London

Goldsmiths College
Freshers’ Fortnight September 22-October 6
Freshers’ Fair September 28
One of London’s best unions, Goldsmiths’ G-Club opened in 2003. Wednesday is Club Sandwich, a mix of cheesy pop and chart hits where spirits and mixers are only £2.50 (free entry with Goldsmiths Gold Pass) and Thursday showcases local guitar and student bands for £3 NUS. The excellent No Pain in Pop throws a right royal indie disco on September 28 and every month thereafter for £4 NUS. There’s free karaoke every Monday from 8pm-2am, a gay disco on October 4 and dubheads will want to get down to Dubstep Changed My Life on September 29, with DJs N-Type, Benga and more spinning until 4am.
Dixon Road, SE14 6NW (020 8692 1406/www.goldsmithsstudents.com). New Cross or New Cross Gate tube/rail.

Imperial College
Freshers’ Fortnight September 29-October 5
Freshers’ Fair 2 October
Club nights here range from urban grooves to rockin’ guitar bands and of course, the obligatory cheesefest. Their sold-out Freshers’ Ball on October 5 boasts Radio 1’s Colin Murray, with Mike-Stuart Matthews and Aleks Corr spinning some indie big ones while Bryan G, Nicky Blackmarket and Blakey (DMC Champion) throw down heavy D&B, plus there’s a casino. Pop punk band Area 15 (apparently they’ve been on Popworld?!) are live at the Too Posh To Wash night on October 4, while Sin City is the regular Wednesday night. On October 3 they’ve got Radio 1’s Scott Mills heading up the football-themed action, which features a human table football and penalty shoot-out simulator. The Mingle on September 29 is the event that proves the union are really on the ball – Peaches Geldof’s Trash Pussies spin hip hop, grime, indie and electro around ace live sets from Fear of Flying, Theoretical Girl, Hatcham Social, Miss Odd Kid, Operahouse and Edward J Hicks. We’d stop by just to try their new Shisha café.
Beit Quad, Prince Consort Road, SW7 2BB (020 7594 8060/www.imperialcollegeunion.org). South Kensington tube.

King’s College
Freshers’ Fortnight September 17-October 2
Freshers Fair September 20-21
King’s College boasts the student bar with the best views in London – the Waterfront – which looks out over the Thames. Upstairs at Tutu's – named after alumnus Archbishop Desmond – is where club nights take place; the perennially popular indie night Collide-a-scope is open to all and chartfest Phase takes over on Fridays. The rest is pretty standard fare.
Macadam Building, Surrey Street, WC2R 2NS (020 7836 7132/www.kclsu.org). Temple tube.

London Metropolitan University
Freshers’ Week September 24-October 5
Freshers’ Fair October 2 City Campus, October 4-5 North Campus
London Metropolitan University was created in 2002 by the merger of London Guildhall University (City Campus) and the University of North London (North Campus) and so has two decent-sized unions of which Rocket Complex (Holloway Road) is the best. Every Wednesday is the popular Big Fish, a mix of cheesy chart hits, R&B and soca. The smaller Sub Club hosts an R&B, soul and grime night called Eclectic on Fridays, and a new student night on Thursdays called Topsy Turvy, where drinks are dangerously priced at £1.50.
North Campus Rocket Complex, 166-220 Holloway Road, N7 8DB (020 7423 0000/www.londonmetstudents.com). Holloway Road tube. City Campus 2 Goulston Street, E1 7TP (020 7320 3530/www.sub-club.net). Aldgate East tube.

Queen Mary University
Freshers’ Week September 15-27
Freshers’ Fair September 19-20
QMU’s Student Village opened in early 2004 featuring a raft of new student accommodation plus a café/bar. Club E1 is no more and all their Freshers events take place at clubs like Turnmills in conjunction with City University, therefore it’s likely that not many will bother going and those that will simply aren’t cool.
432 Bancroft Road, E1 4DH (7882 5390/www.qmsu.org). Mile End or Stepney Green tube.

School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS)
Freshers’ Week September 24-29
Freshers’ Fair September 29
The SOAS union is small but friendly and a great place to escape the London chaos. There are regular world music and reggae events featuring DJs and bands of various ethnicities in the union.
Thornhaugh Street, WC1H 0XG (020 7898 4996/www.soasunion.org). Goodge Street or Russell Square tube.

University College London
Freshers’ Week September 22-28
Freshers’ Fair September 27-28
UCL’s main Gordon Street venue and the Phineas bar both host regular events. There’s Bar Footsie where the drinks prices drop according to which drink is least popular, meaning that mixing drinks is a must (eek!), new night Popaganda and funky dance session Double Vision, plus regular karaoke in the Phineas lounge. There are more venues dotted around Goodge Street and Russell Square and pub quizzes, too.
25 Gordon St, WC1H 0AY (7387 3611/www.uclu.org). Euston Square or Goodge Street tube.

University of London Union
Freshers’ Fair October 5 (no Freshers’ Week)
ULU gives the sprawling University of London a spiritual heart. It makes the grade as a live music venue for indie hopefuls (and secret gigs from big names like Razorlight!) and the centre also has numerous shops and sporting facilities (including a swimming pool and gym). Hip London promoters like Eat Your Own Ears often hold events here.
Malet Street, WC1E 7HY (020 7664 2000/www.ulu.co.uk). Euston Square or Goodge Street tube.