20 Things All Cardiff University Students Will Understand

13. The ASSL Crossroads

For some reason, the two busiest roads in and out of the town centre cross right in front of the Arts and Social Sciences Library. The road to the north leads up to Talybont, the biggest collection of halls in the university. To the south, there's the Law, psychology, and science buildings, the Student union, and the city centre. To the east you have the Music department and Bute park. Finally, there's Cathays to the west, the area of Cardiff where everyone who isn't a first lives. This means that, at any given time, the pavement will be crowded with people going to or from a lecture or seminar, a library, the union, a social, or town. This is also the point where most cyclists decide to do ridiculous things, like run a red light or jump up onto the pavement despite the perfectly adequate cycle lane right there. And, because of the heavy flow of foot traffic, promoters think this is the perfect place to set up shop. If you get there around lunchtime on a weekday, be prepared to fight to stay on the pavement while studiously ignoring the second years handing out flyers for some godforsaken club night you have no intention of attending, while wondering how more people don't die on this spot every year.