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Undergraduate

Where students can turn for help on campus

Thu 21 March 2019 - 15:44

By Swansea University in First year

For many people, university is a place to make lifetime friends, gain a wealth of experience, get a great education, and develop skills for employment. It may be daunting to start with, but there is plenty of help and support available to you. The most important thing is to seek information, advice, or support whenever you need it. Everyone needs help sometimes, and most universities now have a team of experts on hand to help you work through any difficulties.

The focus on supportive services is now greater than ever, and there are specialists in each area, which can provide you with the best service.

The information, advice, guidance, and support from these services are there to enable every student to develop and achieve their full potential, so make sure...

Preparing for student accommodation

Tue 6 July 2021 - 12:25

By Swansea University in First year

When you make the transition to university, there will be lots of new experiences, and the biggest one is probably going to be moving away from home. Not only will you be living independently for the first time, it’s likely that you’ll be sharing accommodation with other students.

To prepare yourself for student accommodation, you should think of all the things that are done for you while you live at home, such as cooking, cleaning, washing, etc. These are all things you...

Five apps for surviving freshers’ week

Tue 6 November 2018 - 15:10

By Ability Net in First year

September is coming and we all know what that means – the famously frantic freshers’ weeks are upon us! It might be your first time away from home or perhaps you’re just concerned about getting organised, or how you’re going to afford the weekly food bill.

Every year, AbilityNet helps thousands of students with a range of disabilities to get the most from their time at university, and we know that preparation is key. That’s why we’ve put together a list of apps that we think might help you prepare for the start of term…

1. Organisation – ‘Swipes’ –...

How to audition for a music degree

Thu 21 March 2019 - 15:32

By British & Irish Modern Music Institute in First year

Tom Picken, British & Irish Modern Music Institute 

So, you’ve decided that a music degree is right for you, and you've submitted your application. You’re now probably thinking about the next step, your audition… The word alone can be enough to make your heart beat and palms sweat! But don’t worry – here are five ways to impress the assessor, and ace your audition.
 
1. Learn the material
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse – this is your time to shine, so make sure you’re prepared.
 
2. Don’t be late
Think of the audition as a job interview. Arriving early shows...

Student Accommodation: Your First Food Shop

Fri 25 June 2021 - 11:40

By Charlotte Stevenson in First year

When you first move into your accommodation at university, there are a lot of things that you are going to need to get used to. One of the biggest differences between being at home and living alone is that you are going to have to do your own weekly food shop. Despite everyone helping out at home with the groceries every now and again previous to this point, doing it for yourself frequently and getting used to the budgeting aspect can be quite an unexpected leap to begin with. So don't worry too much if this is something you struggle with at first as we all start out this way and build ourselves up.

In terms of your first food shop once in your accommodation, don't go too over the top - you have all the time in the world to experiment with recipes over the next year. For now though, keep it simple. Here are some of the musts when it comes to stocking up your fridge for Fresher's week:
 ...

Packing - 10 Things For Your Uni accommodation

Tue 6 July 2021 - 12:26

By Charlotte Stevenson in First year

Heading off to university for the first time is quite the experience. There will be excitement and nerves alike. There will be new things to experience and lots of people to meet. Unfortunately, there will also be packing - and lots of it! When packing, prioritise and plan in advance so that you are well organised. For me, finding the pros + cons in advance of everything I want to take it makes it much easier to decide on the final list. This way you won't end up taking too much.

However, if you are struggling to get a head start then you're in luck. Tried and tested on my own moving days, here are the 10 items which are must haves when it comes to your student accommodation.
...

Thinking of starting uni as a mature student?

Tue 15 October 2019 - 10:43

By Kirsty Hall in First year

My name is Kirsty Hall and I have just completed my second year at the University of Hull, where I am studying for an Undergraduate Degree in Education Studies.

I had always planned to go to university after college, but life threw me a curveball and I became a mum instead. After my partner completed his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and postgraduate diploma, and after we had another baby, the time finally felt right for me to return to studying! I had some good life experience, and my previous jobs helped me to develop and confirm I wanted to pursue a career in education. I think this is the biggest benefit to being a mature student – you really know what you what to do.

During the application process I was extremely nervous at how I would manage running a home, looking after my children, and studying. The university helped to calm my nerves by putting on two mature student days over the summer...

The Final Countdown

Tue 6 November 2018 - 15:32

By Lauren in First year

This is it. Those final weeks that make or break your A-Levels. Some people have been preparing for months; some weeks; others days. But how should you be feeling? Everyone is taking exam stress in different ways. I have seen so many breakdowns in lessons juxtaposed with people who appear to not even care. I am lucky. I have an unconditional offer to study next year but that doesn’t mean I am not feeling the pressure just like everyone else. Despite reading almost every article going on unconditional offers, I still worry that if I crack under the pressure and get 3 Us that I will not be able to study Music next year. All my life all I have wanted to do is study Music and the thought of not doing that makes me want to cry inside so I cannot imagine what those who have conditional offers are feeling right now.

I recently read an article about the brains of teenagers and how they should not be subjected to major exams such as GCSEs at 16. It claimed their brain is...

Reflections on this year

Tue 6 November 2018 - 15:31

By Enia in First year

After nearly completing my first year of uni (!), I thought it may be good to reflect on my experience and give some tips for anyone starting next year:

1. You will meet some great people
One of my major concerns about going to uni was about whether I’d find friends and people on my wavelength. Happy to say, there are so many people in a university that you’re more than likely to find people like yourself. Don’t worry if it takes a bit of time, or if your friends change over the first year – you’re still getting to know these people and finding your feet!

2. ...

Being a mature student

Fri 27 May 2022 - 10:44

By Jayson Rawlings in First year

Jayson Rawlings
Jayson completed his Sport and Education Studies BA (Hons) in 2017, gaining a first class honours.
Jayson worked for the British Army for seven years before leaving in 2009 to work for the local government in IT project management. It didn’t take long for Jayson to realise this wasn’t the path he wanted to follow, and he left the job to begin caring for his grandparents and mother. It was then that Jayson decided to follow his dream of becoming a physical education teacher, and enrolled onto an access to higher education (HE) course at Bournville College.

After completing the course, Jayson began his sport and education studies course at Newman. Jayson had to manage his time well, as he was not only studying, but was a carer for his family throughout his studies. Jayson had to deal with the loss of his grandparents and continue caring for his mother, while focusing on his degree.

Jayson explains: ‘Student Support were absolutely amazing...

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