The best UK cities for students: Birmingham Vs London

Hello, my name is Chimnaza and I'm a first year student at Birmingham City University studying Digital Media Computing. Before making the decision on what university to go to, I was stuck between universities here in Birmingham or in London. I decided to study in Birmingham because I did want to have a city experience, but not one that was too draining because I do enjoy belonging to closer, tight knit communities, which I have found a lot of here in Birmingham. Also the cost of living in Birmingham, after doing my research, I found to be much cheaper than in London, which made it a better decision for me to move to as a student. Obviously, when it comes to the sizes of Birmingham and London, London is much bigger than Birmingham, but Birmingham also is quite a big city. In London you have to travel much further away from the centre of the city to get to quieter area, in Birmingham, the centre of the city is much quieter compared to London, and it means you have to travel less to get to a much more quiet area. Personally, I had grown up in quite a quiet environment, so I wanted something busier but at the same time when I visited London I thought it would be too busy for me, which is why I decided to move to Birmingham, which for me has the best of both worlds. Obviously, because these are some of the bigger cities in the UK, they are quite diverse in terms of culture, expertise and career backgrounds. Obviously, because London is bigger, there's so much more to do in London. But this does not mean that Birmingham is lacking in any way. Like I mentioned earlier, what decision you make depends a whole lot on the kind of person you are and what lifestyle you'd like to lead. Birmingham has loads of things to do. For instance, on the weekend and to bond with friends, I like to go out to restaurants to eat, and I don't think I've visited any restaurant more than twice so far. On the other hand, I do have friends who have come from London and preferred culture there because they are more adventurous and want something new to do every other time. So regardless of your interests or what you like to do, there's definitely going to be something for you in Birmingham. There's art museums, there's sport centres, there's parks, there's mini golf, there's escape rooms. No matter what you're looking for, there is sure to be something for you to do. Having the opportunity to connect with nature can be a concern. If you're looking to move into a modern city like Birmingham or London. However, there's no need to worry as Birmingham has parks, canals and gardens dotted around the city. In terms of transport, London can easily be seen to be more connected than Birmingham, especially because of the tube. However, in Birmingham it's easy to walk from place to place. There are good transport systems such as the bus, the trams and trains that would allow you to get to wherever you need to get to. I have found that generally Birmingham is much cheaper than living in London, especially when it comes to accommodation, transport and even recreation, especially as a student. Also, as a student, there's loads of help with finances regardless of what city you live in. Having. UNiDAYS or Student Beans does open you up to a lot of discounts. Both Birmingham and London has their pros and cons. At the end of the day, it's important to consider the kind of person you are, what lifestyle you'd want to lead both during and after university in making your choice.