Good Times from UA92

GOOD TIMES

STUDENT LIFE AT UA92

By Sophie Hegg UA92 Student

FINDING BALAN CE

One of my favourite things about UA92 is that my studies fit perfectly around my busy work and social life. This helps me prioritise, not only my studies, but myself, my job, and my social life so I get a healthy balance.

I aim to make Monday as productive as I can, which sets the tone for the week. As a morning student, I attend classes from 9am until 1pm, 4 days a week. My day always starts with a very interactive and insightful class – I love how practical and hands-on our modules are. As part of our Enterprise and Innovation module, I got to write a business plan and run my own business for a week.

After the lecture is over, I stay on campus and do some work with my friends. The campus has such a chilled atmosphere and loads of communal spaces where I like to relax or work. Today, I’m reflecting on my recent work experience placement – I got to go to McCann, who are a UA92 partner. They are a marketing agency who have big clients such as supermarket chain Aldi. It was a really insightful experience as I got to shadow marketing campaigns, go behind the scenes of TV adverts and assist on product shoots for Aldi – it was fascinating and helped me to realise my passion for marketing.

At around 2pm I like to head to the brand new gym on campus. The gym really helps with my mental well-being as well as my physical fitness. I love going to the gym at this time because it isn’t too busy – another benefit of being a morning student. After the gym, I head to my part-time job at Pandora for an afternoon shift.

Not only do I have a job outside of UA92, but I work at UA92 too! UA92 gives students the opportunity to be a part of the team and work as a Student Ambassador. I am always trying to get involved with student engagement whether it’s taking part in Q&As, podcasts or creating content. I have had so many opportunities and I’ve done things I never thought I’d be capable of doing.

The set timetable at UA92 means that my routine is generally the same throughout the week. However, Wednesdays are a little different. It is essentially a free day for all students for personal study. I use this day to prioritise myself, my health and progression. So, I will go on a long dog walk in the morning, workout at the same time of the day as usual and grab a coffee with either friends or family.

This day to me is like a hump-day detox, giving myself a break in the middle of the week instead of waiting for the weekend. This really helps with my motivation for the rest of the week.

I love my routine and I don’t think my student experience would be the same without having the consistency of a structured timetable. It keeps me focused and on track with minimal stress and enables me to have a great work life balance.

“ I have had so many opportunities and I’ve done things I never thought I’d be capable of doing.”

AN EPIC 3 YEARS

MY UA92 HIGHLIGHTS

1ST YEAR

I was so excited to be starting at UA92. It was close to home, so I could commute, and I liked the idea of the flexible timetable. I was also really intrigued about the fact it was set up by the Class of 92 as I’m a big football fan. Who would have thought that I would be starting a degree during a global pandemic? It was definitely a strange start to university life – all work was remote, and online learning made me sleepy. If it wasn’t for the community at UA92, who helped us all through, I think I would have found it so hard.

2ND YEAR

By Abu Salloo UA92 Student

3RD AND FINAL YEAR

I was so nervous to do my final year and now it feels like it has only been a day and it is already over.

> We won the league with the men’s football 1st team – what an achievement!

> I got to experience working at Lancashire Cricket Club as a physiotherapist with professional cricketers.

> I completed my final project on motivation in university athletes to participate in a team sport.

After an epic three years, I’m leaving UA92 with a job as a Sports Coach at Foundation 92, which is a charity that supports people to improve their lives through sport. I can’t wait to get started and get some more experience under my belt.

Second year was finally how I imagined my university experience would be.

> We were back on campus and starting to learn more about human anatomy, coaching and biomechanics. It was fun to learn a counter-movement jump which also helped me personally, as a footballer, to improve jumping and coordination.

> As part of my course, we had the opportunity to go to the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance (MHIP), which is a world-class healthcare facility used by professional athletes to learn about physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

> I could finally start playing for the men’s football 1st team regularly and I loved every second of it! I was also lucky enough to play a 5-a-side match against Manchester United legends and UA92 co-founders, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt, which was an incredible experience.

LEAGUE WINNERS!

“ I love UA92 and I will definitely be back as a proud graduate – you may even see me around campus!

A STUDENT FOODIE IN MANCHESTER

ON A BUDGET

If you’re looking forward to exploring Manchester’s foodie scene, this one’s for you. Sticking to a budget doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck in Greggs and Wetherspoons for the rest of your student days (although, there’s no shortage of them in Manchester and we all love a pastie, right?).

By Millie Waller Graduate and Marketing Executive at UA92

CHEAP EATS IN THE CITY 8

Add these Manchester cheap eats to your ‘must try’ list.

It’s all about the pizza.

With three central Manchester locations, you can’t miss Rudy’s. It has definitely earned its place on the Manchester foodie scene in recent years. It’s a relaxed, no-frills pizzeria serving authentic, fresh Neapolitan pizza starting at £6.90. Not to be missed for a super filling dinner or a quick bite to eat before a gig.

www.rudyspizza.co.uk

Delicious vegetarian Indian street food.

With two locations in the city centre, this allveggie Indian street-food joint is well worth a visit. Whether you’re after the Bhaji Butty (£6.75) or their lunchtime two dishes for £9 deal, it’s certainly a place that will tantalise your tastebuds without putting too much of a dent in your wallet. www.bundobust.com

Kebabs worth sitting down for.

25p Wings!

Somewhat a Manchester institution –Bunny Jackson’s has a whole menu of chicken wings starting from just 25p per wing. bunnyjacksons.co.uk

Tacos and Bao in one place.

At the heart of Manchester’s famous Northern Quarter, there’s no need to make a choice between tacos or bao. Starting at just £1 each, there is a great selection of creative cuisine at this cool vibes venue. Their chippie curry bao is pretty legendary and definitely not to be missed. www.watd.co.uk

Sunrise Caribbean Takeaway.

A student favourite for authentic Caribbean food – you must try their lamb and jerk salmon. sunrisecaribbean.co.uk

The kebabs at BAB are to die for! Their lunch time deal of kebab and chips with a drink for around a tenner is great value for the huge portions. Their creative takes on traditional kebabs are exciting, delicious and so filling. babnq.co.uk

Authentic Indian Cafe.

Described as ‘Manchester’s favourite curry house’ this place is delicious and great value for money. For £6, you can fill a plate with rice and three authentic veggie curries. Meat-eater? For an extra £2, you can get rice and three meat curries for just £8. thisandthatcafe.co.uk

Arndale

food market.

The best food court a hungry student could wish for – think street food from all over the world, from Indian and Japanese to Greek and Mexican. instagram.com/arndalemarket

TIPS AND TOOLS FOR STUDENT LIFE IN MANCHESTER

Instagram accounts to follow for food inspo. @EatMcr @TheMancEats @Mcrconfidentialfood @McrFinest @Eatinmcr

Apps for thrifty students.

OLIO

The app that encourages people to give away things they no longer need, from furniture, books and clothes to food from food outlets and supermarket chains.

Too Good To Go

Pick up fresh food and drink from local cafes and restaurants that would otherwise be thrown away. You’ll get it for a significantly discounted price and play your part in helping with food waste.

Vinted

Second hand clothes from your favourite brands. We’re all guilty of wearing things once and then forgetting it exists. Make money from your own clothes or pick up a second-hand bargain –someone’s trash is someone else’s treasure and all that!

Unidays, Student Beans and Totum

For student discounts galore. Once you’re a registered student, you can use your student email to sign up.

Manchester Confidential

A free app that gets you access to exclusive vouchers and one-off deals at eating and drinking destinations across the city.

HOW UA92 HELPED ME OVERCOME MY MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.

MY WELL-BEING JOURNEY.

I’m Abz, and I was part of the first cohort of students to join UA92 in 2019. Starting a degree can be a daunting experience for anyone, but as someone with ADHD, anxiety and other neurodiverse conditions, I found it particularly challenging. Despite that, I graduated last year with my degree in Journalism, having had an amazing experience at UA92.

MY ACHIEVEMENTS

With the help of UA92, I have achieved things I never thought I would:

> I graduated!

> I won the ‘Greatness Unlocked’ award.

> I established my own podcast.

> I have created a radio documentary on bipolar disorder.

> I’m a proud Beyond Youth Board member.

> I’m on the Student Futures team at UA92, supporting people like me into education.

> I’m a neurodiversity public speaker with Milk Education.

Here’s my guide to navigating mental health, finding support and succeeding as a student at UA92.

BE OPEN AND HONEST.

I joined UA92 at a time when I was struggling with my mental health. I had an anxiety attack on my first day and I just wanted to leave, but I was able to speak to the Student Support team at the start of my journey and they were unbelievably helpful. Once they understood what I was struggling with, they could provide me with support, tips and coping strategies.

3. CREATE A ROUTINE THAT WORKS FOR YOU.

1. 2. 4. 5.

I was a morning student, which meant my lessons were always 9am-1pm. This helped to structure my day, which is particularly helpful for someone who usually struggles maintaining a routine. The study blocks mean you focus on just one assignment at a time, which really helped to reduce my stress levels. The timetable also meant I could use my afternoons to focus on things that make me feel good, including writing poetry, podcasting, perfecting my student cooking (my three-bean chilli recipe!) and exercising.

MAKE THE MOST OF SUPPORT SERVICES.

I had weekly support sessions, regular 1-2-1 counselling sessions and I was also provided with a Learning Support Plan which helped my tutor better understand my needs and how to accommodate them, whether that was extra time on assessments or 1-2-1 support in lessons.

TAKE THE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS.

I didn’t know what to expect from the personal development sessions when I first started at UA92. You have a week of CPD sessions as part of each module. But studying things like positive self-talk, staying motivated and having faith and confidence in yourself has really transformed my outlook on life.

EMBRACE IT!

This next chapter is a fun experience for you! While there may be tough times, everything is much easier with the support of a great community, like the one at UA92. In my opinion, UA92 are a great example of a higher education setting that’s doing it right when it comes to supporting students with their mental health. Remember, you’ve got this, and the team at UA92 have got your back too. I hope to see you around campus!

By Muhammad ‘Abz’ Abby UA92 Graduate and Student Futures Assistant at UA92 (pictured)

“ With UA92’s support, I was able to make the most of my time as a student. UA92 have helped me to excel, develop personally and professionally and champion my neurodiversity, so that I can be the best version of myself.”

LIVIN’ THE MCR LIFE

I’ve lived in Manchester my whole life, so I’ve a whole list of things that I love doing in the city. I hope you take some inspiration from my recommendations and have a great time exploring!

Know the city.

First up, if you’re not familiar with Manchester and want to get to know your surroundings, check out @freetours_mcr – the free walking tour happens every day at 11am and is a great way to figure out your way around the city centre, to find out more about culture and history in Manchester and get recommendations from local people.

If the sun shines.

(I promise it does, sometimes!)

We are lucky that Manchester is full of green, open spaces so you can get your nature fix, whether you’re looking for somewhere to do your daily run, chilling out with friends or a scenic place to do some work. Longford Park is on UA92’s doorstep and you can get to places like Sale Water Park, Salford Quays and Heaton Park by jumping on the tram just outside campus.

For live music.

I love live music, and luckily Manchester is the place to be if you’re like me. From big arenas with top acts like the Manchester Arena and Emirates Old Trafford, to smaller, more indie venues like Gorilla, O2 Apollo and Matt and Phred’s, where you can catch up and coming artists or niche genres. You can really find it all here.

A highlight in Manchester’s music calendar is Parklife festival at Heaton Park – the line up gets better every year!

For a night out.

Student nights

Manchester is a great student city with loads of student nightlife. 42s, Factory and The Venue are all super affordable indie bars; The Ritz is a great venue for events; Deansgate Locks has student nights and is great if you fancy a cocktail, and the Northern Quarter has a hipster vibe with loads of independent bars and different music scenes to choose from.

K2 Karaoke

I absolutely love going to karaoke with my friends.

K2 Karaoke is one of my favourite nights out as a student because you can book out a full room for you and your mates (for about £10 each!) and can do as many karaoke songs as you want for up to 2 hours. My go-to is Valerie by Amy Winehouse – it’s a classic!

The Cube Live Experience

Just like the TV show! It’s a great place to go with friends, your family when they come to visit, or even on a date. It’s got that fun competitive feel to it and there’s a bar with food too.

By China Craig

For shopping.

The Trafford Centre

I love shopping so the Trafford Centre is perfect –it is easy to get to from campus and has everything you could need, including a food court with loads of restaurants where you can chill out after browsing the shops.

Charity and Vintage Shops

Manchester’s charity shop scene is pretty iconic. You can grab some absolute bargains, not only in the City Centre, but in Chorlton (about a 15-minute walk from campus) and in places like Didsbury, which is easily reachable by tram. Pop Boutique, Retro Rehab and Cow Vintage are just a few of Manchester’s amazing vintage shops and there are loads more to explore.

Independent Shops

The Northern Quarter is full of interesting and quirky shops – it’s great, even just for a day of window shopping. Not to be missed are record shops like Vinyl Exchange and Piccadilly Records, arts and crafts destinations like Fred Aldous and Manchester Craft & Design Centre, the alternative and legendary Affleck’s Palace and independent book shops like Paramount Books.

UA92 Student (pictured left)

TIPS FOR STRESS-FREE EXAMS

By Emma Kidd UA92 Counselling and Mental Health Manager

1. GET ENOUGH SLEEP

It can be tempting to stay up late to finish off assignments however, lack of sleep can affect our concentration, memory and productivity. It can also affect the way we manage our emotions, meaning that we can feel overwhelmed much more easily – the last thing anyone needs during exam season!

Top tips for getting a good night’s sleep: Routine: Try to go to bed and get up at roughly the same time each day so that your body learns when it’s time to rest and when it’s time to wake up.

Wind down: It can be difficult for your mind and body to rest after being stimulated all day long. Take time to prepare for bed by doing things like reading, meditating, listening to relaxing music, and having time out from screens – it sounds simple but it really does work!

Relaxation/mindfulness: Mindfulness grounds your mind in the present moment rather than being distracted by all the things you have going on in your life, making it easier to relax and get a better sleep.

4. GET RID OF STRESS

Music can impact our mood, so it can be really helpful when it comes to dealing with stress.

Ways music can relieve stress:

Study playlists: Try creating or finding a playlist that’s full of music that helps you concentrate, gives you a boost or makes you feel inspired!

Music to de-stress: Try closing your eyes while you listen to a song that grounds you or try putting on your favourite upbeat song and dancing like nobody’s watching. It might feel odd at first but just letting yourself go for a few minutes can feel like the big release you need when you’re stressed.

2. GET ORGANISED

Being organised with your studying can help you feel more in control, helping to reduce stress and to stop it from building up in the first place.

Top organisation tips:

Planning: Plan your day the night before, so that you can get up knowing exactly what you’re going to do.

Lists: When it feels like there’s too much to think about, try making a list and prioritising by urgency/importance. You can stop thinking about the stuff that’s further down the list for a while, but they won’t be forgotten.

Space: An organised space which is free of clutter is easier to relax and/or be productive in – tidy room, tidy mind! If you’re struggling for space at home, grab everything you need for your study session and head to a local café or library – a change of scenery can really help you to focus.

5. GET TALKING

Don’t deal with stress alone. We all struggle, and we can all support each other.

Get some help: Ask for support from a tutor or mentor if things are feeling too much or you’re struggling to understand something. It’s much more helpful than struggling alone.

Offload: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious or stressed, talking to someone about it can help you to get it off your chest and shift your perspective to find a way forward.

If you need to speak to someone, there are many helplines you can use – for recommendations visit mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-foreveryday-living/student-life/useful-contacts

3.GET OUT AND ABOUT

Whilst it’s important to dedicate plenty of time to studying, being stuck behind a screen all day is likely to lead to burn out so it’s important to balance this with a change of environment. Remember, taking breaks is productive too!

Easy ways to clear your head:

Experience nature: Fresh air can do wonders for a stressed mind. Taking in more oxygen will help your brain to function better, while being out in nature can be both calming for the mind and energising for the body.

Do something stimulating: Varied stimulation is important for our minds, whether this is doing something creative or having a chat with a friend over a brew.

Do something physical: Physical exercise fills you with feel-good endorphins and can leave you feeling much better about yourself. Exercise can also get those creative juices flowing and you might find you come up with your best ideas during these times! Don’t worry, it doesn’t need to be a 10-mile run! Just a few minutes of activity can give you the boost you need – try searching for quick HIIT workouts on YouTube.

“Don’t deal with stress alone. We all struggle, and we can all support each other too.”

LIFE AFTER UA92

By Troy Wood UA92 Graduate (pictured)

I graduated from UA92 with a Business degree, and I am currently a Deals Execution Analyst at KPMG Acceleris. I found my current position through UA92 as they share a monthly list of opportunities with all the companies that they partner with. I knew that KPMG was a partner, but I didn’t know much about what they did or what the business entailed when I first started my degree.

As a student I had the opportunity to go to the KPMG offices for insight days that they ran and one of my industry mentors was an employee of KPMG which helped me to gain knowledge about the company and decide that it was somewhere that I’d like to work myself.

The character and personal development modules really helped me get my current role. The techniques I learnt around goal setting are something that I use massively in my job at KPMG and in my day-to-day life.

In 10 years’ time I’d like to run my own business in some form. I’ve always been very entrepreneurial, and I really like the idea of building something from scratch. The advice that I would give to anyone embarking on their UA92 journey would be to make the most of all the opportunities that you can. The amazing network of partners and contacts that you get access to at UA92 certainly gave me a massive advantage when applying for my first role.

GOOD LUCK!

For some of you, it is exam season and we hope everything is going well. We hope the Good Times has helped you to see beyond your exams and get excited for university life. We wish you all the best in your exams and we hope to see you soon!

Don’t forget, if you receive responses from all your choices by 18th May, then you’ll need to make sure you respond to them by 8th June. If you don’t respond to your offers by that date, UCAS will automatically decline them, so it is important that you take action by then!

For guidance on how to respond to your offers, visit our blog at www.UA92.ac.uk/news/replying-to-your-offers

If you have any questions, our friendly recruitment team are always on hand to support. Email futures@UA92.ac.uk

“ The thing I miss the most about UA92 is the general vibe and culture of the place –all of the people and staff were incredible.”

MAKE YOURSELF PROUD