Come this September, I will be upping sticks to London in pursuit of my new student life. Behind me I am leaving the city I grew up in and have lived in all of my life, Manchester. Although I am (incredibly!) bias, I truly believe that Manchester is the best city in the UK. I love this town to bits and not being here will be very strange for a while. Although I'm very excited to be moving to the Big Smoke and discovering all that it has to offer, there are certainly things that I will miss about my home city. Here are 5 things that I'll be sad to leave behind in a couple of months time...
The Musical Heritage
The Stone Roses, The Smiths, Oasis, Joy Division, The Happy Mondays. If there's one thing that Manchester does well then it's music. And not just any music. For decades, Manchester has been a breeding ground for some of the greatest musical talent on the British isles and beyond, and I've really grown up around the Manchester music scene. Hugely influential bands with incredible legacies have come out of Manchester and in many ways this forms a great deal of the Mancunian 'culture' that I'll be missing so much.
The Northern Quarter
The Northern Quarter
This area of Manchester will be hard to leave behind. A mix of vintage, vinyl and cute quirky cafes, the narrow streets of The Northern Quarter are a creatives dream to wander around. Even after dark, The Northern Quarter transforms from an edgy hangout to a maze of trendy bars and restaurants. Decorated wall to wall with beautifully crafted street art, I can see myself pining to explore this unique area of Manchester again when I move away in a couple of months time.
The Accent
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm old enough now that my accent won't be affected by all of the southern voices I'll be surrounded by for the next 3 years! Manchester dialect will always sound homely to me and I really do think I'll find myself missing all of the Manc slang that's associated with the Northern city.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm old enough now that my accent won't be affected by all of the southern voices I'll be surrounded by for the next 3 years! Manchester dialect will always sound homely to me and I really do think I'll find myself missing all of the Manc slang that's associated with the Northern city.
The Nightlife
Despite nightlife being a major part of most people's university experience, I'll be very much longing for the bars and clubs that have been a part of some great memories for me when I move down south. From 42s, to Mojo's, to Band On The Wall, to the venues that I've seen bands grow up in. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited to sample what London has to offer the revellers, but Manchester will always be at my heart. So say what you like about London nightlife, at least in Manchester I can afford more than one drink on a night out!
Despite nightlife being a major part of most people's university experience, I'll be very much longing for the bars and clubs that have been a part of some great memories for me when I move down south. From 42s, to Mojo's, to Band On The Wall, to the venues that I've seen bands grow up in. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited to sample what London has to offer the revellers, but Manchester will always be at my heart. So say what you like about London nightlife, at least in Manchester I can afford more than one drink on a night out!
The Pride
Now I may be wrong here, and I might find myself eating my words in a few months time, but one thing I feel Manchester trumps London with every time is the pride of the people for their city. People in Manchester just adore Manchester and will defend it to the death. It may rain (and rain, and rain...) and we may bitterly disagree over a certain two football teams, but by god do we Mancunians love our city.
So as the weeks go by, I'll be enjoying my final months in Manchester before I pack my bags and move to the big city. If you've ever been to Manchester, what are your favourite spots? Or what things do you recommend I try out in London? I'd love to know in the comments!
So as the weeks go by, I'll be enjoying my final months in Manchester before I pack my bags and move to the big city. If you've ever been to Manchester, what are your favourite spots? Or what things do you recommend I try out in London? I'd love to know in the comments!
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