From learning how to navigate McDonald’s on Briggate at 3am to picking a side of the Headingley/Hyde Park student divide, there are plenty of quirks to getting your degree in the city. Here are nine things only students in Leeds will know and love.
1. The Otley run is a rite of passage
Possibly the most well-known pub crawl in the UK, the Otley Run is a right of passage for all students, with 18-year-olds donning costumes and shotting Jägerbombs at a terrifying pace. Good luck trying to complete it. Photo: steve riding
2. A Friday night visit to McDonald’s on Briggate
Every student knows the struggle of trying to get a burger and chips from McDonald's on Briggate/Boar Lane at 3am. With queues pouring out the door and crowds erupting into sing-song, it truly is an impossible feat. Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
3. Hyde Park sunbathing
One of the most popular spots for sunbathing and drinking in the city is Hyde Park. Between June and September it becomes impossible to fit a suitable spot to sit in the grass, with thousands of students bringing their speakers and deck chairs along to soak up the rays. Photo: Tony Johnson
4. Lunchtime at Bakery 164
Swarms of students gather outside the doorway of Woodhouse Lane's Bakery 164 at lunchtime. With some of the most delicious sandwiches in the city, it's no wonder many will sacrifice their student loan for a wrap-a-day from here. Photo: Google
5. The Headingley/Hyde Park divide
The Headingley/Hyde Park divide is real. After moving out of halls, students must choose which side they are on and move into their second year home, and this decision is make or break- we swear. Photo: Bruce Rollinson
6. Unlimited beer gardens
Students love a beer garden, which is why Leeds has countless spread across the city. Some student favourites include Hyde Park Book Club, The Original Oak, Water Lane Boathouse and The Packhorse in Hyde Park. Photo: Gary Longbottom