By Ottilie, BSc Geography 

Hellooo!! I’m currently in my 3^rd year of studying geography at Edinburgh and I thought I’d share with you just a few reasons why I chose to study here.

There are countless reasons which make Edinburgh a great university to study at and live in, here are some that you might already know but also a couple that you may have not yet considered…

Edinburgh is a very walkable city which makes getting around quick, easy and cheap! This may not sound like a great advantage but when my friends have come to visit me from other unis some of them they have been shocked that I don’t have to take public transport to get to the city centre, university buildings or nights out. Here it’s considered a trek if you have to walk any more than 30 minutes to get somewhere – it really is something to be grateful for! It makes seeing friends, doing activities, going shopping, going on a night out or to the gym etc. so convenient and easy.

Also, walking is a great way to explore the city, there is so much to observe and see. Admittedly Edinburgh is quite hilly which can make for thirsty work, but also produces some great views (I can see the sea on my walk back from the library to my flat!! ). Edinburgh is filled with lots of cute little independent shops, cafes and bars which are so fun to explore!

One of my main reasons for coming to Edinburgh was how beautiful the city is (which is a bit cliché I know) but it’s true! It’s often ranked among the most beautiful cities in the world in magazines, travel guides and newspapers …not a bad place to live ehh? The city is so scenic: From watching sunsets on Arthur’s seat , to wandering around the Grassmarket, to enjoying Edinburgh’s beaches , to just hanging out in the Meadows – living and studying in Edinburgh you are always surrounded by such beauty!

Geography FIELD TRIPS!! For me, these are a major highlight of studying geography at Edinburgh. Last summer I was lucky enough to get a place on the trip to Cape Town, South Africa… and it was the best week ever! We learnt about the slave trade, apartheid and gentrification that is currently going on there – all fascinating topics. We had such a fun-filled and jam-packed schedule including taking a ferry over to visit Robin Island! In the afternoons and evenings we were given free time to explore for ourselves, we ate out every night and happened upon some awesome bars. The geography department funds all course field trips, so our travel and accommodation were fully paid for too – a great added bonus!! There are plenty of opportunities to go on geography field trips, some of my friends have been to Iceland, Berlin and Athens too!

Finally, this one could easily be overlooked despite being quite obvious, and I have to admit it was super high on my pros list… Cheekily, a big pull factor for me was the length of the undergraduate degree at Edinburgh – offering four years of student life instead of the typical three-year courses in England and many other countries! Who wouldn’t want to enjoy an extra year of youth and being a student before settling into a job and having to work every day?!? Edinburgh is such a fun city to live in, spending four years here may just turn out to be some of the best years of your life!!

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Some less-obvious reasons why studying at Edinburgh is the best!! / School of GeoSciences Student Blog by School of GeoSciences Marketing & Recruitment Team is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0

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