Cardiff Nights: The Best Bits of Student Life – Student bloggers

By a third-year English and Journalism student, Cardiff University

There’s just something about Cardiff after 9pm. The whole vibe changes. It gets a bit more exciting, a bit more chilled, and somehow way more alive. Maybe it’s the freedom of having made it through another day of lectures and library sessions, or maybe it’s the way Cathays starts buzzing as the night kicks in. Either way, I’ve made some of my best memories after the sun went down.

Some nights kicked off at YOLO, of course. I’d throw on a last-minute outfit, eyeliner slightly smudged, and meet my mates who were already two drinks ahead. We’d dance like our lives depended on it and end up with those blurry club photos we now pretend not to see. And of course, the night wasn’t over until we were laughing way too loudly with chips in hand somewhere along Crwys Road. There’s something about cheesy chips at midnight that just hits different.

But not every night was about going out. Some of the best ones were simple. Like sitting in Bute Park with a speaker, a cheap bottle of lemonade, and snacks from Lidl. The sky would be turning dark with a streak of gold still hanging on. We’d just sit and talk about everything and nothing. Sometimes we’d play cards, sometimes we’d just listen to music and watch the city lights flicker on. Those quiet nights meant a lot. They gave us space to breathe and just be ourselves.

I remember one night after a group project meltdown, my flatmate and I just left the house and started walking. We ended up at Cardiff Bay at 10pm. No plan, no reason, just air and space. We sat by the water eating sour sweets, barely talking. That walk honestly reset my whole week. The Bay at night is so peaceful. It’s like a different world from the daytime crowds.

There was also the time I walked home from the ASSL library after submitting my final essay. It was nearly 1am. The streets were quiet and a bit eerie, but I felt calm for the first time in days. I was tired, cold, and weirdly proud of myself. That kind of peace hits different. Sometimes you need those solo walks to remind yourself that you’re actually doing okay.

Late-night McDonald’s runs, deep post-society chats, karaoke that definitely annoyed the neighbours. Wandering through Roath with a hot chocolate in one hand and my heels in the other. These are the bits of uni life that stick. It’s the random, spontaneous stuff that makes Cardiff feel like home.

It’s not always the big events that shape your experience. Sometimes it’s the in-between stuff. The hours when everything slows down or speeds up depending on where you are and who you’re with. After 9pm, Cardiff just feels a little more yours.

I’ve had nights where I felt on top of the world. Nights where I cried on pavements. Nights that were messy, unexpected, and absolutely unforgettable. And now, with my final assignments out of the way, those moments feel even more special.

So if you’re here in Cardiff and whether it’s your first year or your last, don’t underestimate the power of those late hours. That’s when the best memories usually sneak up on you.