JUST as it was by the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings, York is soon to be invaded again... by this year's influx of students.

Approximately 10,000 freshers are expected to be leaving their friends and family at home and anxiously beginning a new chapter of their lives at the northern equivalent of Oxford and Cambridge.

In last year's Sunday Times university league table, the University of York was rated sixth overall, only being outdone by London-based universities. And if former students such as editor of the Sunday Times, John Witherow, Greg Dyke, Harry Enfield and 13 MPs are anything to go by, we may expect to see the movers and shakers of the future stumbling in and out of York's many bars.

The past couple of weeks have already seen hordes of excited Law College and St John first years descend on The Gallery, Toffs and Ziggys nightclubs, freed from the watchful eye of their parents.

As well as campus-based events such as bar quizzes, formal meals and music nights, the student unions arrange town bar crawls and introductions to the city's nightclubs as an attempt to create the friendships that will see students through their life changing years at university.

The hope is that by the end of their degrees, those studying in York will have secured qualifications, which will put them one step ahead of the rest in the ever-competitive job market.

However, equally important are the life skills they will come away with, as teenagers become mature and independent young adults, long-lasting friendships are made and lessons in love learnt.

Every new student is looking to York to play host to great times.

Updated: 16:02 Thursday, October 14, 2004