Recommendation for a bike for cycling around college + occassional 3-4 mile journeys
 

I was told a "hybrid" bike is ideal for college. As far as I understand, this is just a road bike with first suspension?

So I just need suggestions, I'm willing to pay up to €400 if necessary, but would pay much less if appropriate.

Anyway, your thoughts are appreciated!

A hybrid bike doesn't necessarily have suspension. The name comes because it's a hybrid between a mountain bike and a road bike. It tends to have the more compact frame and flat handlebars of a mountain bike (and sometimes front suspension), but the larger 700C wheel size of a road bike. The tires are usually in between the two: not knobby, like mountain bike tires which are designed for dirt and gravel, but wider than the high-pressure tires used on racing bikes. A hybrid can be a good all-around bike; for 11 years I had one bike, a Trek MultiTrack 730 hybrid, which I used for commuting to work and for rides of 30-50 miles.

Where are you located? If you were in the US or the UK, I'd recommend waiting until you get to college and looking for a used bike (from a reputable bike shop, or a person you trust, since many other used bikes for sale have been stolen). Bike theft is a problem at many universities and used bikes are less interesting to thieves. If you get a new bike, buy a good lock (either a U-lock or a heavy chain lock; the thin cable locks are easy to cut with handheld tools) and use it ALL THE TIME, even if you're just going into a shop for 2 minutes.

If you were in the UK and wanted a new bike, I'd recommend looking at the Dawes Discovery 201eq. It has decent components and comes with fenders (mudguards) and a rack.

Buy a used bike from someone who is leaving the campus.

Thanks guys, good advice!