New to Sunderland? Here's how to settle in.

Sunderland is a proper North East city with a big coastline, a friendly feel and everything a student needs within easy reach. Here's what's worth knowing when you arrive.

Getting around

The Tyne and Wear Metro connects Sunderland to Newcastle, the coast and South Shields, and it's the easiest way to get about without a car — a student season ticket usually pays for itself quickly. Local buses cover the rest of the city, and the centre, seafront and university campuses are all fairly close together. If you cycle, the seafront routes are lovely.

The areas worth knowing

• City centre — the Bridges shopping centre, Keel Square, cafes, the Empire theatre and Mowbray Park.
• The seafront — Roker and Seaburn beaches, Roker Pier, and the cafes and restaurants along Marine Walk. This is where a lot of student life happens on a sunny day.
• The university — the University of Sunderland has campuses in the city and by the river, with the Students' Union at the heart of things.
• Ashbrooke — a leafy area just south of the centre, and home to Bede Tower where ROOT 66 meets.

Your first few weeks

Sort the practical stuff early: register with a local GP, set up your Metro travel, find your nearest supermarket and pharmacy, and walk your route to campus before day one so it's not a stress. Then, just as importantly, start building a routine that gets you out of your room a few times a week.

How to actually meet people

This is the part most people worry about, and it's more manageable than it feels. Join something that meets weekly, say yes to invitations early, and keep turning up to the same places so friendships have time to grow. We've written a whole guide on it: how to make friends in Sunderland.

Looking after yourself

Moving away can be exciting and lonely at the same time, and both can be true in the same week. Talk to someone, keep some structure, get outside (the beach genuinely helps), and don't wait until you're really struggling to reach out. Your university has wellbeing and support services, and communities like ours are here for the ordinary weeks as much as the hard ones.