{"id":18136,"date":"2025-05-29T08:57:35","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T08:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/?p=18136"},"modified":"2025-05-29T08:57:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T08:57:35","slug":"cardiff-in-5-senses-from-a-university-student-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/cardiff-in-5-senses-from-a-university-student-perspective\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardiff in 5 Senses From a University Student Perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"

By a third-year uni student in Cathays, Cardiff 2025<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

When I first arrived in Cardiff as a fresher, I never imagined how deeply the city would weave itself into every part of my life. Now, as a third-year living in Cathays, I realise Cardiff isn\u2019t just a backdrop for my degree\u2014it\u2019s an experience that engages every sense, shaping my days in ways I never expected. Let me take you through a typical day here, not just as a student, but as someone who\u2019s learned to feel, taste, hear, smell, and see Cardiff in all its richness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h3>\n

Taste<\/b><\/h3>\n

Cardiff is a city where you can literally <\/span>taste<\/span><\/i> its character. My mornings usually start with a strong cup of tea from Coffee Barker<\/a> in the heart of the Castle Arcade\u2014their vintage interiors and rich brews are the perfect remedy for a grey morning. On days when I\u2019m passing through Park Place, I\u2019ll treat myself to a pastry or toastie\u2014fresh, local, and always comforting.<\/span><\/p>\n

If I\u2019m lucky, I\u2019ll find a stall at Cardiff Central Market<\/a> selling warm, buttery Welsh cakes, dusted with sugar and full of nostalgia. For lunch, it might be a halloumi wrap from another stall in the market or something spicy and delicious from Dough Thrower<\/a>\u2019s wood-fired ovens. Cardiff\u2019s food scene is an ever-changing palette\u2014and every bite feels like a celebration of its multicultural roots.<\/span><\/p>\n

Touch<\/b><\/h3>\n

Walking through Cathays and the city centre, I\u2019m constantly reminded of Cardiff\u2019s history and energy through touch. The damp breeze from Cardiff Bay carries a briny freshness that clings to my coat on the way to class. I often find myself running a hand along the weathered stone of Cardiff Castle, marvelling at its texture\u2014a silent witness to the centuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the soft coziness of my university hoodie, especially comforting inside the Victorian Castle Arcade<\/a> on a drizzly day, or the sudden splash of puddles when the inevitable Welsh rain hits. These tactile moments\u2014fleeting and intimate\u2014anchor me to the rhythms of the city.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sound<\/b><\/h3>\n

The soundtrack of Cardiff is always changing, but it\u2019s never silent. Early mornings begin with the rustle of leaves and the quiet crunch of gravel in Bute Park,<\/a> where joggers and dog walkers move to their own beats. As lectures start, the hum of conversation fills the halls of Cardiff University’s Main Building<\/a>, blending with the occasional clang of a coffee cup from the Students\u2019 Union<\/a> Starbucks.<\/span><\/p>\n

By late afternoon, the city centre buzzes\u2014buskers outside St David\u2019s<\/a> Shopping Centre playing indie riffs, traders calling out offers in the market, and friends laughing outside pubs like The Woodville<\/a>. Come nightfall, tucked-away bars like Porter\u2019s<\/a> come alive with acoustic sessions and spontaneous karaoke. The soundscape shifts, but it never fades.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smell<\/b><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s a distinct scent to Cardiff that I\u2019ve come to love. Near the Bay, the salty air carries memories of childhood trips to the sea. In the centre, the rich aromas of artisan coffee drift from places like Uncommon Ground Coffee Roastery.\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Walk past a line of street food stalls at The Depot<\/a> on a weekend, and you\u2019ll be hit with whiffs of jerk chicken, wood smoke, or sizzling noodles\u2014every scent telling a different story. And yes, even the wet pavement after a downpour has its own earthy, fresh perfume. Cardiff smells like life in motion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sight<\/b><\/h3>\n

Cardiff is visually stunning, and I never get tired of seeing it through new eyes. The view of Cardiff Castle<\/a> at golden hour, the way light filters through the glass dome at National Museum Cardiff,<\/a> or even the colourful murals dotted around Womanby Street<\/a>\u2014these all feel like stills from a film I\u2019m lucky to be living in.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Cathays Terrace, students spill out onto sidewalks with tote bags and takeaway cups. On Sundays, the streets near Roath Lake<\/a> are filled with joggers and families, framed by blossoms or autumn leaves depending on the season. Cardiff has a cinematic beauty, one that constantly shifts but never loses its charm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cardiff isn\u2019t just where I study\u2014it\u2019s a city I <\/span>experience<\/span><\/i> with every sense, every single day. As I move through lectures, late-night gigs, and quiet moments in my favourite caf\u00e9s, I\u2019m constantly reminded that Cardiff is more than a place on the map. It\u2019s a living, breathing story, and I\u2019m lucky to be part of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Muskaan Pahwa from India. 3rd year Journalism, Media and English Literature student.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By a third-year uni student in Cathays, Cardiff 2025 When I first arrived in Cardiff as a fresher, I never imagined how deeply the city would weave itself into every […]","protected":false},"author":6946,"featured_media":18143,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,694,18,756],"tags":[21,41,47,151,160],"class_list":["post-18136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-only-in-cardiff","category-student-life","category-studying","category-things-to-do-in-cardiff","tag-cardiffuniversity","tag-cardiff","tag-cardiff-university","tag-student-life","tag-university"],"meta_box":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6946"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18136"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18165,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18136\/revisions\/18165"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/insiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}