10 Things Loughborough Students Must Do

By Student Cribs | June 9, 2023 | Reading Time: 8 minutes

There’s a reason we call it the Loughborough Bubble, Loughborough is known for basically being a student town. Yes you get the odd local here and there but essentially Luff is filled with Kukri wearing, protein shake drinking students as well of those of us who weren’t so blessed in the sporting department.

So I’m here to help you make the most of your Loughborough University experience with 10 things every Loughborough student must do, a sort of bucket list if you will (one that may end in a deterioration of your health but it’s all about the experience right?)

Echos

Echos is the Marmite of the Loughborough Bubble – you either love it or hate it. Whether it is for the 3 for £7 Echo’s Blues or the fact that the club burnt down two years ago and never bothered refurbishing, a Saturday night at Echos is definitely an experience. Whether you want the songs so cheesy that even your Year 6 disco would’ve stuck their noses up to in the Red Room or the House and Garage styling of White Room, you’re in for a good night. So grab that one pair of Primark shoes that you have no emotional attachment to, get your singing voice ready for the obligatory Red Room rendition of Let It Go at 3am and be on full alert for the infamous Echos rat circa 2015.

Papa Si’s cheesy chips

It is the ritual of all nights out. You’re on your third vodka shot of the night (yes I am a lightweight, don’t judge me), it’s got to around 3am and you know it is time for the most greasy yet delicious food imaginable in the mind of your intoxicated self. This might be a big claim but I believe you haven’t lived until you’ve devoured a box of Papa Si’s cheesy chips. An experience that euphoric and loved by all, that when an April Fool’s article wrote that Papa Si was in fact getting rid of the beloved cheesy chips, Luff students went into meltdown.

AU

“Oh so what sport do you do then?” – the sentence uttered from everyone’s lips when you tell them that you go to Loughborough University. Yes, Luff is renowned for its sporting ability and rightly so. However you don’t have to just be a part of an AU team to enjoy sport here. Whether it be the regular Saturday rugby matches that take place right in the centre of campus or the massively exciting BUCs games (which we have won 36 years in a row, Loughborough walks on water and all that,) there’s always something going on. The best AU event of the year is definitely the AU Dance competition which Loughborough hosts but I guess I’m slightly biased being a member myself….

The Sock Man

Yes, this is an actual thing in Loughborough. Sat, almost majestically some would say in the middle of town, is The Sock Man. He is there to celebrate the woollen and hosiery industries, which were vital in Loughborough’s early industrial development (or at least that’s what Google has told me). However us Luff students use him more as a photo opportunity after a night out, McDonald’s in hand and at least two of you trying to climb onto him – it’s a must.

Pub crawl

Loughborough is quite high on the bar scene, what we lack in size we definitely make up for in the numerous pubs and bars we have. A night of pool and a couple pints in the Griffin or 2 for 1 on cocktails in Revs for the more sophisticated of you out there, there is a bar to please just about anyone.

DBE

DBE (Dub Borough Events) is loved by many a Loughborough student and some would say it’s a rite of passage. We spoke to Pasquale of DBE and he gave us this description of what DBE is all about – for any of you confused readers out there: 

‘As well as drum and bass we’ve had some of the biggest house guests in the world and some of the most exciting new blood in the world of grime & techno’

Be sure to get your tickets fast, as they often sell out stupidly quickly. 

Source: DBE Facebook

Meet Burger
A new addition to Luff in 2015, this is one to experience. Enough burgers to cure even the worst hangover, you know everything is going to be alright when is the ‘Dutty Cheese’ is involved. And for the braver burger lovers of you, they have their ‘Ultra Food’ option. Essentially over 2000 calories of danger, you can take on such feats as ‘The Reaper’ (I’ll let your imagination run wild with what that may obtain’. So as they say ‘Meet Burger, Eat Burger, Love Burger.’

Student Union

There is a reason that Loughborough has won the WhatUni Student Choice Awards for Best Students’ Union for the third year in a row – we have the best nights out. For the more VK drinking, S Club 7 loving of you all there’s Studesday which at £1.50 entry is a bargain of a night. And then we have Hey Ewe and FND which are particular favourites of mine. Only £4.50 entry with £1 Jagerbombs and a whole lotta dancing, what else could you need? Plus you don’t have to walk anywhere for your post Union munchies with a Chinese and Papa Si’s all right there. Told you Luff was good!

A Walk around the University

The university is what makes Loughborough so great and throughout first year whilst I lived on campus, I loved walking back from lectures and simply admiring the campus (yes I give you all permission to cringe a little) but I truly love Luff. It’s great being in the Bubble and with it being the largest single site campus in the UK there is a lot to see, watch one of the gazillion sporting matches on campus, have a coffee in the union, whatever you like. Plus with all the walking, it means you can save from buying that gym membership so all in all a win win!

Loughborough also has some amazing parks – so put on those sensible shoes and have a ramble. 

Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below!

Thinking about where to live next year? 

Check out our Loughborough student houses before they’re all gone.