The ultimate freshman’s guide to Budapest

Starting university is such a big first for everyone that at the beginning it might seem a wee bit frightening. Exploring and interacting with a new community is the cornerstone of the freshman experience. HVG put together a little freshman’s guide to help you get prepared for university life in Budapest.

Why should someone pick Budapest for their studies?

Firstly, it’s the capital of Hungary so it’s always buzzing with life. Secondly, Budapest has the highest number of universities out of all the Hungarian cities, and consequently the biggest community of students.

What is the most useful advice that a freshman can take to make the most out of their uni years in Budapest?

It’s very easy to get lost in the crowd or occasionally feel small. Be open to the new experiences and the others around you. It’s as good a time as any to make friends, and if you join a community, it will make it even easier for you. These communities can also be a great help, not only in making friends but also in getting the notes for that one lecture that you slept through.

Read more: Budapest among the best European cities for studying abroad!

What major university events should a freshman be aware of?

The answer varies from university to university. There is always the freshers’ week and those orientation programmes that every university organises for their own students, like BME Days. There are other parties peppered throughout the semester, and you should absolutely try to attend as many as you can.

What are the hottest places for students to go out?

There are two types of going out in the Budapest night, that will be mentioned here. Dive bars get the first mention, since they all have their authentic, ruin bar vibe and can be specific to the university or the area. For example, students from ELTE and BTK usually frequent the Könyvtár Klub. The second mention are the nightclubs. There are a couple of extremely popular places, such as Instant-Fogas, Morrison’s 2, Turbina and many others.

What is considered the favourite drink/food of university students?

There is a great variety of options, so a hungry student has plenty to choose from. There are unmissable favourites such as gyros places, the different Asian eateries scattered throughout the city, or the classic fast food restaurants like McDonald’s. The budget options include some quick grub from Aldi or Lidl supermarkets. Additional pro tip: there are quite a lot of coupons and discounts if you flash that student card. As far as alcohol is concerned, there is beer and spritzers and the trinity of vodka orange, whiskey cola,and gin tonic. Honourable mentions include Jägermeister, Tubi and perhaps Unicum.

What is the city like in terms of transport/amenities?

Let’s just say it fulfills its function as a public transportation system. It’s cheap with a student card and connects the city’s main transportation hubs rather well. You can also opt for MOL Bubi if you want to squeeze in a bit of a workout while getting from one place to another.

Where and how to recharge your batteries after a party/exam?

Once you sleep off the effects, there are a lot of really nice cafés and art house pubs that you can visit. Recently some pretty cool brunch places have started popping up around the city, which are also worth a try. In the summer, you can kick back at one of the festivals or you can explore the green areas around the city, such as Margaret Island or Normafa.

Read more: THE Ranking: Hungarian university in the world’s best 1%, ten others in the best 5%

Author: Emma Kusnyerik

Source: hvg.hu