After completing my degree here, there are many reasons to love the University of Birmingham campus but I wanted to share my top 5 with you.
When you walk through the University of Birmingham, you can’t help but feel the history of the campus. Author and lecturer JRR Tolkien was allegedly inspired by our campus, basing the Eye of Sauron from the Lord of the Rings off Old Joe. Across campus, you can find many blue plaques, telling the stories of people who lived and worked on campus. Wherever you look, the past will be looking straight back.
What if I told you that on campus, hiding in plain sight, there was an art gallery boasting the works of Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and countless other master painters? What if I told you it was free for all students? You probably wouldn’t believe me, and yet the Barber Institute of Fine Arts has been a staple at the University of Birmingham since 1939. A surprising number of students don’t know about this gallery, despite the fact it’s basically on the doorstep of the Guild. It’s perfect to pop into on a day off, or even between lectures.
Another beautiful (and free) resource on campus is the Lapworth Museum of Geology. This hidden gem is full of gems itself, featuring hundreds of rocks, stones and samples from all over the world. The Museum is also home to Rexy, the university's pet Tyrannosaurus rex! How many universities do you know with their own dinosaur?
The Guild as a whole is a beautiful, amazing building. I’ve spent many evenings in Joe’s bar, gorging myself on two-for-one pizzas, and I’ve seen some incredible performances in the various spaces on the second floor. But, the underground has my heart when push comes to shove. This multipurpose space wears many hats. On Wednesday and Saturday evenings it becomes a dance space for sports night and fab. Every few weeks a vintage clothes sale sets up there for a few days. I’ve seen it as a roller-skating rink, a craft fair, a poster sale and much more. The underground is a space that could become anything, and that’s why it’s one of my favourite places on campus.
Originally when I was thinking about universities, the idea of a city was off putting to me. Having been raised in a rural village the idea of moving to a concrete jungle was unappealing. But, Birmingham is a rare gem in that it has plenty of greenery despite its proximity to the city. From the Green Heart to Winterbourne Gardens, there's plenty of places to just stop and smell the flowers.
My name is Maddie, and I study English and Creative Writing and want to become a video game writer.
