Keele University
Created | Updated Oct 20, 2010
<P>Keele, possibly one of the oddest places on the planet. It became a University in the early fifties, when the local Government decided that the bunch of old army buildings, left over from a WW2 training camp littered around the Sneyd Estate could be better used to create the 'University of Staffordshire, Keele'.</P>
<P>Keele itself is little more than a tiny village, equipped with one pub called the Sneyd Arms, and a Post Office. What makes Keele University so odd is that it must be the only University that is not actually attached to a City, but rather to a village!</P>
<p>Oh, and in the sixties, a bunch of militant <a href = "http://www.h2g2.com/A134957"> students </a>actually attempted to declare Keele University an Independant Sovereign State, involving customs, passport control and all the extras, which must have been fun</p>
<hr>
<P><center><h3><a NAME ="top">Keele University: Contents</a></h3></p>
<a href = "#location">The Location</a><BR/>
<a href = "#thebars">The Bars</a><BR/>
<a href = "#parties">The Parties</a><BR/>
<a href = "#people">The People</a><BR/>
<a href = "#courses">The Courses</a><BR/>
<hr></center>
<center> <a NAME = "location"><b>The Location</b></a></center>
<p>Keele, sat on the side of a big hill, apparantly one of the biggest campus based universities in Europe, formerly the 'Sneyd Estate'. It has Mud, lots of, Squirrels, lots of, and most notably a huge set of stately gardens, including big lakes, huge woods, fountains, flowery bits etc etc etc. Keele also seems to have its own weather, which is generally bad, except for a few glorious days during the summer when the gardens are littered with students Basking in sunshine, Lying on top of each other, and Participating in<a href ="http://www.h2g2.com/A4960"> Alchohol.</a> Keele is a stones throw away from the town of Newcastle under Lyme (which is always a worry for the students there who don't posess protective headgear <i>Sorry Ben, I nicked your line</i>) and is also quite close to the city centre of Stoke on Trent, where many pubs, bars and clubs abound. (usually populated by 14 year old children, and 40 year old women who enjoy dancing round handbags, but hey!)</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center><BR/>
<hr>
<center> <a NAME = "thebars"><b>The Bars</b></a></center>
<p>Keele is also blessed with a large quantity of bars. Every hall of residence is furnished with its own, individual bar / general block. The university owns two pubs, "The Golfers Arms", and "Union Square". The Union building houses a large assortment of variously themed alchohol dispencaries, and there are also a large number tucked away in the recesses of Keele hall. After five years here I still havent found them all. This large variety of drinking places ensures that there is something to do every night of the week, thus ensuring that the maximum possible number of students actually fail their degree courses. (But everyone knows you dont really go to uni just to get a degree). Keele really revoles around two main nights. Wednesdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays the union opens up the ballroom to dance music and pop, and The Club for Indie and slightly hardcore dance. On fridays, the same two areas open, and the general theme is pretty much the same. Drink lots and wake up in someone elses bed!</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center><BR/>
<hr>
<center> <a NAME = "parties"><b>The Parties</b></a></center>
<p>The last thing that Keele is famous for is its unofficial woods parties. About twice a year, word will be passed along the grapevine of an upcoming "Woods Party". These have to be seen to be believed. Two clearings are converted into dance floors, Proper club soundsystems are somehow installed, and lasers, lights and the works are set up. Usually, a large screen and projector are also set up, and newly released films are shown on an outdoor cinema. All this run from a couple of generators on a van. People arrive, make fires and watch a film to the accompaniment of liquor and (ahem) other substances. Dance, and generally get very wrecked. The light of dawn usually alights on bleary eyed students wandering round aimlessly after getting hopelessly lost in the woods on their way home, and people in various stages of dew covered unconciousness strewn in various positions along the route which should theoretically take them back to their beds. Plus several hardcore nutters who are still dancing, and have been all night. Wow.</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center>
<hr>
<center> <a NAME = "people"><b>The People</b></a></center>
<p>Keele seems to breed its own particular kind of insanity. It seems that madness is contagious, and you will never find a more eccentric community. After spending several years effectively confined to a few acres of land (discounting occasional trips into town) you find that you know <i>everybody</i>, recognising so many <a href = "http://www.geocities.com/keeledays/faces.html">faces</a> that walking from one building to another can take ages because you have to keep having to stop and chat</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center><BR/>
<hr>
<center> <a NAME = "courses"><b>The Courses</b></a></center>
<p>Keele was the pioneer of the dual honours system (so we keep getting told). Once upon a time all students did a four year course that involved a foundation year covering subjects ranging from Geology to Religion. This was really just an excuse for people to stay in bed in the mornings for longer periods of time and not really do any work. It became an optional step for Students who werent really sure of what they wanted to do in their main course, or didnt get the right grades at A level to be admitted straight, or for people who wanted to stay in bed in the mornings and not really get any work done. It was eventually abolished last year. Shame.</p><p> Anyway, Students at Keele usually study two subjects with the aim of getting a dual honours degree at the end of it all, (except for a few cases where a single subject is studied) The first year requires you to study a subsidiary subject that is different from your main course, ie. If you are a scientist, you would do an arts or social science subsid. Anyway, this is far too work related, so I'll shut up now.
</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center><BR/>
<hr>
<center>And, that, pretty much, sums up Keele</center>
<P>Keele itself is little more than a tiny village, equipped with one pub called the Sneyd Arms, and a Post Office. What makes Keele University so odd is that it must be the only University that is not actually attached to a City, but rather to a village!</P>
<p>Oh, and in the sixties, a bunch of militant <a href = "http://www.h2g2.com/A134957"> students </a>actually attempted to declare Keele University an Independant Sovereign State, involving customs, passport control and all the extras, which must have been fun</p>
<hr>
<P><center><h3><a NAME ="top">Keele University: Contents</a></h3></p>
<a href = "#location">The Location</a><BR/>
<a href = "#thebars">The Bars</a><BR/>
<a href = "#parties">The Parties</a><BR/>
<a href = "#people">The People</a><BR/>
<a href = "#courses">The Courses</a><BR/>
<hr></center>
<center> <a NAME = "location"><b>The Location</b></a></center>
<p>Keele, sat on the side of a big hill, apparantly one of the biggest campus based universities in Europe, formerly the 'Sneyd Estate'. It has Mud, lots of, Squirrels, lots of, and most notably a huge set of stately gardens, including big lakes, huge woods, fountains, flowery bits etc etc etc. Keele also seems to have its own weather, which is generally bad, except for a few glorious days during the summer when the gardens are littered with students Basking in sunshine, Lying on top of each other, and Participating in<a href ="http://www.h2g2.com/A4960"> Alchohol.</a> Keele is a stones throw away from the town of Newcastle under Lyme (which is always a worry for the students there who don't posess protective headgear <i>Sorry Ben, I nicked your line</i>) and is also quite close to the city centre of Stoke on Trent, where many pubs, bars and clubs abound. (usually populated by 14 year old children, and 40 year old women who enjoy dancing round handbags, but hey!)</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center><BR/>
<hr>
<center> <a NAME = "thebars"><b>The Bars</b></a></center>
<p>Keele is also blessed with a large quantity of bars. Every hall of residence is furnished with its own, individual bar / general block. The university owns two pubs, "The Golfers Arms", and "Union Square". The Union building houses a large assortment of variously themed alchohol dispencaries, and there are also a large number tucked away in the recesses of Keele hall. After five years here I still havent found them all. This large variety of drinking places ensures that there is something to do every night of the week, thus ensuring that the maximum possible number of students actually fail their degree courses. (But everyone knows you dont really go to uni just to get a degree). Keele really revoles around two main nights. Wednesdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays the union opens up the ballroom to dance music and pop, and The Club for Indie and slightly hardcore dance. On fridays, the same two areas open, and the general theme is pretty much the same. Drink lots and wake up in someone elses bed!</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center><BR/>
<hr>
<center> <a NAME = "parties"><b>The Parties</b></a></center>
<p>The last thing that Keele is famous for is its unofficial woods parties. About twice a year, word will be passed along the grapevine of an upcoming "Woods Party". These have to be seen to be believed. Two clearings are converted into dance floors, Proper club soundsystems are somehow installed, and lasers, lights and the works are set up. Usually, a large screen and projector are also set up, and newly released films are shown on an outdoor cinema. All this run from a couple of generators on a van. People arrive, make fires and watch a film to the accompaniment of liquor and (ahem) other substances. Dance, and generally get very wrecked. The light of dawn usually alights on bleary eyed students wandering round aimlessly after getting hopelessly lost in the woods on their way home, and people in various stages of dew covered unconciousness strewn in various positions along the route which should theoretically take them back to their beds. Plus several hardcore nutters who are still dancing, and have been all night. Wow.</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center>
<hr>
<center> <a NAME = "people"><b>The People</b></a></center>
<p>Keele seems to breed its own particular kind of insanity. It seems that madness is contagious, and you will never find a more eccentric community. After spending several years effectively confined to a few acres of land (discounting occasional trips into town) you find that you know <i>everybody</i>, recognising so many <a href = "http://www.geocities.com/keeledays/faces.html">faces</a> that walking from one building to another can take ages because you have to keep having to stop and chat</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center><BR/>
<hr>
<center> <a NAME = "courses"><b>The Courses</b></a></center>
<p>Keele was the pioneer of the dual honours system (so we keep getting told). Once upon a time all students did a four year course that involved a foundation year covering subjects ranging from Geology to Religion. This was really just an excuse for people to stay in bed in the mornings for longer periods of time and not really do any work. It became an optional step for Students who werent really sure of what they wanted to do in their main course, or didnt get the right grades at A level to be admitted straight, or for people who wanted to stay in bed in the mornings and not really get any work done. It was eventually abolished last year. Shame.</p><p> Anyway, Students at Keele usually study two subjects with the aim of getting a dual honours degree at the end of it all, (except for a few cases where a single subject is studied) The first year requires you to study a subsidiary subject that is different from your main course, ie. If you are a scientist, you would do an arts or social science subsid. Anyway, this is far too work related, so I'll shut up now.
</p>
<center><a href = "#top">Back to contents</a><BR/></center><BR/>
<hr>
<center>And, that, pretty much, sums up Keele</center>
