Student stories

from UEL Students' Union Welcome Guide 2021

by University of East London

Useful information

Students share their experiences of starting university and give you their advice for getting through it all.

BIO

Niall Dickson

President of LGBTQ+ students’ community group.

COURSE Finished foundation year in Politics and International Relations. Commencing Psychology degree in September 2021.

How did you feel when you first arrived at university?

I felt a bit overwhelmed in honesty! I did not go to college and I had been out of education for a while, so I was feeling anxious about starting university.

That feeling quickly went away as soon as I met my tutors during my induction. The academic staff here at university treat you as an adult and are completely on your level (unlike at school!). They were also really kind and checked in with me regularly to see how I was doing. Once I had got to know my tutors, I settled in and started to feel excited about my course and being at university! How did you go about making friends?

Well, first of all, I joined the LGBTQ+ community group! I saw that the Students’ Union was advertising for students to run the group and so I contacted them to apply to join the group’s committee. I invited my boyfriend to join the group and we started organising events – we both made friends this way!

I have also made friends on my course as we all have similar interests. We like to meet up outside of lectures as it is important to have conversations outside of an academic setting.

There is a WhatsApp group for the students on my course, which has been a lifeline during the pandemic! We were able to help each other with any courserelated queries and it was nice to keep in touch given that we could not meet faceto-face.

Which other student groups did you join to meet people?

I joined the politics and international development academic group that was recommended to me by my tutor. This was a great group to join as they often held online meetings, and sometimes with guest lecturers. I also joined the Law

Society.

What was your biggest challenge when you started university - how did you overcome this?

I was nervous about going to university as I suffer from anxiety and bipolar disorder. However, with the support of my boyfriend, I built up the courage to attend my course. I did suffer from some health issues mid-term, but my tutors were very understanding and supportive - they gave me an extension to submit my coursework.

I had a mentor to help support me during my first year at university. I visited the Disability and Dyslexia Service at the University’s Student Support Hub and explained why I was struggling - you do not have to have a medical diagnosis to ask for help.

The professional staff at the University’s Student Support Hubs are very helpful and can offer advice on personal or academic issues.

What are your tips for new students to help them settle in?

Finances: I found it a challenge to manage my finances at first – an issue that lots of students encounter. I reached out to a friend who studies accounting for help, but you can also find a lot of useful advice online. For example, you can visit the Save the Student website: savethestudent.org/ student-finance.

Student groups: I would advise new students to join a student group! Whether it is an academic or hobby group, everyone who is going is looking to make new friends – and you already know that you have an interest in common.

Lectures: Make sure that you attend every lecture and keep on top of your coursework. If you miss one lecture, then you will miss another and then it is just a downward spiral!

If you are sick and cannot attend a lecture, then do not be afraid to ask your friends about what you have missed. Most lectures are also recorded now, so you can easily go back and watch them.

Fast food: Enjoy take-aways as a treat once in a while, as otherwise it can end up being expensive.

BIO

Esosa Maria Edosomwan

Representative for School of Health, Sport and Bioscience.

COURSE Public Health, Level 6.

How did you feel when you arrived at university?

I am an international student, so I was feeling worried when I started university. However, I soon discovered that there were a lot of students from black and ethnic minority groups on my course; I’m from Nigeria and as we have very similar cultures, I felt like I was able to blend in quickly. It was easy for me to transition to life in the UK.

How did you make friends?

In my first year, it was easy to relate to course peers as they were my first point of contact. I wanted to make friends outside of my course though and so I joined a student-led campaign group, which meant that I was able to build strong relationships with people who became friends rather than just colleagues.

What was your biggest challenge when you started university - how did you overcome this? What are your tips for new students to help them settle in?

Keep asking questions! Do not be ashamed to ask for help - no question is a stupid question. That said, I will always try to look up the answer first online and if I cannot find it, then I go back to my lecturer. I will always explain what I have done to find the answer; if a lecturer knows that you have tried, then they are more likely to help you.

Put in the effort! You have come here to study and at the beginning it can be stressful, but you will learn to cope better with your workload. You already know what mark you will get for your coursework if you have put in the effort.

Be proactive! Do research online to find placements and voluntary work to enhance your CV and job prospects. Reach out to organisations that you would like to work with and drop them an email asking how you can help.

I found that the teaching style was different in the UK. Here, your lecturers direct you to what you need to learn and expect you work independently to research topics further. This is positive as it teaches you to be proactive, however it took me a while to adjust to this way of working –initially I spent days and nights doing research in the library! My course can still be challenging but now I have more knowledge and experience, and I can manage my workload much more effectively.