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Coast to Campus: The Ultimate Student Guide to Christmas in Derry 2025 (Markets, Events & Gifts)

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🎄The Ultimate Student Guide to Christmas in Derry Because Christmas starts early when you’re a student… and honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way. ⸻ ⭐ Student Christmas Day – The Most Wonderful (Chaotic) Day of the Year Forget December — the real Christmas begins on Tuesday 26th November, when the entire Derry student population collectively decides: 🎅 Yes, it’s time. 🎄 Yes, the jumpers are coming out. 🍻 Yes, we WILL do the 12 pubs, even though last year nearly finished us. (I’ll admit… I don’t remember much after the 5th pub.) The legendary Derry Student 12 Pubs is back, and if you’ve never done it before… Prepare for the most unhinged, festive, tinsel-covered crawl of your life. This year’s route (from the Magee Christmas Day Insta poster): • The Argyle Bar – 5:00pm • The Phoenix Bar – 5:30pm • The Park Bar – 6:00pm • The Derby Bar – 6:30pm • The Trinity – 7:00pm • Nacional Cue Club – 7:30pm • Sandinos – 8:00pm • Peadar’s – 8:30pm • The ...
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A Student’s Guide to the Spookiest Week of the Year

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  🎃  Halloween in Derry: A Student’s Guide to the Spookiest Week of the Year 🎃   Even if you’re new to Derry, you’ve probably already heard people talking about Halloween and trust me, they’re not exaggerating.  Derry doesn’t just celebrate Halloween, it lives and breathes it. The whole city transforms for a full week of spooky fun, wild costumes, and unreal atmosphere. And the best part? You don’t need to spend a fortune to make the most of it. Here’s your student guide to surviving (and thriving) during Halloween week in Derry — from budget-friendly costume ideas to the best spots for watching the famous parade and firework display. 🕸️ Why Derry Halloween Is Such a Big Deal Derry’s Halloween isn’t your average night out — it’s Europe’s biggest Halloween festival, and the city goes all in. Streets are packed with people in full costume, lights and decorations cover every corner, and there’s something happening every night of the week. It all started back i...
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Location: Derry
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The Mid-Semester Slump (And How I’m Getting Through It)

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  🌧️ The Mid-Semester Slump   (And How I’m Getting Through It) As last week was Mental Health Day (10 th October 2025), and it got me thinking about how easy it is to forget to check in with yourself once the semester is in full swing. I wanted this blog post to be a little reminder that it’s normal to feel overwhelmed right now — and that there are small ways to get through it. I don’t know how we got here already, but somehow we’re halfway through the semester — and I think everyone’s feeling it. The excitement of being back has faded, deadlines are piling up, and the energy I had in week one has… definitely left the chat.   The “ mid-semester slump ” is real. It’s that point where every day starts to blend into the next, and no amount of motivation quite hits the same. You’re trying to juggle classes, coursework, social life, and still find time to breathe — but everything just feels a little heavier than it did a few weeks ago.   So, if you’re also runni...
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All About Coast To Campus

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👋 Hello & Welcome Hello everyone! I’m Ann McAuley, and welcome to my blog Coast to Campus!  I’m a second-year Marketing student at Ulster University Magee, and this blog is part of my Digital Analytics module. The theme we were given for this project was “ From Campus, to Culture, to Community: Blogging Student Life in Derry ”. For me, the best way to approach it was by reflecting on one of the biggest changes in my life so far: moving from my quiet coastal village of Glenarm, Co. Antrim, to the city of Derry to start my university journe y. Starting university is one of those milestones that feels both exciting and terrifying. For me, it wasn’t just about packing bags and moving into Dungcreggan Student Village — it was about leaving my hometown of Glenarm on the Antrim Coast and figuring out how to navigate the busy, unpredictable city of Derry.   That’s what inspired me to start Coast to Campus: a space to share what this transition really feels like — the moments...
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Location: Derry, Northern Ireland
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