#The Romans may have built the first settlement in Bath, #but it was in Georgian times #that it became the truly beautiful city it now is. #Radiant golden local stone is everywhere - #hardly a brick building to be seen. #Now its one of the country's top tourist resorts. #They don't come just to see the Roman Baths, but also the local countryside, #the Mendip Hills, the Cotswolds and the Severn Estuary. #Unfortunately, the University, #being on a 60s campus on a high windy hill 2 miles from the city centre, #shares very little of this elegance. #The buildings are definitely not the University's best feature, #but students soon become anaesthetised to them. #After all, there's the greenery of the grounds and the small University lake. #The University offers mainly science and technology courses, #often with a language element, #and many include a sandwich placement in industry. #Students are serious and bookish, but friendly, #but their warmth isn't enough to banish the deathly hush that sometimes descends on the campus. #It would be harsh, but fair, to say that party animals here will feel caged. #Even though there's no Arts faculty, #students muster many an amusement from the muses. #The various arty activities are not crowded with cliques as they are in many places and the Arts Barn is a big bonus. #It has a fully equipped studio theatre and a rehearsal space for drama, dance and music. #There's an arts workshop, an exhibition space and films are shown regularly. #But the Arts Barn is too small and the University Hall also gets used as a theatre. An open air amphitheatre by the lake is used for smaller productions. #But perhaps more than arts or other clubs, sport takes a high priority at Bath. #There's none of this trash about 'its only a game'. #There's funding, there's interest and there's considerable success at the same time as broad involvement. #A recent survey showed that 86% of students use the impressive sports facilities #on a weekly basis. #These are the areas where the social focus lies-the sports, the clubs and the academia. #Gigs and other entertainments are often poorly attended and BUSU, #the students union, is not exactly social super-glue. #The University lacks a single focal point. #There are 2 bars, but BUSU doesn't run either of them, #so they're more expensive and not as good as most student watering holes. #Most of the time only The Norwood Bar is open and gets very quickly filled. #As for gigs, the University Hall is used occasionally and BUSU makes arrangements in 3 local clubs, #but basically, although the rave wave has not ignored Bath, #the lack of venues has proved a bit of a tide break. #BUSU's an odd union. #Not only do students have to register in order to get their free membership, #but its also carefully apolitical even though its representative role is quite important. #No-one stands for election on party platforms and there's a general apathy about politics of any sort. #Students are spoilt for choice when it comes to media. #There's Spike, the free student magazine, #University Radio Bath and Campus Television which broadcasts on a closed circuit network to BUSU's TV lounge, #showing its own programmes and movies courtesy of satellite stations. #All 1st years are offered a place in the University self-catered accommodation, #but few other undergrads live in. #About 10% of places are in shared rooms and there are about 75 places in houses in town, #rented out on a private basis by the University. #Local housing is easy enough to find at the right price, #but students have to take care that its not been declared a breeding sanctuary for cockroaches #and that the landlord isn't an evil demagogue. #The best areas are Oldfield Park and Coombe Down. #The city centre is extortionate. #In fact, tourism not only means that Bath has plenty of amenities, #museums, #galleries and entertainment facilities, #but also that almost everything costs a packet.
