Moving down to university and away from home can be a daunting experience especially for those of you who have never lived/ been to Brighton for. To make this move less daunting, and to enable you to get excited about your move or return to Brighton, I have complied some of the best places to go/ things to do in Sussex to make the most of living in this Brilliant, friendly, and intriguing city as a student for your next 3-4 years in Brighton.
I’ve been In Brighton for 2 years now, and I’m still discovering delicious new food places, vibrant bars, and sports clubs and societies at university all around and much more. These are some of the things that Sussex Students and I thought were the standout things about Brighton.
The North Laines:
This would have to come high on my list for one of my favourite places in the city. Within this part of the city there are small vibrant streets filled with bars, restaurants, thrift shops, cinemas, outdoor seating, tattoo parlours, music shops, live bars and much more. For me this place encapsulates the heart of Brighton, and some of my favourite days have been spent mooching around this area, getting lost in the history of second hand trinkets (Snoopers paradise) drinking wine and eating great authentic Italian Pizza at Fatso Mana , getting another piercing at Punctured, and lighting up a cigarette by the level in (sometimes) the sun. If you’re looking for a day out to wander by multiple Jewellery stands, quirky bars, and cafes the North Laines is the perfect place to start discovering Brighton. Whether you’re looking to find another funky ring, or a pair of neon trousers the North Laines can provide that for you. Also a flat trip out to town Is always a good way to expand friendship and connections.
The Open Market:
The open market is located near the North Laines and is a great place to visit if you like authentic independent food shops, my favourite being ‘Taquitos Casazul’, sustainable shopping at non plastic and refillable stores, and home décor and clothing. It’s a niche part of the city, which is a good place to buy your local groceries, and spend a morning/ afternoon.
Nightlife:
As a student coming to university, I know many of you will be wondering about the range of nightlife in and around Brighton. Brighton has many many bars around the outer and inner city, so I won’t manage to list every single one, and each bar has it’s own character and vibe, however I have compiled some of my favourite places to go out, including music, drinks, and vibes.
Hobgoblin:
A Bar with a beautiful heated outside heating, good forgoing out all year round!
Walkabout:
A big spacious bar with many cute fairy lights and T’V’s for the football and turns into a club past 11pm on certain days, and has a heated outside smoking area. Also located right next to Pyrzm so great for some prinks before a big night out and does great cocktails.
Revenge:
Another bar that turns into a club situation, with loud pumping music and again great cocktails.
The Club Scene:
Whether you’re into clubbing or not there are some certain nights out that will fit to your likes and dislikes. If you are looking for a classic club experience, multiple rooms with rap, pop, and the cheesy music pryzm is the place for you. If you prefer a slightly more chill but ‘indie’ experience I would recommend somewhere more like chalk which tends to have themed nights, like ABBA or Arctic Monkeys, 1975. Patterns is a great place to go if you like the combination night of intense clubbing, and the bar scene too for a break, with a multi-layered building with a rooftop garden, next to a bar, and a club dance room downstairs. Coalition has TRASH Mondays and student nights, with Reggaeton Wednesdays, and Arch is more for the techno and DnB lovers. There are multiple clubs located at the seafront, and many more I haven’t mentioned. If you use the Fatsoma app you can discover what student deals are on, and the different themed nights out, so you can pick your most favoured night out.
Queens Park, Preston Park, Stanmer Park, and the seafront:
These 3 beautiful parks located in Brighton (Queens Park and Preston Park) and around Campus (Stanmer Park) can provide a tranquil break into nature, and fresh moments out of student accommodation after the messy chaos of being a student can prove too much. I highly recommend walking/ going to some of these parks for some down time, bring your earphones, a book, your laptop/ university readings, and it helps you to ease your mind for a moment. I’ve particularly found Queen’s park to have been extremely therapeutic for me to take a wander around, and bring some granola to feed to swans, ducks and seagulls. You can have picnics with your friends, and Queen’s park has tennis and self defence classes operating around the week. Last but not least, the healing nature of the sea can be great if you need to escape for a bit, or fancy a bonfire, BBQ ,swim, or sunset moment with a couple beers. Make the most of being by the sea in Brighton a lot of the action of the town can be found around here. There are basketball and volleyball courts if you fancied a game, ping pong tables, and paddleboarding lessons.
Comments from other students:
“Make the most of being on campus, there are so many societies and communities being made through the different opportunities around. Head down to Falmer bar there are always stands up and around, petitions, food, art, and advertising societies. Find your niche thing at uni and pursue it”
“I loveeee Patty n’ Bun, the best burgers in Brighton which includes a student meal deal”
“Favourite Bar- Shuffle!”
“The Farmers market behind campus, and the Amnesty international bookshop are very underrated”