Student experience week 2023
Beth, BSc Psychology
Hi! I'm Beth, I'm studying BSc Psychology and I'm from Winchester. What I love most about my course is that I found a passion for topics I otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to come across and what I love most about university life is the freedom and the fun that comes from living with friends.
1. What societies and/or clubs are you part of?
Badminton
2. What are your hobbies and/or work?
Gym, music, and exploring Devon.
3. Did you live in catered or self-catered in your first year?
Catered
4. What is your top tip for living at university?
Try to find a lifestyle with a healthy balance of work and play!
5. What is your top tip for choosing a course?
Pick something you will enjoy studying for the next 3 years!
6. What is your top tip for engaging in student life?
Say yes to as many opportunities as possible!
7. What is your top tip for managing finance while at uni?
Work out a rough monthly / weekly budget and review it regularly and adjust if needed.
8. What you love most about your course?
I found a passion for topics I otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to come across.
9. What you love most about university?
The freedom and the fun that comes from living with friends.
Isabel, BSc Conservation Biology and Ecology
Hi! I'm Isabel, I'm in my 3rd year studying BSc Conservation and Ecology with Professional Placement and I'm from Suffolk. What I love most about my course is the flexibility and breadth, meaning I can specialise in my own time or stay as broad as I like and what I love most about university life is the freedom!
1. What societies and/or clubs are you part of?
Was President of Pole Society in 2nd year (Vice President in 1st year), joined Sea Swimming society during 1st year.
2. What are your hobbies and/or work?
Pole, watching movies, going for walks, modelling and eating out - currently working in the science and research department at Chester Zoo for placement, work at the Stannary student bar in term time.
3. Did you live in catered or self-catered in your first year?
Self-catered
4. What is your top tip for living at university?
Bring decorations to make your room look and feel like home!
5. What is your top tip for choosing a course?
Find what resonates with you and read the module descriptors!!
6. What is your top tip for engaging in student life?
Introduce yourself to as many people as you can in the first few weeks and join societies!
7. What is your top tip for managing finance while at uni?
Create a spreadsheet with how much money you have, allow for important outgoings like rent then split up the remainder into a weekly budget for the length of the term - it saved me! Also look into on-campus jobs for some extra cash.
8. What you love most about your course?
The flexibility and breadth, meaning I can specialise in my own time or stay as broad as I like (great if you're indecisive like me).
9. What you love most about university?
The freedom! Being financially independent, making your own plans, making lifelong friends and getting stuck in to a subject I love.
Zack, BSc Human Sciences
Hi! I'm Zack, I'm in my 2nd year studying BSc Human Sciences and I'm from Luton. What I love most about my course is that it covers a range of topics and I’m always learning different things. What I love most about university life is I feel like I’m part of community here. It make you feel special and included with a purpose.
1. What societies and/or clubs are you part of?
Asian Society president, Boxing, Football, and athletics.
2. What are your hobbies and/or work?
As above!
3. Did you live in catered or self-catered in your first year?
Catered
4. What is your top tip for living at university?
Socialise even if its uncomfortable- put yourself outside your comfort zone, it’s the best way to make genuine friends.
5. What is your top tip for choosing a course?
Narrow down subjects by looking at what you may like and what you may NOT like. In the course end up at anyway, it will start broad and overlap with other programmes- you will naturally find what’s for you in that particular subject
6. What is your top tip for engaging in student life?
Join societies- especially in freshers week- great way to meet people with similar interests. Don’t be afraid to try new things out.
7. What is your top tip for managing finance while at uni?
Keep a budget and try stick to it- don’t worry if it occasionally goes over but sticking to a reasonable budget will ensure you have money left over to treat yourself and save yourself for surprise events.
8. What you love most about your course?
My course covers a range of topics from biosciences, geography, law, politics. I’m always learning different things and this suits what approach I wanted in studying in HE.
9. What you love most about university?
I feel like I’m part of community here. It make you feel special and included with a purpose.
Natasha, BMBS Medicine
Hi! I'm Natasha, I'm in my 4th year studying BMBS Medicine and I'm from London. What I love most about my course is interacting with patients and seeing taught theory brought to life on clinical placement. What I love most about university life is socialising with friends and the independence of building your own routine.
1. What societies and/or clubs are you part of?
Cricket, Students of Colour Association, Friends of MSF.
2. What are your hobbies and/or work?
Travelling, cooking, meeting friends. I work as a student ambassador, healthcare assistant and have completed various internships.
3. Did you live in catered or self-catered in your first year?
Self-catered
4. What is your top tip for living at university?
Meal prepping for long days on campus will save you lots of time and money!
5. What is your top tip for choosing a course?
Choose a course you are genuinely interested in studying, rather than planning your entire career around a specific course.
6. What is your top tip for engaging in student life?
Be proactive and push yourself out of your comfort zone - you never know how or where you will make new friends!
7. What is your top tip for managing finance while at uni?
Create a separate bank account to manage student loan payments.
8. What you love most about your course?
Interacting with patients and seeing taught theory brought to life on clinical placement.
9. What you love most about university?
Socialising with friends and the independence of building your own routine.
Lydia, BSc Marketing and Management
Hi! I'm Lydia, I'm studying BSc Marketing and Management and I'm from Bath. What I love most about my course is the variety and vastness of the topics, while what I love most about university life is learning to be independent - doing what I want when I want. I recommend joining a society and investing in friendships.
1. What societies and/or clubs are you part of?
Powerlifting Society.
2. What are your hobbies and/or work?
Gym and socialising.
3. Did you live in catered or self-catered in your first year?
Self-catered.
4. What is your top tip for living at university?
Make your room personalised.
5. What is your top tip for choosing a course?
Look at how it is assessed!
6. What is your top tip for engaging in student life?
Join a society and invest in friendships there.
7. What is your top tip for managing finance while at uni?
Try and meal prep for your lunch it saves so much money!
8. What you love most about your course?
The variety and vastness of the topics!
9. What you love most about university?
Learning to be independent doing what I want when I want.
Emily, BMBS Medicine
Hi! I'm Emily, I study Medicine student (I previously studied BSc Medical Sciences where I achieved a 1st class degree!) and I'm from Exmoor. What I love most about my course is I adore placement and clinical skills, learning how to identify medical concerns in a patient is exhilarating, and I feel extremely lucky to be studying what I study.
1. What societies and/or clubs are you part of?
I'm a member of medics hockey, the dermatology society and the medical society.
2. What are your hobbies and/or work?
I love to crochet and part time work as a sports coach for children aged 4-12.
3. Did you live in catered or self-catered in your first year?
Self-catered.
4. What is your top tip for living at university?
Really try to get involved with a society, it’s such an amazing and easy way to meet likeminded people!
5. What is your top tip for choosing a course?
This might be a medicine specific answer but make sure you know the realities of working as a doctor in the NHS and the intensity of the course before you apply! This will make it much easier for you when you get to medical school!
6. What is your top tip for engaging in student life?
Push yourself outside of your comfort zone, there are few other times in life when you get the chance to completely start fresh and go somewhere new/meet entirely new people who are in the exact same situation as you!
7. What is your top tip for managing finance while at uni?
A budgeting app which can tell you where/on what you spend most of money, so you can try to allocate budgets to each category!
8. What you love most about your course?
I absolutely adore placement and clinical skills. Learning how to identify medical concerns in a patient is exhilarating and I feel extremely lucky to be studying what I study.
9. What you love most about university?
How friendly people are. You have independence but many adult responsibilities yet! The lecturers are experts in their field and their passion for the subject is so inspiring.
Shaira, BSc Data Science
Hi! I'm Shaira, I'm in my 2nd year studying BSc Data Science and I'm from India. I love that my course is a combination of Maths, Computer Science, and Stats, and what I love most about university life is living with my best friends - nothing comes close to the feeling of coming back after a long day at uni/work to a house full of laughter and life.
1. What societies and/or clubs are you part of?
Asian Society, Badminton Club, and Body Society.
2. What are your hobbies and/or work?
Football, Reading, Trekking/ being in nature.
3. Did you live in catered or self-catered in your first year?
Catered.
4. What is your top tip for living at university?
Don't be afraid to ask for help, be it wellbeing services or with your academics.
5. What is your top tip for choosing a course?
Don't be afraid to step a bit out of your comfort zone, to explore new avenues.
6. What is your top tip for engaging in student life?
Push yourself outside of your comfort zone, there are few other times in life when you get the chance to completely start fresh and go somewhere new/meet entirely new people who are in the exact same situation as you!
7. What is your top tip for managing finance while at uni?
(Especially as an international student) dont keep all your money in a single account, just in case you lose your phone or gets scammed you won't lose all your money or be left scrambling to freeze your account.
8. What you love most about your course?
I like that my course is a combination of three separate majors in one (maths, computer science and stats) which means that form module to module i can switch between fields.
9. What you love most about university?
Living with my best friends, nothing comes close to the feeling of coming back after a long day at uni/ work to a house full of laughter and life.
Kingsley, PhD in Biological Sciences
Hi! I'm Kingsley, I'm studying for a PhD in Biological Sciences (previously BSc Zoology with Study Abroad) and I'm from Warwick. What I love most about university life is meeting like-minded people who share the same passions and interests as you, and not knowing what new ideas you’re going to be exposed to.
1. What societies and/or clubs are you part of?
Eco Soc, Wild Doc Soc, Expedition Society.
2. What are your hobbies and/or work?
Board gaming, live music (indie/punk) and sea swimming.
3. Did you live in catered or self-catered in your first year?
Self-catered.
4. What is your top tip for living at university?
University is a big melting pot of different backgrounds, ideas and experiences, so be open-minded and don’t be scared be scared of going outside your comfort zone.
5. What is your top tip for choosing a course?
Check the research interests of the department, as this will often inform the modules and topics you’ll study. Courses with the same title can often be very different between different institutions!
6. What is your top tip for engaging in student life?
University is a marathon, not a sprint, so don’t worry if it takes you a little while to find your feet and to find your people.
7. What is your top tip for managing finance while at uni?
Ignorance is not bliss! Try and keep track of your spending and categorise it so you have early warning if you’re going over budget. Lots of apps can help with this.
8. What you love most about your course?
Having the opportunity to do novel research and try and answer questions that haven’t been answered before. Plus the opportunity to do fieldwork and study different animals in their natural habitats.
9. What you love most about university?
Meeting like-minded people who share the same passions and interests as you, and not knowing what new ideas you’re going to be exposed to in each new lecture, seminar, or conversation in the pub.
Kerri, BSc Criminology
Hi! I'm Kerri, I'm in my 2nd year studying BSc Criminology, and I'm from Exeter. What I love most about my course is how varied it is. Some days I'm doing coding, others I'm writing blog posts about criminal behaviour. I also do Teaching English as A Second Language - totally different to anything I've ever done before.
1. What societies and/or clubs are you part of?
Mature students, sociology, criminology and anthropology society.
2. What are your hobbies and/or work?
I enjoy painting and anything arty. I also do quite a lot of ambassador work for the university and tutoring.
3. Did you live in catered or self-catered in your first year?
I wasn't in halls in my first year
4. What is your top tip for living at university?
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there as much as possible as everybody is in the same boat!
5. What is your top tip for choosing a course?
Make sure you look at the modules for your course, as the same course can vary between universities.
6. What is your top tip for engaging in student life?
Attend as much as you can during freshers week because most of the societies offer tasters at the start of term so you can try something out before committing to it! I'd also recommend introducing yourself to people you sit next to in lectures/seminars.
7. What is your top tip for managing finance while at uni?
It can be tempting to spend all of your money at once as you get a lump sum for a few months at a time, but it's important to make it last. How I did this was having a separate savings account; at the start of every month I'd transfer over the money I'd budgeted just for that month so I knew that I had enough saved for the rest of term.
8. What you love most about your course?
I love how varied it is, especially because in Criminology you can choose modules that you find most interesting from the start. Some days I'm doing coding, others I'm writing blog posts about criminal behaviour. I also do Teaching English as A Second Language as part of my degree which is really interesting and totally different to anything I've ever done before.
9. What you love most about university?
I'd say the campus is one of the things I love most; it's so green and I love seeing the ducks in the ponds in springtime whilst sat on the grass. I also find the facilities really good here to study as I get too distracted at home!
