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Latest from the blogs

Why I chose law

Tue 6 August 2019 - 13:14

By Sam Silsby in UCAS advice

My name is Sam Silsby, and I am a trainee solicitor at BPE Solicitors LLP in Cheltenham. I chose law later in life, having had a successful 20-year career in the public and private sectors as a project manager and a commissioning manager. I always had an interest in law, particularly employment and HR related topics, as I had managed large teams and understood the challenges facing employers. When I realised that I had over half of my career remaining, I decided it was now or never and took the plunge! I had to complete a conversion course called a GDL to allow me to have the equivalent to a law degree before taking my Legal Practice Course (LPC).

I love the blend of having to understand and work out statute and case law, then having to package up advice in a commercial way with no ‘legalese’ to assist our clients to reach their goals. It is hard work, and excellent attention to detail is required, but the satisfaction...

I used to be in awe of the teachers at my school – Ben Caven

Fri 16 August 2019 - 15:39

By Ben Caven in Teacher Training

I had a crisis around my 25th birthday. I was working in sales and wasn’t getting any job satisfaction. I wanted to do something worthwhile and working with young people seemed like a natural choice.
 
I’ve been working at Ark Putney Academy as a Teaching Assistant for a year. When I decided I wanted to work with young people, I approached Putney because it was my old school! I still knew some of the teachers and it was a setting I could relate to, it helped that I could picture myself in that school environment.
 
Being a TA at Putney has been great. I’ve been offered so much support and was always made to feel part of the team. When I first started, I was in awe of the teachers, but then as the year progressed I started to see the value I could add and began to think “I could do this.”
 
As soon as I started thinking about...

A big list of absolutely everything you need to take to University

Thu 19 December 2019 - 09:41

By Anna Whitaker in First year

Hiya!
 
In light of writing blog posts in random places recently, this is my first ever post written....on a plane! I am currently on the way back from Greece with my family (boooo). We've had an amazing time and I am definitely not ready to return to dreary England!
 
As promised, here is my post on what you should take to Uni. When I was packing I found that I was just shoving random bits in to bags instead of properly thinking about what I wanted to take. As a lover of lists, I desperately wanted a big list of everything I needed to take. So, hopefully this will help some of you out who were in the same position as I was.....
 
Bedroom- We were given a bin, a desk chair and a mattress
1. Duvet, duvet cover, sheets, mattress protector (take a few of each)
2. Pillows, pillow case
...

Get your free MenACWY vaccine

Wed 14 August 2019 - 13:33

By NHS in Support

Meningitis is a life-threatening disease that can affect anyone, but young people and students are at particularly high risk. A free MenACWY vaccine is available to first year students up to the age of 25 through their GP. This vaccine and knowing the symptoms of meningitis is the best protection against this devastating disease, which can resemble the flu or a hangover and so is often ignored until it’s too late.

The symptoms can include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain, stomach cramps and fever with cold hands and feet. Other symptoms include drowsiness, pale, blotchy skin, dislike of bright lights and a rash that doesn’t fade under pressure.

Students in shared accommodation and those travelling and at festivals are particularly vulnerable, and so Meningitis Now is calling on all eligible young people to get vaccinated before heading off to uni or as early as...

How your surroundings affect the way you study

Thu 19 December 2019 - 09:42

By Ella Hendrix in Support

Research has found that learning environments play a crucial role in student success. Several factors can affect learning ability, including seating, light, noise, and even colour. Students who study in a positive learning environment have been shown to be more motivated, engaged, and have a higher overall learning ability. On the other hand, students learning in poor environments – those that are uncomfortable, loud, or full of distractions – will find it far more difficult to absorb information and stay engaged. With this in mind, let’s look at how your surroundings affect the way you study, and consider some of the best ways to create your ideal learning environment.

Comfort
No matter where you choose to study, be it your bedroom, a local coffee shop, or your university library, it is vital that you’re comfortable. According to lecture hall seating specialists at Race Furniture, ‘When you are...

The Student Finance Guide for Freshers

Fri 18 September 2020 - 15:37

By money.co.uk in Money

If you are heading to university this autumn, life is about to get interesting! We look at how to make sure you can afford to have fun rather than worrying about the pennies.

Whether you will be living away from your parents for the first time or studying from home, once you start university you will have far more financial independence than ever before.

You will also be offered a bewildering array of accounts, cards and other finance options.
Financial products might sound a little dull, but the freedom they can give you if you choose wisely can be the difference between affording to do what you want and missing out on fun...

Get to know the university you could be studying at

Thu 19 December 2019 - 09:45

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Now you’ve accepted a conditional offer, it’s a good idea to get to know your prospective university better, and see where you could be studying in the not-too-distant future. Getting to know the place now will help you to feel more at home if you start studying there, as you’ll already be familiar with the place and the people.
  • Now’s the perfect time to head to an open day at the uni you could be studying at, even if you have already been to one. Open days are a great way to explore the facilities, see where you could be living, and talk to current...

Get your degree paid for whilst gaining corporate experience

Tue 23 July 2019 - 10:44

By Danielle Ariyo-Francis in UCAS advice

I didn’t enjoy the A Levels that I took at college, which made choosing a university course difficult. I ended up accepting a place at Cardiff to study Psychology, however I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do after university or even if I wanted to be a psychologist! I decided to defer my place at Cardiff and take a gap year to get experience at a business, which was also something I had been interested in. I came across the IBM Futures Scheme online, which is a 12 month paid internship and applied for a Business role, not really knowing what I was getting into. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made.

My first project at IBM was the Shell Account, working in...

Why, How, and Then What: Applying for English as an International Student

Thu 19 December 2019 - 09:46

By Coral Kim in International students

Before I begin, here’s a bit about me: I’m an incoming fresher with a confirmed place to study English at a British uni. I love Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, and Kazuo Ishiguro. Oh — I’m also from Korea. South.

1. The Big Question: Why?!

It’s a question everyone seems to ask me—and one I’ve asked myself so many times. Yes, I’m American through dual citizenship. But let’s be honest: I’m not a native English speaker and probably never will be, no matter how much I try. Then why English? Why not Korean?

Let’s go back a few years, when I was a new kid in an international school in France. I didn’t speak a word of French, and for obvious reasons nobody knew Korean. But we all knew at least abit of English — and speaking in English helped me ease myself in. Make friends. Keep up in class.

So I clung to it—started loving the way its words sounded and its grammar worked. English classes, in which we read Michael Morpurgo and recited silly poems, were my time to...

Unwinding before your New Chapter

Mon 15 July 2019 - 15:00

By Sophie Gibbons in Applicant

So, by now you would have finished you’re A level exams, your coursework and completely finished college. What are you now planning on doing with all this spare time that not so long ago was primarily revolved around your studies? This is a question I have frequently been asking myself since leaving college two weeks ago.

I have roughly 2 and a half months until I begin University, and within that time I most definitely want to relax and for a minority of the time do absolutely nothing and go on a Netflix binge! But deep down I am a sort of person that does weirdly feel somewhat guilty if I do nothing for too long (my parents would 100% disagree with that statement hahah), so during this Summer I have begun to organise some things I have always wanted to do but have never necessarily had enough time to do whilst being at college because that was my number one priority.

For example, I picked up my Shorthand studies again due to myself being a future Journalism...

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