#On the coast of mid-Wales is a little fishing town #with a promenade of painted houses on the sea front, #a pier, #the ruins of a 12th century castle and an unspellable name. #The towns steeped in history, but there's also quite a lot of new developments. #Tourists often pass through, popping into the port and holiday centre and #the obligatory visit to the castle and gardens. #But as far as students are concerned, Aber revolves around them and #they live amongst the locals in daisy chain harmony.#Aber, as its known to those in the know, #is the commercial, shopping and administrative centre of the Welsh region of Ceredigion. #But that's a bit like saying a puddle is the largest expanse of water in the Sahara. #Up the side of one of the hills spreading inland, less than a mile from the town centre, #sits the Colleges main Penglais campus. #Here the view is splendid and the wind blows as hard as a heavy night on baked beans. #The 2nd site, a couple of miles outside town at the village of Llanbadarn, #is a pleasant setting and secluded, even by Aber standards. #Only 400 students are based here and #they travel frequently to the main site and the town centre. #Because both campuses are small and there are fewer than 4,000 students, #its hard to avoid bumping into friends and foes constantly, #particularly when crossing the paved concourse in the middle of the campus. #In fact, what with the limited transport, there's little chance to escape, #but the sense of space in the stunning views helps stave off any feelings of claustrophobia. #Students only usually go home at the end of the semesters. #There are two semesters a year and for the first year, all courses are fairly general. #Its only after that they choose to specialise. #Meanwhile, there's plenty to do if you want, #but there's no pressure on anyone - jus' mellow. #Aber isn't exactly at the cutting edge of the entertainments scene and the 3 clubs fall into the handbag and stiletto category, #but there are pubs, #a small cinema and theatre and, #in true Welsh spirit a male voice choir. #The nub of the social scene is in the Students Guilds three bars: the cosy SVL Bar, #the sophisticated Cwt Mawr and #the Penglais Bar, #which, along with TheArk and the Sweatbox at Llandabran, is a weekly club venue.#The Arts Centre is one of the University's high points, architecturally as well as culturally. #Its dead posh and, among other things, #hosts theatrical productions both by students and touring professionals. #As for sport, #even the anaemic kid who always left his kit at home and was last to be chosen for the teams at school can feel a part and #make use of the impressive facilities. #More impressive is the charity Rag - the biggest in the country, #each year raising nearly a quarter of a million pounds.#The Guild, which also has members from other local colleges, #isn't particularly political, saving some concern for Welsh nationalism. #Instead, it concentrates on operating facilities #excellent for a university this size in the Mandela Building. #Affiliated to the Guild is the Welsh Union #which exists to preserve the interests of Welsh students. #Almost all first years live in and the few that don't, don't want to. #Nearly 2/3 of finalists come back into halls and 20% of postgrads, #but 2nd years are on their own and #finding suitable accommodation locally ain't so easy. #A room with a view is not rare although 20% are shared. #The largest set of halls is Penbryn #based on the campus and offering evening meals in one communal dining room. #There are 1,000 places in the student village at Pentre Jane Morgan, #which includes a Welsh-speaking hall. #And another 1,000 in self-catered halls at the Llanbadarn site. #There are converted Victorian boarding houses on the sea front - #about 15 mins uphill to the campus and 2 mins back depending on the wind direction. #When the sun comes out and the wind dies down, #students make the most of the beautiful beaches. #They take their books to the seashore #where amazingly they seem to absorb knowledge by just lying on their backs wearing sunglasses.
