York University

Yesterday was the first time I have ever set foot on the campus of York University (the Canadian one). What a totally depressing dump! Its a sub-suburban wasteland of construction sites, parking lots and gerry built buildings of a degree of ugliness that ranks up there with the nastier kind of public housing project. In fact, opposite it, across Keele St, are an industrial estate and an oil terminal that don't look appreciably different. Add to that the minimal to non-existent building maintenance and the garbage everywhere and you have a complete academic slum.

It is orientation week here so all over the campus there were roving bands of keen young freshers being shown how to navigate this wasteland. What a thought, to spend four years of your youth in such a profoundly un-uplifting setting. It really makes me appreciate my time at Durham!