Living in Egham - All You Need to Know As a Student
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You might know Egham as a quaint, traditional town located just outside of London city centre, but there’s waaaay more to it than meets the eye.
It’s a fantastic area, especially for university students, as it’s packed full of culture, history and exciting things to do!
If Royal Holloway is a university floating in the back of your mind, why not keep on reading to find out exactly what life is like here as a student?
We cover just about everything, from the spectacular university campus, to the nightlife and delicious restaurants you can visit.
You never know, you might find out something about this charming town that you never even knew…how about that?!
Keep on reading to find out more…
1. You’ll Be Mesmerised By The Royal Holloway University Campus
As you can see from the photo above, Royal Holloway uni is located within the walls of the magnificent Founder’s building.
A little fun fact, it’s received awards online for being the most beautiful university and we can understand exactly why.
It’s SO Hogwarts esque, we wouldn’t be surprised if an undercover journalist discovered some sort of wizardry happening instead of lectures and seminars!
However, this isn’t the case (we know, we’re just as heartbroken as you). They actually offer a huge range of courses for you to choose from that you’re kinda spoilt for choice.
Music, Geography and Creative Writing are courses at Royal Holloway which are ranked in the UK’s top ten, whilst Psychology, Drama and English are ranked in the top 20.
The campus itself is set over 135 acres, which, if you do the math, is the equivalent to 67 and a half football pitches…crazy – right?
2. Egham High Street Is A Foodie’s Heaven
Who doesn’t love having a delicious meal that hasn’t been cooked at home? ‘Cos we sure do!
Living in Egham, you have a plethora of restaurants, cafes and takeaways to choose from if your student cooking just isn’t hitting the spot.
Within walking distance from our Egham student accommodation, you’ll discover the High Street and THIS is where you can devour your favourite cuisine.
Prepare yourself for a whole heap of eateries you just can’t miss whilst staying here for university.
Eat Thai is (as you can already guess) a delectable Thai restaurant, loved by both the locals and students. It offers an intimate venue and classic dishes with a modern twist.
For those who enjoy a more informal venue, Bar 163 is the place to be. Providing exceptional service and great cocktails, you’re bound to fall in love with this place and we bet it won’t be a stranger in your lives!
Feeling like a local Italian? Then you have to try Villa Rosa. Renowned for the best pizza and pasta in the whole of Egham, this venue is the ideal place for impressing your new uni pals.
To help you out even further, we have a fantastic blog which informs you of the top places in Egham for food … don’t say we don’t treat you!
3. It May Be Small, But The Nightlife Is Mighty Fine
For students, the Royal Holloway Student Union is definitely one of the best venues for a night out in Egham!
This popular venue hosts weekly club nights and tons of amazing society performances throughout the year.
It even holds the spectacular Freshers Festival, something all first year students NEED to get involved in.
There’s usually around 35 events across a nine day period….you’re in for a right treat!
Frequently in conjunction with RHSU, The Packhorse is a great place if you’re looking for an energetic atmosphere at night.
At exceptional student prices, you’re guaranteed to have a fantastic night here and still end up with money left over to spend on a hangover meal the next day.
PS if you’re a little hungry, you can also order from their tasty kitchen! They offer great food that caters for all…what’s not to love?
Lastly, the Foresters Arms is a lively pub Egham you don’t want to miss. It frequently holds social events and is a lot cheaper than you’d think!
What makes this town even better is that it’s just a short train ride to the UK capital city – London.
This means that you don’t have to limit yourself to a night out in Egham. You and your new friendship group can actually book a night out in London…it’s basically the best of both worlds!
4. You Have A Huge City On Your Doorstep, Without The Pollution!
Like we mentioned before, you literally have central LONDON on your doorstep whilst at university in Egham.
Seriously, what’s not to love?!
You have your quiet town to relax and study in, but just a short walk to the train station can lead you to the UK’s busiest city!
There’s an abundance of activities for you to do here, including shopping, eating and exploring the historical buildings and museums it offers.
We’ve checked Trainline for you (no need to thank us) and the most you’ll be paying for a single ticket to London Waterloo is £10.50. For the lucky few who have a railcard, your ticket will only be a mere £6.90…how crazy is that?
Visiting London is essential whilst studying here, it’s a fantastic place and you’re bound to find other students who’ll want to join you on your quest.
5. Ride And Slide In Thorpe Park
Are you an adrenaline junkie? Then we bet you already know that Thorpe Park is round the corner from Egham.
It’s one of the best theme parks in the whole of the UK and has a variety of rides for all ages.
They even have special student prices, starting from just £28…what a bargain!
It won’t be a place you visit every weekend, but it might sure tempt you during special seasons such as Halloween time and during the summer!
6. Treat Your Mind To A Walk In The Park
Moving to university can be a daunting prospect, and it’s important you take care of yourself and your wellbeing at the same time.
If Royal Holloway is your university of choice, you’ll fortunately be surrounded by some of the UK’s most picturesque parks and paths that are great for a midday walk or evening stroll.
Firstly, you can walk around the beautiful campus! Like we mentioned before, the Founder’s building is breathtaking, and the acres that come with it are something else!
However, we understand that you might want to explore something other than the campus. So, you have the option to walk along the River Thames, or even discover one of Egham’s parks.
Windsor Great Park boasts 4800 acres of land and is managed by The Crown Estate. It’s home to a stunning lake and waterfall, something you definitely don’t want to miss if you’re staying here!
Neighbouring this is The Valley Gardens, a scenic, nature area perfect for a spot of lunch or a run in the summer months!
Lastly, the Runnymede is also the perfect area to bring your friends to get out of the uni bubble. It’s so relaxing, you’ll feel like you’re walking around a dream!
7. When You’re Not Studying, You Can Explore Egham’s Historical Foundations
History is the backbone of everything. It’s the foundation of every town and city we pass every single day. So, why wouldn’t you want to learn more about it?
In Egham, there’s lots of iconic monuments and sites which have a huge historical story to be told
Firstly, have you ever heard of the Magna Carta?
If not, it’s basically a seal of agreement which contains principles that have significant influence on rights and freedom.
It’s one of the most significant events for human rights, law and order…how crazy is that?
It’s extremely historic and the Magna Carta Monument is located in the beautiful park – Runnymede. You have to visit it ASAP.
Runnymede is also home to the Air Forces Memorial, which commemorates over 20,000 men and women of the air forces, who lost their lives in WW2.
It’s truly magnificent and by visiting, you’re paying huge respects to all these individuals.
And lastly, the Ankerwycke Yew is the National Trust’s oldest tree.
At 2,500 years old, this iconic tree is steeped in history and something you don’t want to miss out on whilst living in Egham.
8. We Offer The Best Egham Student Accommodation, Which Gets Booked Up VERY Quickly
Choosing to go and study at Royal Holloway university is a fantastic choice if it’s something you’re looking at.
However, choosing the right accommodation here is just as important…because everyone needs a comfortable place to rest to ensure they’re refreshed for the next day!
We have a student room for everyone here! So if you fancy your own en suite bathroom, social communal spaces and just a short walk from all essential amenities – then you have to check us out!
We pride ourselves on building a community, where, even though you’re living in a studio
apartment, you’ll be able to make friends for life utilising our accommodation facilities.
If this is something you’re interested in, make sure to get in touch with our friendly team. They’re available to talk to both new and returning students, who’re looking for luxury accommodation in Egham!
Do you feel like you’re ready to step out into the real world and live the Egham student life? ‘Cos we sure do! We hope this has given you a run-down on everything you need to know about this beautiful university, campus and quaint town.
