Student life

After years of study, late night cramming and deadlines, donning your graduation gown is a proud moment for any university student.

The hard work and sacrifice is over because you’ve got a degree and that guarantees you a well-paid job at the company of your dreams, right? If only it was that simple.

Before starting university, I had been estranged from my parents for nearly five years. However, I did not realise the “technical” term for my family situation until I began to fill out my student finance application.

Because of the situation I was in, applying for finance was difficult and involved sending off various letters and evidence about my living situation. This caused problems as the reasons for my estrangement were different for each parent – my father has never been in my life and my mother passed away when I was 14.

As a graduate of several programmes in the UK I know how much the academic environment can shape the way you feel and behave in those formative years.

My campus universities offered a placid pace of life and a sense of community, while the city counterparts, if isolating at times, offered adventure and diversity. Here I reflect on the different lifestyles I experienced at the two types of institution.

The past month has been a lot of work for me. It’s coming up to exam time and with that, of course, comes the inevitable stress, feeling like you never have enough time to do what you need, and for me, the consumption of many sugary sweets. Hey, your brain runs on glucose, right?

Last week, I headed back to my old university (the University of Reading) to talk to some students about some of the biggest issues that they face today. 

I met with a panel of second- and third-year students, and we chatted about pretty much everything that comes under the umbrella of student life: accommodation, studying, socialising and finance.

I had been planning to write about something else this month – something more politically charged. But then I had a bad day, one packed with frustrations, where you feel like you can’t do anything and nothing much gets done. So I thought I’d write about that instead.

It was a cold, bright Wednesday morning. If this was a novel, it would have been a gloomy and bitter day, the perfect scene for failure and disappointment. Instead the day was fresh, the sky was blue, and crispy leaves were strewn about the pavements: it resembled the backdrop I would choose for a happier experience.

Newcastle University has been named the best university in the UK for overall student experience, according to the Annual Student Experience Awards from University Compare. 

University Compare’s table is based on four key elements: institute and course, accommodation, employment prospects, and social life. 

I’m halfway through my first semester in New York and midterm season is finally over until the spring. I can now take some time to reflect on the classes that I have taken over the past three months.

As a second-year student nurse, I've managed to survive year one of three. It's been, well, interesting. I've seen more naked bodies than I ever thought I would. I've sat in on an autopsy as the mysteries of death are explained. I've celebrated with patients as they receive good news and cried with their families as they struggle to come to terms with bad news. 

Being a student nurse is a badge of honour. People look to you for hope and they admire and respect your skills. Sounds great, right? Well, have a read of my nine tips to see if it's the right path for you. 

Several myths about student life seem to be erroneously entrenched into the minds of pre-university hopefuls and scathing "grown-ups" alike. I intend to drop a few bombshells upon these falsities as well as, hopefully, quell some of your worries

1. Fast friends

We see it on-screen time and time again. You move your boxes in, knock on your neighbour’s door and that’s that – your future bridesmaid, the godmother of your imaginary children and your future business partner happens to be living right next door.