The Best Things for Students to Do This October

2026-10-14

Your First Autumn in Leeds: The Best Things for Students to Do This October

The first few weeks of university can go by in a bit of a blur. One minute you’re unpacking boxes, meeting your housemates and trying to remember where your lecture theatre is, and the next the nights are drawing in, the leaves are changing and autumn has officially arrived in Leeds.

October is actually one of the best months to be a student in the city. Freshers’ Week might be over, but student life is only just getting started. You’ve got a better idea of where everything is, hopefully know a few more people and can start exploring Leeds beyond your university campus.

Whether you’ve just moved into your rentinc student accommodation in Leeds, you’re returning for another year or you’re still getting settled, here are some of the best ways to make the most of autumn in Leeds.

1. Explore Your New Neighbourhood

First things first: get to know where you live.

Some of the most popular student areas in Leeds include Headingley, Hyde Park, Burley, Woodhouse and Kirkstall, and each one has its own personality.

Headingley is packed with cafés, restaurants, pubs and shops, making it easy to spend an entire Saturday without heading into the city centre. Hyde Park puts you close to the universities while offering plenty of independent places to eat, drink and hang out. Burley gives you easy access to Headingley and the city while having a slightly more residential feel.

One of the best things you can do in your first few weeks is simply go for a walk. Find your nearest supermarket, work out your quickest route to university, discover a new coffee shop and see what’s around the corner from your house.

It doesn’t take long before somewhere unfamiliar starts to feel like home.

2. Go for an Autumn Walk

We know. Going for a walk doesn’t sound like the most exciting student activity in the world.

But hear us out.

Leeds looks seriously good in autumn.

If you live around Hyde Park, Woodhouse Moor is an obvious place to start. It’s right in the heart of one of Leeds’ busiest student areas and gives you a bit of green space without having to travel far.

If you fancy going further afield, Roundhay Park has more than 700 acres of parkland, lakes, woodland and gardens, making it one of the biggest city parks in Europe. It’s particularly impressive when the leaves start changing.

Grab your housemates, get a coffee and make an afternoon of it.

It’s also a very good excuse to escape the library for a couple of hours.

3. Find Your Go-To Coffee Spot

Every student needs one.

The place you go when you need caffeine before a 9am lecture. The place you meet your mates when nobody can decide what to do. Or the place where you convince yourself you’re going to be incredibly productive with your laptop.

Leeds has loads of brilliant independent coffee shops, particularly around the main student areas.

Coffee on the Crescent in Hyde Park and Fika North in Headingley are among the independent cafés highlighted in current Leeds coffee guides, while areas such as Headingley and Hyde Park have plenty more to discover.

Try somewhere different each week and find your favourite.

Important research, obviously.

4. Experience an Iconic Leeds Student Night Out

If you’ve moved to Leeds for university, you’ve probably already heard three words:

The Otley Run.

The famous pub crawl follows Otley Road from Far Headingley through Headingley and Hyde Park towards the city centre. It currently takes in around 17 venues and has become something of a Leeds student rite of passage.

Fancy dress is usually involved. Dignity occasionally isn’t.

You don’t have to complete the entire route – and there are plenty of pubs and bars around Headingley if you’d prefer something considerably more relaxed.

Leeds has a huge nightlife scene, so take your time finding the places you actually enjoy rather than feeling like you have to do everything during your first few weeks.

5. Have a Proper House Night In

Not every good student memory needs to involve leaving the house.

Once autumn arrives and the weather turns colder, there’s something pretty great about getting everyone together for a night in.

Order a takeaway. Attempt to cook together. Start a film marathon. Get far too competitive over a board game. Put on a terrible reality TV show.

Your student house is a big part of your university experience, so make it somewhere you genuinely enjoy spending time.

At rentinc, we offer student houses, flats and apartments across popular Leeds student locations, with properties suitable for different group sizes and selected homes available with all-inclusive rent.

Because student housing should be about more than somewhere to sleep.

6. Discover Leeds' Independent Scene

One of the best things about living in Leeds is that there is always somewhere new to discover.

Hyde Park alone is home to independent cafés, pubs, food spots, vintage shopping and live music. You’ve also got places such as Brudenell Social Club and Hyde Park Book Club, which regularly bring music, events and a proper neighbourhood atmosphere to the area.

Headingley has its own mix of independents alongside plenty of familiar favourites, while Leeds city centre opens up even more options.

Rather than heading to the same places every week, make it your mission to try somewhere new.

Your bank balance may have opinions, but your Leeds bucket list will thank you.

7. Spend a Day Exploring Leeds City Centre

It can be surprisingly easy to live in Leeds and only see the route between your student house, university and favourite pub.

October is the perfect time to change that.

Head into Leeds city centre and explore properly. Wander through the Victorian arcades, look around the markets, browse the shops, find somewhere new for lunch or walk down towards the waterfront.

Leeds city centre is relatively compact, so you can fit plenty into one day without having to plan a military operation.

And when the weather inevitably changes halfway through the day?

Congratulations. You’ve experienced Yorkshire.

8. Get Your Student House Autumn-Ready

Autumn also means one unavoidable thing: colder weather.

Now is a good time to make your student room feel more comfortable for the months ahead.

A few cushions, blankets, lamps, prints or photos can completely change how your space feels without costing a fortune. Just remember to check your tenancy agreement before sticking, hanging or changing anything permanently.

And if something isn’t working properly in your rentinc property, don’t simply ignore it and hope for the best.

Contact the team and let us know.

9. Say Yes to Something New

University isn’t just about lectures and deadlines.

Join a society. Try a new sport. Go to an event where you don’t know anyone. Ask someone from your course if they fancy grabbing a coffee.

The first term can sometimes feel like everyone else has instantly found their friendship group and knows exactly what they’re doing.

Spoiler: they probably haven’t.

Give yourself time.

Moving away from home, starting university and adjusting to a completely new routine is a lot. You don’t need to have your entire university experience sorted by October.

Make Leeds Feel Like Home with rentinc

Your first autumn in Leeds is about finding your feet.

Discover your favourite café. Explore your neighbourhood. Work out where you like going out. Find your people. Learn which bus actually takes you where you think it does.

And most importantly, start making Leeds feel like your city.

Having the right place to live can make a huge difference.

rentinc offers student accommodation across some of Leeds’ most popular student areas, including Headingley, Hyde Park, Burley, Kirkstall and locations close to Leeds’ universities, with options for different group sizes and budgets.

Whether you’re already living with us or you’re still searching for student accommodation in Leeds, our team is here to help.

Browse the latest student properties with rentinc or get in touch with our team to start your search.

Leeds student life? Sorted.