You'll never go wrong with a big cup of tea and a sausage sarnie

Obviously, a lot of outings when you first get to uni will be centred around Fresher's stuff, but at some point you'll want to get out and about by yourself without a mass of other people in tow.  Here are some ideas of places to go for food and drink, day or night.

Harborne is good for those who want to have something to eat and drink, but don't want to go into the city centre (although it is used as a half way point by many, due to it's transport links).  Varsity at the top of Harborne High Street is good for drinks and a popular stop if the night is carrying on into the city centre.  It has plenty of room, is fairly cheap, and if you park in the car park at the back, you get the cost of parking back inside... So technically free parking, and more money for drinks!

Amongst all the usual food chains, Harborne has some excellent restaurants, one of the nicest being Valentino's, a small Italian restaurant at the bottom end of Harborne High Street. Easily the BEST Italian restaurant in Birmingham, and good value for money; not as cheap as other restaurants, but there is plenty of quality food, fantastic service, and a great atmosphere.

Selly Oak is one of the biggest student communities in Birmingham, as it backs on to the University of Birmingham.  Main pubs to pick out include the Bristol Pear, where the heart of the area starts handily at Selly Oak train station, Goose at the OVT in the middle, and finishes with the somewhat legendary Gunbarrels pub, affectionately known locally as 'the Gunnies'.

The Selly Sausage is very popular for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and hangover cures, and recently made it into Company magazine as a great place for brunch!  The panini's are a good bet any time of day, and definitely provide hungry students with the energy for work, rest and play!

There are hundreds of places to go for curry in Birmingham, however a personal favourite is Cafe Eastern Delight (opposite Aldi, painted bright green and purple, you seriously can't miss it!); gorgeous food, great staff, and equally great prices!

The site of the old Children's Hospital has recently been developed into Broadway Plaza, off Five Ways Island, opposite Tesco's.  The development is full of plenty of chain outlets such as Apres, Frankie and Benny's, and Dragon BBQ, as well as an AMC cinema, Bowlplex, and the Broadway Casino.  Broadway Plaza also operates in conjunction with StudentBeans.com, and so offer great student discounts throughout the year!

Broad Street is the heart of Birmingham's nightlife; one very long road, packed with clubs, bars, and restaurants.  There are too many to list here, and if you go on a student bar crawl, you'll visit most of them during the year, though how many you remember can't be guaranteed!

Brindley Place is located round the back of Broad Street, and is a more sophisticated option than Broad Street.  It overlooks some of the many miles of canal in Birmingham, and nothing really beats a canal-side drink in the sunshine.  The development is full of bars and restaurants, and is also connected to Symphony Hall and The Rep theatres.  Bank is thoroughly recommended for cocktails, whilst Pitcher and Piano and All Bar One are firm favourites locally for drinks with friends, after work, or for no reason at all!

The Mailbox complex is also joined to the Brindley Place development, and similarly is full of bars, restaurants and designer shops.  Whilst a typical student's budget won't stretch in the shops, the bars and restaurants are reasonably priced for the area, and a fantastic place to pose!

Like Brindley Place and the Mailbox, the Arcadian on Hurst Street is another stylish haunt and great alternative to Broad Street.  The Arcadian is a busy centre, providing bars, restaurants and entertainment, most notably, co-hosting the annual Birmingham Jazz Festival in July.

The Arcadian is in the centre of Birmingham's Chinatown district, so is the ideal place to sample authentic Chinese food, whether you're dining out at one of the many restaurants, or grabbing something from the Chinese supermarket to cook yourself.

Just round the corner from the Arcadian is a student favourite, Oceana.  The club has several locations around the UK, so if you're from a major city, chances are you will already have experienced its delights!  Those unfamiliar with Oceana, the club holds several bars and themed rooms... The New York Disco is definitely where it's at!!

There are also plenty of places to grab something to eat in the city centre.  The Loft in The Pavilions houses 7 food outlets selling everything anything you could want for lunch.  There's seating for about 700 people, so it's a great place to go with friends to have a break from all the shopping!

If you're just after a drink or several more, the Yard of Ale on New Street is a good bet, especially for anyone with a liking for real ale!  Quite quirky in that it's underground, so expect to be blinded by the light when you come out!  The Windsor on Cannon Street is very similar to a Wetherspoons-type pub, but also great for a late lunch and later drinks.

Pinfold Street off Victoria Square has some great independent baguette bars, with indoor and outdoor seating, and is a great sun trap when the weather is good; the perfect place to tan and watch the world go by!

It'd be safe to assume that after all this drinking, you're going to be fairly hungover the next morning, and in desperate need for a remedy.  Forget all this rubbish about having something healthy: You need comfort food you can eat on the sofa, whilst watching the Hollyoaks omnibus, and feeling thoroughly sorry for yourself for getting in to such a state!  Personally, you'll never go wrong with a big cup of tea and a sausage sarnie!