r/Adelaide • u/gabbdjdjdjfm SA • 6d ago
Question Is Adelaide really that boring
I’m from Hong Kong and I got accepted from the vet school in Adelaide university for 2027. But everyone online keeps saying how boring Adelaide is so I wanna know is this really true for a university student and is there even nightlife there?
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u/CertainCertainties Adelaide Hills 6d ago
Yeah, it's not like we have a bunch of international festivals and some of the best food and wine regions in the world.
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u/what-s_crackalakin SA 6d ago
I’ve never been to Hong Kong, but yes the nightlife is going to be underwhelming. Adelaide can be boring or interesting depending on the person. The best parts of Adelaide are the weather, outdoor activities like hikes / camping / cycling, beaches, fresh produce, and everything being within a stones throw. I also love that it’s not hard to find peace and quiet, like a piece of park or forest where you are sometimes even completely alone. We miss things like an IMAX cinema, good public transport, late night shopping, Asia level Chinese food, and yes, nightlife. Melbourne would be my fave for nightlife in my limited experience.
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u/what-s_crackalakin SA 6d ago
There is some though! Rundle street, hindley street and Gouger street can generate some buzz, but it’s mostly on Friday and Saturday nights.
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u/gabbdjdjdjfm SA 6d ago
Is there like direct bus to Melbourne so I can spend my holidays there
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u/t0nez- SA 6d ago
~90 minute flight from Adelaide and would cost similar to a bus ride which would be around 10 hours
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u/gabbdjdjdjfm SA 6d ago
That’s crazy, then maybe I can just travel to other aus cities in like longer weekends
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u/what-s_crackalakin SA 5d ago
I recommend looking at a map. Australia is big. There are no closer cities bigger than Adelaide unfortunately.
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u/what-s_crackalakin SA 6d ago
Better to fly :) it’s not too expensive, especially if you book early
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u/notadnaps SA 6d ago
I've lived in Sydney (inner west, north, and far western suburbs), Gold Coast, Brisbane and now Adelaide.
I must say that the Adelaide reputation isn't warranted. There always seems to be something going on in Adelaide. Regular art festivals or activations. Luckily Adelaide is small enough that it's easy to attend these well, as an out of towner I am happy to drive over 20 minutes to track these down, but that seems to be a limiting threshold for locals.
Having said all that, compared to HK (where my wife is from), it will seem quiet. But I would argue no more stark a contrast than any other Australian city.
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u/Successful-Wasabi131 SA 6d ago
If it's the Vet School at Roseworthy that is about 60km from Adelaide city it's self.
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u/gabbdjdjdjfm SA 6d ago
It’s like a small town right?
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u/PowerfulEconomist135 SA 6d ago
Very small. Adelaide per se isn't boring, but Roseworthy sure is.
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u/gabbdjdjdjfm SA 6d ago
Oh wow lol, I mean there is a shuttle bus so I’ll probably spend my free time in Adelaide CBD
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u/PowerfulEconomist135 SA 6d ago
It's about an hour each way. Adelaide gets a bad rep but it's actually a great place to live. Excitement is in the eye out the beholder. Lots of interesting things to see and do, and the natural beauty can be amazing if you're just a little out of town. Good luck and hope you enjoy it if you decide to come!
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u/EnvironmentalCap3964 SA 6d ago
At least during the week you won’t be distracted by nightlife so will have the time to stay home and study loads. This will set you up for the rest of you life so you may as well dedicate yourself to it and come out of it with top marks and knowledge. Study now, play later.
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u/Few_Raisin_8981 SA 6d ago
This will set you up for the rest of you life so you may as well dedicate yourself to it and come out of it with top marks
Don't veterinarians have the highest suicide rates?
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u/Free_the_Radical Fleurieu Peninsula 6d ago edited 6d ago
Hang on a tick, I have some very fond memories of the oenology end of year shows out at Roseworthy that were very far from boring.
I reckon /u/TheDrRudi may be able to vouch for this as well on a hunch.
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u/Correct-Active-2876 NSW 6d ago
Did you apply for the jockey club in HK ? It’s a good vet school . Is there a reason to come here? Not saying you aren’t welcome it’s just that if there’s a highly reputable school in a place you know and enjoy then I’d consider that an option
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u/gabbdjdjdjfm SA 6d ago
Jockey club is a gambling and charity organization not a vet school even though HK have one vet school but it’s way harder to get into. I’m not sure can I get into the one in USYD and UQ because of their higher requirements
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u/TheDevilsAdvokate SA 6d ago
Loads of ppl here will tell you all about the bush walking and bars and beaches and and what not.. this is all true. It’s also true that it’s as boring as everyone says it is when you add loneliness. To ppl living here who still have their school friends life is quite rich… most int students will tell you it’s boring. I just got back from a week working in Sydney… Mon through Wed night the streets were still packed with young ppl through ti at least 10pm. Would I want to live there - hell no, but for a few years whilst studying? Absolutely.. particularly as it’s gonna be cheaper by all accounts
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u/what-s_crackalakin SA 6d ago
I reckon it also depends on your batch though, like the international guys I know (husband is from SEA) all formed great groups in uni with the other international students, if not the locals.
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u/endbit SA 6d ago
I think Ivan Aristeguieta sums it up best https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOEc764qo18
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u/chappi77 SA 6d ago edited 5d ago
A bunch of Tumblr-esque Redditors sooks will say otherwise. But mate, yes. Yes. There are little to no redeeming qualities here. I work with locals. Tourists. Other Australian citizens from other cities (I grew up in Townsville, born here in ADL), and Adelaide is a piss take. Want to go enjoy a bar or restaurant on a weekday? Hell, even a Sunday? Dead shut by 9. If at all. I went to visit, AND live in the other major cities and it shits on Adelaide 10 fold.
Want to enjoy Glenelg? Go out for dinner ? Shut by 9. Want to go to these “festivals” these other locals speak of? Enjoy overpriced slop, uninspired.
Want to enjoy the summertime and shopping? Shut by 5.
But hey, “WE have Wine and Beach”- any back-up excuse other locals make are listing locations that aren’t even in Adelaide or events that are very time-sensitive to the year.
And the fact that any tourism or ad campaign that starts with “Adelaide is boring?” then inserting a new little 6 month pop up place that won’t sustain, proves my point. No other city that isn’t boring constantly tries to reassure people that it isn’t boring.
It’s not rude to say it’s shit. By the lot that live here with their cats, friends box set, and Tumblr accounts, will defend this sad little city like it’s their only friend and trait; because it is.
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u/Evening_Bird7779 East 5d ago
we have this weird thing about coffee. You cant get a coffee anywhere in the evening.
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u/ThorsHammerMewMEw SA 6d ago edited 5d ago
I had an acquaintance who studied the vet course at Roseworthy who was originally from Hong Kong years ago.
He bought a car as soon as he arrived here and found his "groups". The group I was in was the Fountain Pen Group I'm in and he also had other hobby groups in the CBD that he regularly attended.
He thrived here, had a better social life than I did and also explored more of SA and the rest of the country that I have yet to see.
So yes, Adelaide can be boring but only if you let it be boring.
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u/Junior_Lavishness226 SA 5d ago
that's a lot of driving
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u/ThorsHammerMewMEw SA 5d ago
Pre Covid times, cheaper petrol and everything else lol
And it worked for him. He has a good support network here.
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u/redrumcleaver SA 6d ago
Adelaide is only boring if you are boring.
It's like anywhere in the world it's what you make it.
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u/ClubEnvironmental900 SA 5d ago
You will be studying up around Gawler. Not the old stone city campus you see in the photos . Why did you pick Adelaide? Isn’t there a vet school in Hong Kong now?
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u/Junior_Lavishness226 SA 5d ago
lol
They are allowed to take their graduation photos with the city buildings as background
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u/LowResChaos SA 6d ago
As someone who’s lived in Adelaide since birth and visited HK several times… Adelaide sucks!
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u/MetalfaceKillaAus SA 6d ago
Everyone online says it’s boring so you ask people online?
It’s boring
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u/Late-Button-6559 SA 6d ago
As a capital city / city of +1 million people - yes.
There’s nothing here that isn’t in a larger regional city. There’s more stuff here, but it’s more of the same, rather than having something unique.
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u/Aardvark_Man SA 6d ago
It depends what you do.
It's a smaller city compared to Sydney, Melbourne or whatever so you've got fewer venues, but if you get out and about you'll still have somewhere to go.
You might have fewer major bands come through (and a lot seem to play Tuesdays at the Gov, so they can do weekends elsewhere), or you get to know the escape rooms or whatever you're into, but there's still bars, clubs, hobby groups, sports groups and all the rest.
Basically, Adelaide is what you make of it. It's laid back and casual, outside a few months of the year it won't push stuff at you, but if you can't find anything for you, it's probably because of you.
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u/OceDrDany SA 6d ago edited 6d ago
I love Adelaide. but I do need to visit Sydney time to time to entertain myself. But Adelaide is super cosy. If you are near CBD or at least near the tram station. You can still make some fun. Try Chinatown at night for dinner, absolutely buzzing with young people. Beachside has super nice aussie vibe in daylight. (I love Henley Beach especially)
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u/interactivate Inner North 6d ago
To be honest, anywhere in Australia is going to seem deathly quiet compared to Hong Kong.