Friday 14-07-2017 - 11:57

 

Yasmin Hamidi writes a love letter to Bristol as she prepares to graduate. Though she finds her situation bittersweet, memories of Bristol will always be more sweet thab bitter. She celebrates Bristol's diverse nightlife, cultural scenes and landscape - prohibition bars in the centre, drinks in Stokes Croft, a daily hike up Park Street or a new foodie gem in St. Nick's market. She'll never forget the infectious warmth of Bristolian people, both those who are born and bred and those who have absorbed Bristol's warmth and character over three years at univeristy here.

 

Aside from the music scene, the spray-can covered walls, the steep streets, famous buildings there is one thing that makes Bristol the place it is known and loved to be. The people

 

Yasmin Hamidi is the 2017-18 subeditor of student newspaper, Epigram. 

Like most endings: relationships, TV shows, a good book- graduating from University is often bittersweet. Some will be filled with optimism for the endless possibilities the future holds. Others will wallow in sadness that their all too brief love affair with Bristol has come to an end and proceed to the realisation that the big, bad world outside the perfectly, imperfect microcosm that is Bristol awaits them. Regardless of which degree you’ve studied or what you may be feeling as you finally put on that gown and capture the final photograph outside the Wills Memorial Building the universal opinion holds - the memories of student life in Bristol will always be more sweet than bitter.

 

Where else will you come across such diversity from the leafy elegance of Clifton village to the vibrant Stokes Croft within the small 110 km2 that is Bristol? Where else will you find a city so absurdly proud of cider: from the Cori Tap and the infamous ‘exhibition’ cider to the competing favourite, The Apple? Where else will you take visiting friends and family other than the Clifton Suspension Bridge?

With the plethora of nightlife over the years you have become equipped for every spontaneous “let’s go for drinks”. Your past experiences are likely to include: making use of the city’s happy hour cocktails, awkwardly knocking on the door of a prohibition-style bar, sipping on prosecco at one of the many society balls and going for a ‘quiet’ drink on the Triangle.

 

The daily hike that is Park Street will be missed for more reasons than it being simply a measure of how fit (or unfit) you are after Christmas break. But also for the many independent shops, cafés, restaurants and Banksy graffiti-lined streets. Plus, the view from the top that nearly always compensates after the dizziness has worn off.

St. Nicholas’ market, or more known affectionately as St. Nick’s will forever be a gem tucked away in your foodie heart for years to come. Wherever you may end up in a few years down the line, you’ll no doubt find yourself craving falafel whether it be from Taka Taka, Falafel King or Eat-a-Pita. Forever these will be the Bristolian culinary treats that allowed some respite from your staple student diet of baked beans. As one of the UK‘s most buzzing and multicultural cities, Bristol’s food scene is particularly famed for its ethnic diversity, fascinating choices, and quality local ingredients.

 

Aside from the music scene, the spray-can covered walls, the steep streets, famous buildings there is one thing that makes Bristol the place it is known and loved to be. The people. Whether they be the born and bred Bristolians or fellow students that have absorbed the Bristolian warmth and character during their time at University. It’s the reason people come to University in Bristol and then stay there and the reason people born there just don’t leave.

 

 

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More Information:

Alex Boulton, Epigram Co-Editor, says Goodbye to Bristol

Check out the full list of Official Welcome Week events 2018