Why I Love Living In Earlsdon
It’s the end of term and clocks have gone forward, which means I can eat dinner and actually see outside! Yay! With my final dissertation deadline bearing down on me like I’m tied to the rails in a bad Western, I decided to resist the urge to write yet another post about it and instead talk about Earlsdon – the often-overlooked part of Coventry that in my opinion is your only real option when picking off-campus accommodation. Now’s the part where I’d like to throw in some pictures, but my venerable phone has decided that five years of service is enough, so I have no camera available. In fact, I’ve resorted to lugging my laptop everywhere and seeking out WiFi hotspots like some sort of primitive from 2005.
Earlsdon is a rather nice suburb of Coventry about 15 minutes away on the bus. Compared to the bustling Leamington Spa or Canley, the bit of Coventry right on the edge of the uni (for if you have an intense hatred of commuting), it’s not actually that studenty. When you mention you live in Earlsdon to most students, you’ll get something along the lines of, “Oh, I have a mate who lived around there – at least I think he does?” It’s probably not for everyone – but here’s my list of things that make it the perfect place for me.
1. Close, but not too close – With campus 15 minutes’ bus ride away on the 11, you get the advantages of being off-campus without actually being that far away. Popping home to grab lunch between lectures is feasible, whilst trying to do the same with Leamington would be far more of a pain. Another benefit is actually being able to get on the first bus that arrives, as opposed to fighting your way through the mob of Leamingtonians that greets the sighting of the U1.
2. The High Street – most of Earlsdon’s shops are centred on the High Street, which puts everything you need pretty much within walking distance. There’s a Co-Op for groceries, restaurants, a lovely town library, a Post Office and everything else for when going to an actual supermarket just seems like too much effort.
3. The City Arms – our local. I told my housemates I wanted to live in Earlsdon for the short commute, but actually it was because I saw a Wetherspoons as I went by on the bus. We’re five minutes’ walk from this fine establishment, and we go there far too often for our own good. Once a week or so, the age-old ritual of, “Pub? Pub!” will begin anew, and off we go.
4. Everywhere’s just about walkable – Getting the train home in twenty minutes but forgot the buses don’t run at 6am on a Sunday? No problem – it’s 15 minutes from my house to either Coventry or Canley stations. The city centre is less than half an hour’s stroll away, and even campus is only about 40 minutes, which will do in a pinch when you need some fresh air in you (Disclaimer: I have quite long legs. Your times may vary). It’s always good to have a backup plan, and whilst you could walk back to Leamington after a night out on campus, it just seems like far too much effort.
5. Green space – Coventry has an unfortunate reputation in the minds of some as this post-war Brutalist wasteland, but you wouldn’t know it near me. With open green spaces like Hearsall Common (supposedly the site where Frank Whittle became inspired by aviation after seeing a plane land) and leafy green trees down Earlsdon Avenue, it just feels like a nice place to be. Also lots of people walking dogs, which is a bonus.
So, there are my top 5 reasons why I’ve loved living in Earlsdon this year. Compared to being on the edge of campus the year before it’s a far nicer experience, even if I do have to fork out the cash for a bus pass. Of course, being in the right area isn’t worth much if you don’t end up with the right people, so my next post will be in that all important topic: picking your housemates!
Until next time!
Nathan L
