Agree — Amelia John
YOLO is a mid-week staple of Cardiff Uni, and is undoubtedly the best club night that the city has to offer, between ridiculous costumes, cheap drinks, and free entry till 10pm, what’s not to love?
One of the standouts about YOLO is how cheap it is. In a country where pints and doubles have sky-rocketed in price over the last few years, drink prices in YOLO have stayed reasonable. From four VKs for £10, a double vodka lime and soda for £4.50, a shot of tequila for £3, and deals on Jägerbombs, the prices are unbeatable. Especially since the usual cost of a double in town is now close to £10.
YOLO also has free entry until 10pm. Over the past few years that I have spent in Cardiff, I’ve noticed several clubs that have had free entry for as long as I have been here are now charging from £2 up to £10 for entry alone. The SU itself is also in a great location, it’s a half-hour walk from Taly Gate, and fifteen minute walk from the farthest part of Cathays, meaning that an overpriced taxi back from town that takes far too long to arrive isn’t needed, and you can spend your money on a kebab instead!
Something else that’s so incredible about YOLO is how acceptable it is to dress as stupidly as possible. Especially in first year, nothing was more exciting than coming back from my lectures, having a nap scrambling round my tiny Taly room or having to ask everyone I knew for random items of clothing or accessories and putting together a makeshift outfit. Then followed by getting way too drunk for 8pm on a weeknight and trying to not fall down the railway bridge as we raced to the SU. I’ve had some of my best nights dressed as a piece of fruit and questionable-looking animals!
From togas to traffic cones, YOLO is full of people looking stupid and somehow that makes the evening ten times more entertaining. Not only this, knowing that most people would look equally as silly as me took away the initial pressure I felt having to look perfect on every night out I went out. I’m also almost positive that if you walked into any other club in town covered in blue paint dressed as a Smurf, you’d get some funny looks.
One of my personal favourite aspects of YOLO is the silent disco, because pretty much no other clubs in town offer it and you get to pick between three channels of music. It’s also brilliant to watch a sea of people singing out of tune while queueing. Aside from silent disco, the music itself in YOLO is also great. From cheesy bangers, current pop hits, D&B and the R&B room, there really is something for everyone.
The SU and YOLO staff also make an immense effort to make YOLO as safe as possible. The bar staff offer drink stoppers for VKs and other bottled drinks, and secure lids to prevent spiking. There are bouncers on the door and throughout the SU as well, making sure that everyone is safe and that those that need to go home because they’re too drunk, do.
There is also a first-aid tent, which is easy to locate and is quick and effective whatever time of night and whatever problem you may have. Furthermore, you don’t need to panic about losing your mates there either, as the WhereYouAt app allows you to add your friends and check where they are at all times, meaning no one’s left behind. The app also uses Bluetooth, meaning that if you have no Wi-Fi or data, it can still be used.
Disagree — Megan Whitmore
YOLO, the student night everyone dreams of, is not the best club night in Cardiff. I found that after last year YOLO became very repetitive and I’ve stopped enjoying my time in there. During the second semester of my first year, I attended almost every week and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, after a couple of attempts at the start of this year, I decided to take a break.
There are a few reasons I’ve stopped enjoying YOLO:
The repetitive music: Although this might sound like a complaint about most clubs in Cardiff, the music at YOLO in particular isn’t enjoyable and hearing the same tracks week after week became tiring. Even at my favourite club Live Lounge, where I love the music, I find I need the occasional break as the repetition becomes overwhelming.
The early starts: The idea of getting to YOLO by 8pm sounds great—it allows you to enjoy a full four hours and still get home early enough for a good night’s sleep before a 9am lecture. Once you factor in pre drinks and getting ready, it becomes even earlier. Many socials begin around 6pm, and if you’re anything like my friends, you’ll want to start drinking before that.
The crowded space: As a popular student night, YOLO attracts a lot of people, making it difficult to move around as you’re squeezed into tight spaces. As I start to sober up, I become more aware of just how cramped it is. I’m not claustrophobic, but being surrounded by sweaty students isn’t enjoyable.
A more personal reason: Since I’m not part of a society, I don’t dress according to themes or attend socials, which makes YOLO feel like just another club night to me. Without that extra layer of fun, it loses its charm, especially when I have things to do the next day which I wouldn’t otherwise have.
For me, YOLO isn’t somewhere I feel the need to go every week, so I don’t consider it the best club night in Cardiff. Wednesdays have become an evening of self-care, where I can enjoy an empty house with a facemask and a film. That being said, I’m still looking forward to attending SNOLO and am genuinely excited to return after a couple of months off.