Edinburgh or Glasgow?
Surely my future doesn’t depend on this decision?
Both will give me a degree in French and Spanish, and both will let me study from some of the widest ranges of outside subjects around. They will both give me a year abroad in France and Spain.
But, this year abroad with Glasgow will be BEFORE my third year of University, as opposed to with Edinburgh where the year abroad actually IS my third year of University. So, the Glasgow course is five years, whilst Edinburgh is four.
That shouldn’t make a difference really. Sure, if I am in University for an extra year, my friends and peers will be out into the real world a year before me; but I will have already had my first year in the real world, to an extent, by working in France and Spain. And what does it matter anyway if they’re a year ahead of me?
Furthermore, the Edinburgh year abroad is said to be more stressful; a Glasgow lecturer to whom I spoke about this went to Edinburgh and said he found that he was constantly sending work home from France instead of savouring his time there. While this was clearly at least 30 years ago, I imagine his point still stands regarding the stress levels of the years abroad; what is more important: keeping up with University work, or purely enjoying and soaking in the culture of the country that you’re in?
Both Universities have a fantastic reputation, both across Britain and worldwide. Edinburgh perhaps edges Glasgow in this category, but it is not particularly important.
Edinburgh’s situation is perhaps more favourable for me. I know that two of my closest friends will still be in the Dalgety Bay area, going to college; and being in Edinburgh would make keeping up with them far easier. Similarly, with friends going to Stirling and Dundee Universities, Edinburgh is more accessible for both.
But it’s not as if living in Glasgow will leave me outcast socially. Of course I can stilll visit home (at a slightly greater cost), but not only that, I will be in a brand new place with so many new people to meet. I’m told the nightlife in Glasgow is fantastic; I’m already familiar with a lot of locations from my gig-going in Glasgow — I can see King Tut’s being a regular destination. I think I would have a better time in Glasgow.
Edinburgh would not be a bad compromise though. It’s not as if the place is going to be completely barren of life; Edinburgh is a multicultural, highly active city. And several of my friends have accepted places there too, which is obviously a natural pull. While the nightlife may not be AS good, it will still be good, with plenty of interesting places to visit.
However, should I be compromising on my choice of University? I think I should be getting the best deal possible out of my University life, for me. Not for anyone else. At the end of the day, I will get a degree from both; there is no magic ingredient which makes either course particularly enticing. The year abroad with Glasgow sounds like it would be better, but it’s not as if I would be miserable travelling with Edinburgh; otherwise I don’t think people would be continuing to enrol on their course!
I wish I didn’t have the freedom of the decision, to be honest. If I was just forced to take one of them I think life would be much easier for me right now.
