Coming to university is a big step in one’s educational journey. With such a big step come lots of adventures, changes and discoveries. However, sometimes we wish someone had shared a few tips or bits of student wisdom that could help us take greater advantage of this opportunity and ease our way through this new chapter. Today, I hope to share some of my student wisdom with you in the hopes of helping you get a grasp of what to expect from student life at The University of Manchester!

Independent Study and Working On Campus

As a BSc Education student, I attend classes on campus several times a week, have lots of pre-lecture and post-lecture readings to take care of in preparation for my classes and write essays and coursework fairly often. At first, I was used to working on these from my accommodation instead of exploring the campus. I wish someone had told me how great it is to take advantage of our campus by exploring and trying different study spaces. As a SEED student, the school’s Hub at the Humanities Bridgeford Street Building is an amazing space to get some work done, as well as the Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS), the Main Library or any cafe in University Green. There is no lack of great places to be productive when in university!

Support Through Your Adaptation

Whether you are a commuter or an international student, coming to university for the first time can be overwhelming and a bit daunting. This is why the university has a countless number of ways through which they can support you as you get used to student life. A few examples of these are the Disability, Advisory and Support System (DASS), Counselling and Mental Health Services, and the Careers Service. These and more services are always accessible through the university and are always willing to provide a helping hand in difficult times, which is why I wish someone had given me more information about them before coming to The University of Manchester.

In addition to these, I also wish I had known that every degree has a Peer Support scheme concerned with providing Year 1 students with both pastoral and academic support through Peer Mentoring groups. These are an amazing way to navigate making friends within your course of study whilst developing a greater understanding of what is expected of you to succeed in your degree!

Endless Manchester Fun!

Something I wish I had been told about Manchester before moving here is that it is an extremely lively city with a very diverse population and an endless list of events, places, museums and activities that one can engage with daily. There is something for everyone in this city, which means that you will easily make new friends with similar interests to your own and you will never, ever get bored! Some of the many ways you can keep busy and entertained in Manchester is by joining a society in the Student’s Union, going to the theatre, visiting one of the many museums or art galleries near campus and the city centre, attending concerts and sports games or joining watch parties at nearby bars… The sky is the limit!

Written by Arianna, current BSc Education student at The University of Manchester

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