What I’ve learned about Edinburgh while studying here
By Carolina, from South America, studying Data Inequality and Society
Something that surprised me about living in Edinburgh, as I had never been to Scotland before at all, was how much it actually felt like the fairy tales I’d seen as a kid. My background is in neuroscience and so I’m not one of those people who knows all about the history or that it’s a World Heritage site and so when I came here, the architecture, it really was like, oh wow, this is where fairy tales come from.
The people
I feel like before I moved to Scotland, I was also not as familiar with the nuances and differences of the United Kingdom, like the varied histories and so from my experience so far I’ve learned that Scotland has a very unique and very strong sense of identity and I think that Scottish culture and it’s rich tradition are really exciting.
There’s a wonderful mix of people too, those who live in Scotland but also all the students coming to study really creates a vibrancy and so when you participate in all that is on offer, you really get the chance to meet a lot of other folks too.
There’s also a lot of different thinkers who have come from Edinburgh, from the University but also the city itself. For instance, the Futures Institute used to be the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and Florence Nightingale – well regarded as the mother of modern nursing – had a hand in determining its design, which has become a cornerstone of how hospitals have been designed in the Western world. I’ve been continuously surprised by how many inventions, that we in the world use, came from Edinburgh. You get a sense of that by walking around the city, so it’s a really exciting place to be.
The next thing I’ve learned is that Edinburgh is filled with students in a really fantastic way. There’s so many people studying here that the infrastructure, both within the University and outside of it, really reflects and supports student life. It has made being a student here, more easy and really lovely with all the student directed services and events throughout the city.
Make use of student discounts
Because there are so many students here, there’s a lot of student discounts too, which was a top tip that I got before I came here from a former student, to scope those out early and take advantage of them. Depending on your age, that could be even for free bus travel for under 22 or a young person’s rail card, things like that. There are also so many cafes and restaurants that cater to students, so everywhere I go I just ask if they have a student discount and they almost always do. Which is really wonderful. So there’s always opportunities that help you make your budget stretch a little further.
ScotRail is my newest one that I’m excited about because you can get a student discount for the train within Scotland, which is really fantastic if you’re going to travel and to get to know the rest of the country. I’ve been really keen as this is my first time in the UK, so I’m trying to find my way around so that’s my top discount at the moment.
Winter in Edinburgh
I will say that for me, being from the equator, where I grew up then coming to Scotland, the seasons here were definitely an adjustment. In particular the amount of sunlight being less in the winter. Fortunately, I’m not the first person to make this kind of move, so there’s both a lot of resources in my school, but also a lot of wisdom I learned from my colleagues and classmates around how to navigate it. The fluctuating light and how that can impact your energy levels and all the different resources like the “wintering well” series that the University has, for giving practical tips and skills on navigating the change in light and weather, including taking advantage of the sunlight on hikes.
Still, there’s a lot of magic here. I think that even in the winter time when it is the most dark, it brings its own opportunities and there’s still a lot of beauty. During my time here I learned that within Europe, Edinburgh is such a destination for Christmas and so for the holiday period it’s all lit up wonderfully and so even the dark days have their magic. After seeing it myself, I now understand why tourists travel to come see the Christmas lights at the Botanical Garden and the traditional Hogmanay and New Years celebrations! Next up I’m keen on trying my best to take advantage of the dark and spot an Aurora Borealis!
Got questions about student life at Edinburgh?
