How have you changed as a person since starting university?

We asked some of our students ‘how have you changed as a person since starting university?’ Read on to find out what they said.

Ghada Zain, MPharm (Hons) Pharmacy

I have always considered myself a confident and outgoing person, but since I joined UoB, I realised there is a whole new level that I was only able to unlock through being here.

I was able to work with different people from different backgrounds and parts of the world which helped me develop my communication skills. I also learned that life is not about one thing, you need to have a balance between studying and having a social life because focusing on just one or the other is not healthy.

Amreen Mehnaz, BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult)

I am a student who came back to education after 17 years. At first, I felt that I had lost so many years and could have graduated a lot sooner and achieved a lot more. But, as I started my nursing career, I realised that I needed to have had a lot more life experience to understand this course and appreciate the work that nurses do, especially in the year 2020 and surrounded by a pandemic.

The University has given me the opportunity to make a difference. I feel honoured to be where I am right now.

Bryan Tsui, MPharm (Hons) Pharmacy

Before I enrolled at university, I was not good at time management and communicating with other people outside my comfort zone. However, since I started university, because of the nature of my pharmacy course, where good communication skills are essential and applied in day-to-day practice, I started to build up my public speaking skills.

The pharmacy curriculum also requires good time management in order to stay on top your workload, so I started to get used to the habit of keeping a diary with me to note down any upcoming assessments or coursework deadlines to plan my time and avoid panicking and last-minute submissions.

Saffron Campana, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy

Being at university challenged me to become more independent and a better problem solver. I also learned more about myself and how resilient I can be.

It was a good place to make friends not just from different parts of the country, but from all over the world! I spent time learning about different cultures and how things are done in different places.

Esther Ikejie, MPharm (Hons) Pharmacy

It is no myth; university really does change you as a person. Contrary to popular beliefs, university doesn’t turn every student to a ‘party-hard’, drinking, constantly hung-over individual. The independence experience, being around people from all walks of life, really does increase maturity. I have matured in my thinking, the way I speak, the people I associate with, spending etc.

Managing money and time is an area that has developed and is still improving. Living alone has exposed me to situations which I probably would have been protected from by being around my family, but I am grateful for because they have made me more resilient and wiser.

My confidence has experienced a significant improvement. I am now able to deliver talks in front of complete strangers, work with a team of professionals, take part in social media campaigns etc. The most important thing for me, of which I am highly grateful for, is the growth as a Christian. Living alone has increased my reliance on my faith, giving me something to always turn to in difficult situations (and good times too).

Erika Creque, BEng (Hons) Civil and Structural Engineering

There has been tremendous personal growth since attending university. I am living on my own away from family and friends and have no choice but to handle things on my own. I got my first flat where I had to manage my own bills and make sure I properly balanced my university life, work life and any extra activities. I can now say that I’m a much more developed person than when I first came to the UK. I’ve experienced personal hardships and always pushed though to make sure that I accomplished what I set out to do.

Laura Dinu, BSc (Hons) Business and Management

I have grown so much since starting university. I still remember my first year – I was so overwhelmed by all the new events happening around me and I was so scared that I will never find any friends. It was a new environment for me – as an international student, flying from my home country (Romania) to the UK, also being away from all my friends and family was an intimidating step. However, it helped me grow and expand my horizons.

I took part in many extracurricular activities – I was selected to go on two entrepreneurship programmes in China and Bahrain. By taking part in those activities I managed to see more of what the world has to offer outside of Europe. Being here at uni helped me understand different cultures and environments, it helped me become more outgoing and it helped me get a clear idea of what I want for my future.