clubs have nights aimed specifically at students…which basically means the drinks are dirt cheap.

The university’s club, The Hub is a top notch place to spend a night of banter and boogying. Winner of the Best Bar None 2009 competition, The Hub is old familiar to returning students rather than a wild night on the town but it never fails to please us every time.

Clubs and Pubs.

The most notorious student night takes place at Onyx on a Wednesday night. These nights are often themed for that extra giggle but make sure you’ve got your NUS card handy or you’ll be left out in the cold, twiddling your thumbs on the pavement of Albert Road while everyone else has the time of their life.

If like most students you enjoy combining your two favourite pass-times, saving money and drinking then you should get yourself a yellow card. You can buy them for just £1 from the Southfield and they get you discount on all your favourite drinks in bars all over Middlesbrough.

One place that accepts yellow cards is the Crown on Linthorpe Road. The Crown gets hot and sticky but the atmosphere is lively and the dancefloor is big enough for just about anyone to go show off their moves and embarass themselves with their drunken grooves. Although I do love the cheesy tunes that the Crown entwines with the latest hits on a Monday, I have never really enjoyed the few times I’ve found myself stuck to the floor as though someone had set my shoes in concrete.

Aruba on Exchange Square and the Corner House on Exchange Place also have student nights, though they’re not quite as popular as the others they’re still there if you find the queues too long or fancy a change.

A night out in Middlesbrough is a sociable sandwich, although the filling of your night will vary depending on your mood, your taste and your funds; the begining and end of your night should usually remain the same to ensure a good night that starts well and ends on a high.

It’s usually best to begin your night on Southfield Road where the university  buildings are interrupted at regular intervals by the appearance of a pub. The Southfield, The Star, The Dickens Inn and TS1 mean that you don’t even have to visit more than one street if your feeling lazy after a hard day burried in your books! All you have to do is walk in a straight line from pub to pub, though that is easier said than done when you’ve had a drink or two, or three…

Media student, Daniel Walker, 19, of Newcastle said: “The night life in Middlesbrough, like any place has good nights and bad nights. There’s something for everyone really and something going on just about every night of the week.

“It’s a good laugh but I suppose a night out is what you make of it, if you want to have fun you’ll have fun and Middlesbrough is a great place to do it.”

Food

If you’re anything like me, then one thing is for certain; after a night of drinking, gossiping, giggling and dancing you will have worked up a pretty hefty appetite! If you’re thinking of treating yourself to a pizza, a burger, or a kebab; forget it.

The humble parmo is Middlesbrough local dish and any Boro-born person would argue that we have one of the best dishes in Britain; succulent, mouth-watering chicken breast, creamy béchamel sauce topped with thick, melted cheddar cheese that tantalises your taste buds and a smell that makes life seem oh so much better…this is not just any Chicken Parmesan; this is a Middlesbrough Chicken Parmesan.

Whether you love them or think they sound gross, a Parmo is the perfect end to a night of partying and almost as vital as your taxi fare home!

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