Bryan is in his second year of studying Pharmacy here at the University of Bradford. In his blog, Bryan gives us tips and advice on how to prepare yourself for the university experience.
Bryan Tsui, MPharm Pharmacy (Hons).
First of all, congratulations to all of you who have confirmed your place to study at the University of Bradford. I am sure you are all excited and nervous at the same time on what to expect at university? Today, I am here to give you some tips and tricks on how to prepare yourself for a positive start at university.
Summer prep work
With exams being over and university places getting confirmed, why not take some time to visit the University website to look up the modules you will study within your course to have some preparation prior to the course starting.
You can also view the University’s Virtual Experience to explore campus facilities and course related infrastructure.
In addition, making sure you’ve set up a student bank account prior to starting university to ensure your student finance is sorted for any upcoming expenditure.
Furthermore, I highly recommend purchasing university essentials in advance to Welcome Week, such as pens, pencils, a calculator (if needed for STEM courses), folders to organise lecture notes and an academic diary to write down key dates for assessments.
Freshers Week – What should I expect?
Prior to Welcome Week, I highly recommend following the University of Bradford’s social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with Freshers events.
You can also take the opportunity to visit University of Bradford Union of Students (UBU) website to discover a range of sports clubs and activities that the union offers. I am sure there will be one society that you find yourself wanting to commit to. There is also an opportunity to set up a society by proposing your own ideas to the UBU staff, and they are there to support you through the application process.
I am sure a lot of you will be looking for part-time jobs in your first academic term. From my personal experience, I would advise students to look for job opportunities once you get a grasp on the academic work, because there are plenty of job opportunities available on campus e.g. student ambassadors. The Recruitment Team are always recruiting students from different courses and year groups. The University Career and Employability Services offer one-to-one appointments to get your CV checked for specific job applications and you can even book an appointment to practise interviewing skills for specific job vacancy.
Any tips to settle in University life?
1. It is also important to take time off from academic work to socialise and take a break to allow your brain to rest. There are plenty of places to socialise with friends in Bradford, such as cinemas, the Ice Arena, a trampoline park and bowling to have some fun.
There’s lots of countryside near Bradford, perfect for exploring the Yorkshire scenery and heritage, and the University regularly run trips to various locations across the UK, options range from famous cities to national parks.
2. Once you make friends within your course or within your tutorial group, why not set up a WhatsApp group to organise events, socialise and enjoy group activities to build memories and enhance your student life.
3. Keep in touch with your family members and friends that you have prior to university to share your experiences with them and check up on how are they are getting on.
I hope I have not overloaded you with too much information. Don’t worry too much about what is coming up. Stay positive and remember, the University staff are always there to support you and don’t be afraid to ask for help because no question is a stupid question.
Leave a Reply