You will spend a signifcant amount of your time on campus attending lectures, labs, seminars, and tutorials. While you're not in one of these timetabled activities however, it's up to you to spend your time how you like! Below, we have compiled some suggestions for things you can do to fill your time, collected from previous home students. Don't forget to explore campus and the West End as much as you can!
Spaces on Campus
When you commute from home, you might find that you have gaps between teaching times that mean you need a place to chill out, study or socialise during these hours. Some students who live in accommodation or flats might go there during the day, but don't worry as there are plenty of places on campus for you to go during these gaps. We've listed some of these below.
Study Spaces
- Library- there are 11 floors on the library with plenty of spaces and computers if you want to go and study or work during the day
- The James McCune Smith Learning Hub (JSMLH)- the JMSLH has plenty of comfortable space for study
- Glasgow University Union (GUU) Libraries- the GUU has two library spaces- the Elliot Library and the Bridie Library
Hang Out Spaces
- Library Café- the library café on level 3 is a perfect spot to eat or buy your lunch in the middle of the day. There are also plenty of comfortable areas all around the library for you to grab a comfy seat during the middle of the day
- JMSLH Kitchens and Dining Area- the JMSLH has two fully kitted kitchens on level 4 and level 6 where you can take use of facilities like microwaves and hot water taps. These are great spaces to hang out in between classes or even during the evening after class. On the ground floor, the JMSLH also has a range of catering options and eating spaces
- Fraser Building- the Fraser Building is a popular area for students to hang out in during the day. There are also a range of hot food and sandwiches available
- Glasgow University Union - the GUU has many comfortable chill out rooms filled with armchairs and sofas if you want to chill out at any point during the day or evening
- There are so many lovely cosy cafes around the West End! If you fancy hanging somewhere that’s not on campus, there are so many cute spots if you want to invite any friends or other students out for a coffee or lunch in the day!
Lockers
Lockers can be an extremely helpful facility if you commute to university. They can save you carrying heavy things like books or sports equipment back and forward from home or even around campus all day. This might help you get more involved with activities after teaching hours, like clubs and societies, or events run by our student bodies. Lockers are available to rent daily in the JMSLH building which is open 6am-11pm, although remember there are a limited number! To rent a locker just ask one of the Reach Out team in the JMSLH for more information and they'll point you in the right direction.
Making Friends at University
Home students can sometimes find it a little bit harder to meet friends at university if they spend a lot of time commuting at the beginning or end of the day. It’s normal to feel left out when a lot of students live in flats together or in student accommodation. However, there are so many opportunities to get involved with extracurricular activities and meet loads of new people.
- Clubs and Societies- here at UofG, there are over 300 clubs and societies for you to get involved with! Whether it's something you feel passionate about or you want to try something new, it's a fantastic way to meet new people. Societies are always really welcoming to all different types of students and are encouraged to cater to students who commute from their homes.
- Sports Clubs- there are over 50 sports clubs as part of GUSA for you to get involved in. Sports clubs foster an amazing sense of community and belonging and are another great way to meet other students whilst getting involved in a sport that you already love, or while trying something new!
- It’s never too early to start planning and preparing for your future career – look out for employability and careers opportunities such as internships or volunteering!
- Student Bodies- we have 4 student bodies at the University of Glasgow who all run loads of events all throughout the year for you to get involved in. We'd always recommend you check out what they have to offer, jump in and get involved with as much as you can!
- Social Media- join Freshers groups, course group chats and join the Home Students' Network!
- Talk to People! It sounds simple but talk to your classmates! Everyone is there for the same reason and everybody gets nervous about meeting new people.
- Freshers Week- take full advantage of Freshers Week and go along to as many events as you want! Sign up to societies, go to student mixers and keep a look out for the home student specific events.
- The Local Student Orientation runs each September in the week before Freshers’ Week to welcome new local students on to the campus for the day or, in 2020 and 2021 via Microsoft Teams. It is a great opportunity for students who are not moving into Student Halls, or who don’t know many others starting at the University, to meet people and get an early introduction to the University and student life, to get set up for a great start to the year, already familiar with some aspects of the online learning environment.
The Home Students' Network is an online network run by the Students' Representative Council (SRC), designed as an online social space for home students to connect and interact! If you're a home student yourself, it's a great starting point and where you can hear all about the latest events to help you participate in all aspects of university life and meet other students! You can join the network on Facebook
The network itself exists so that different home students can connect and share their experiences at regularly ran meet ups and events- it’s not just a Facebook page! Join the group to hear more about these events and how to get the most out of your university experience.
The SRC have several other networks that may be of interest to you including Student Parents’ Network, Student Carers’ Network, Disabled Students’ Network. You can find these through the SRC Facebook page.