Open Days

Attending open days is a crucial part in choosing your university. Open days are days where the university opens its doors to prospective students, so they can look into their desired department, the available facilities, accommodation and more.

Open days help the prospective student research the universities to see if the choice is right for them. Many students have their heart set on a university based on the information given on the website, but when they visit the university decide it's not the right one for them. It is a chance to judge for yourself what the university is like rather than relying on hearsay. Additionally, it is a chance to not only look at the university but also the town/city you will be spending three years of your life in.

When I was choosing universities, I attended all of the open days I could. I would sometimes visit the university two or three times before making a serious decision. It was quite scary walking around the buildings trying to think "Can I really see myself being here? Studying here? Living here? Having the time of my life here?" For me, the choice was an easy one. The University of Bedfordshire offered me everything I needed, good facilities, societies and sports, up to date equipment, supportive tutors, good students union, a nearby train station and more.

There are some things you should think about when attending open days:

Look at the accommodation. This is where you will be spending most of your time. Question whether you feel the accommodation is in a liveable area. Is the price of the accommodation something that you can afford? Will you need to compromise in some areas? (e.g. en-suite bedrooms or double bed bedrooms are more expensive than single non en-suite bedrooms. Is it really important you have an en-suite?).

Luton Town Centre

Explore the town/city. Whilst you're attending the open day visit the town/city and decide whether you feel it has enough things to keep you happy/entertained over the next three years. Where are the nearest grocery shops? What is there to do on the weekends? Are there enough places to get a part-time job?

Ask as many questions as you can. At the open day event there will no doubt be questions running through your mind. Ask them. It doesn't matter what the question is, or whether you ask them to a member of staff or a student. They will answer the best they can. A good area to ask question is at the university's Student Information Desk, they will either answer the question or point you in the direction of those who can,

Visit the facilities. Visit as many facilities as you can, the available computer rooms, study areas, library, your department, cafeteria and more. These will be the things you will use over the next three years. Make sure they suit your needs.

Memorable Moments.

Throughout the course of university, there are many memories that you will make and hold with you.

Throughout this year of study there have been so many memorable moments for me, it is difficult to pick one. These range from making new friends throughout the whole year, taking on new and exciting opportunities within the university (PAL, Course Representative, Student blogger), attending award ceremonies, going on my first holiday with friends, and passing my second year of study.

From all the good memories it is difficult to choose a favourite or a specific highlight. However, an example would be attending my second freshers week and meeting new people who eventually came to be some of my good friends. Those memories made in that week will most likely stay with me and it still makes me smile when I think about it.

There were also some challenges. For example, within the course of study, there was a particular assignment that almost all students found challenging. Despite this, when we were working on the assignment, it brought people within the class closer together. We felt as though we could laugh about the difficulty and get through it together. It is a positive memory that was created from a challenging topic.

The memories you make at university are ones that will stick with you for a long time. It is an exciting time and I can't wait to make more and potentially better memories in my final year. I hope you all enjoy your time.

PAL

Peer Assisted Learning (or PAL) is a programme that is run by the university to help new first year students settle into life at university. The PAL sessions are led by second and third year students, known as PAL leaders.

The PAL scheme is relatively new in the Language and Communication department, as it was introduced at the beginning of the academic year 2014/2015. As a result of this, in my first year the PAL programme was not running. However, due to being a PAL leader I am disappointed that it was not introduced into the department sooner as I believe it would have helped me settle into university life faster and easier.

There are many benefits of becoming a PAL leader such as, volunteering experience (with certificate), boosting confidence and communication skills, new friendships and more.
In my experience as a first time PAL leader, it was rewarding to be able to help new students find their way around the university and settle in. Myself and other PAL leaders were able to tailor the sessions based on the students needs (for example, how to structure an essay, presentation practice, revision sessions, what activities are available in the areas, and more).

From being a PAL leader, I have been able to view the successes of the scheme (such as, passing on information that I struggled to find in my first year, and getting support from fellow students as well as tutors).

How the course is taught.

In the Department of English Language and Communication there are 2 main methods of teaching; lectures and seminars.

The most regular method of teaching in the department is through lectures. Lectures are traditionally a more teacher led approach to teaching rather than student led. However, due to the department being a relatively small department, there is usually an allowance for student participation, for example, asking questions, influencing the length of detail or teaching style and more. The lectures run for approximately 2 hours per session.

Seminars are not used as often on the department but are still a good method. Seminars allow for more student participation (for example, the student may influence the topic of study or practice task). Seminars usually run for around an hour, however this can be influenced by the student. Students may request seminars for extra support, however the tutor is not always free to do these due to their busy schedule so they may propose a counteroffer.

Every student will have meetings with their PAT (Personal Academic Tutor). All students are assigned a PAT at the beginning of the year. Your PAT is there for academic support. There are mandatory meetings once a semester, where your PAT will check up on you and your progress. However, you may speak to your PAT at any time, if you contact them by email or visit them during their office hours.

Additionally, there are facilities to help aid student study. There is a IT suite within the department with up to date programmes that you may need to use during your course of study. Furthermore, the university library is constantly expanding and adding new and up to date literature. There are academic liaisons to help you find the best resources in your study.