Describing your university
What is the academic life like at your university?
it's mixed - you might walk in an enlightened daze from a lecture into a proverbial brick wall of mathematical rigour and droning intonation. As I've said before, lecturers vary vastly in quality, as can be expected, but the good outweighs the bad. Some are real characters. Again, if you love physics, life is good, if not don't waste your time.

Describe your Freshers' Week - was it as you expected, better or worse? Why?
If the quality of Fresher's Week has any bearing whatsoever on your choice of university, you're looking at the wrong course. For the record though, it's infamously bad here.

Are there any other notes you would like to add about life in general at university or anything else which would be relevant to a prospective student?
Don't go to university unless you have a genuine reason for doing so - there's no use confining yourself in such a way. I think it's not the experience it's cracked up to be these days, I think the whole thing must have changed since our parent's generation. Be free! There is a lot in the world and 18-23 is not a time you want to be cooped up studying, go and enjoy yourself...!

What is the best and worst thing about your university?
The best thing is probably the number of good lecturers, and how willing to help they are. They always seem to have time for you. For example, the Physics students had to take an Electrical Engineering module last year, this year I had to analyse a difficult circuit for my lab module, so I sent an e-mail to the guy who took the Electronics lectures asking for help and within minutes I was in his office talking over it. The worst thing would be the lack of any sort of student vibe... it's not that people don't go out to clubs etc, there's plenty of that, but there's nothing interesting going on, no political feeling, nothing exciting. The feeling you get is one of plain apathy. Can I go to Cav (the main student club) tonight and get wasted? Yes? Then all is right in the world. You go to university to have your views changed or at least challenged, to meet strange people who at first you don't understand, supposedly. There's none of that here. Although maybe that's all a myth and it's the same everywhere - I haven't heard much different from my friends back home.

Sport and extra curricular
What are the sport and other activities on offer like at your university?
Really good, apparently. The facilities are meant to be world class, there's a really wide variety of clubs to join, and there's something like 7 different grades of football team, such is the interest. I'm not really the person to ask though!

The social scene
What is the social scene (and/or nightlife) like at your university? Is it particularly alcohol orientated?
Heh, we're in Scotland, of course it's particularly alcohol orientated! The union is very expensive though (You pay £1 for a drink in the Bristol union bar, a university known for its generally privileged student body. At the Watt you can pay £3 or more.) The social scene isn't great, but I said before, expect apathy, don't expect the majority of people to be interested in much beyond their own wee affairs, which generally consist of drinking in bad clubs. Of course there are good'uns... I don't mean to paint too bleak a picture! Some brilliant, interesting, thinking, warmhearted people go to Heriot Watt, just not that many... the place is hardly going to be the epicenter of a revolution, that's all I'm trying to say. Probably something to do with the lack of arts students. It's just like the city itself really - find the real people and you'll have a great time, there's plenty to do.

What do you think of the city your university is based in or near (as a city)?
Edinburgh's a really great city, one of the most beautiful I've been to. Looking across to the new town from Princes street you can easily imagine you're in some gothic past era. The nightlife is very good if you know where to go... kind of like London, you could easily think it consisted of just your standard rubbish clubs (Cav, Mood, ugh.) but after a while you start to find some very unique, interesting places... last night we drunkenly huddled around a traditional Arab band with something like 10 musicians and a belly dancer by candlelight, then moshed out to a Romanian gypsy folk band, with an atmosphere more electric than any rave I've been to (one more tune!). You can't say that after a night out in every UK city! So yeah, can't recommend Edinburgh highly enough, just don't get sucked in to the standard student calender (x banal club on Monday, y corporate chain club on Tuesday, z vapid club on Wednesday... how do these people carry on with their lives!?) or you'll miss out on some really good things and great times.

Accommodation
Do you live in a halls of residence or a student house (or college)? What would you suggest is best in your opinion?
I live in a flat.

If you are in a hall or college, is it catered or self catered? Which is better for the first year in your opinion and why?
The food is shockingly bad here: go self catered or you'll probably put on 3 or 4 stone by the end of the year!

Approximately, what is the average cost of accommodation per week in your first year for catered and non-catered halls/colleges?
£80, maybe.