The new academic year is here! Read a letter from a member of staff who has written a letter especially for you with their advice on how you can make the most of your time as a Salford student.
This letter was written by Vicki, a Law graduate. They identified themselves as an undergraduate student who lived on campus in student halls.
Dear student,
My name’s Vicki and I work in the student recruitment team at the University. If you’ve been to an Open Day, an interview or an applicant event, chances are you’ve met me or one of my team before. If you’re new to the University, welcome! If you’re returning, welcome back.
It’s a long time since I was at University, but my best advice to you is to talk to people, don’t worry if it all feels overwhelming to begin with, and ask questions. We always say as a team that no question is a silly question and always recommend you ask than sit and stew.
I lived in a flat of six girls sharing a bathroom when I was in my first year. The shower was gross – you get used to it! Student life is what you make of it. I have friends that I made at uni who are now friends for life and we bonded over the daftest of things. We ate together in first year with one of us taking a turn to cook every evening. Monday night was baked bean lasagne night – don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, we loved it! This was a great chance for us to get to know each other and generally as a group we got on well. Don’t expect to get along with everyone, it’s okay if you don’t. This first few weeks will be a lot of settling in and settling down while you all get to learn each other’s ways.
I studied Law at uni and it was hard work, harder than I thought it was going to be and I realised within about the first six months that I didn’t want to be a Lawyer. That’s okay though, I learned valuable skills, have retained small pockets of information and have a good degree at the end of it all. My job now is something I’d never even heard of when I was a student so don’t panic if you don’t have a job role in mind. Focus on the now and enjoy the experience.
My best memories of uni are about the people. I learned as much about myself and about people as I did about my degree subject. I remember daft nights out, making lasting friendships, enjoying a cheese and tuna toastie at the end of a big night out, getting chips from Munchies in Newcastle, the day all the cupboards fell off the wall in our student house in third year, dancing to the greatest 90s indie and dance tunes until the early hours, laughing with friends, having house parties and drinking Don Marco wine which was £1.79 from the corner shop (this was a long time ago!), the time my housemate Kate was sick in a taxi and me and my pal Georgina cleaning the taxi floor while the driver shouted at us, getting the MegaBus from Newcastle to Manchester when I came home (it took forever but cost about £5) and yeah, I did some studying too and got a good degree out of it, but it was all about the people alongside me.
Enjoy, take every opportunity, be brave, ask questions, get help if you need it, make baked bean lasagne, and most of all, be kind to yourself.
Know that we’re all cheering you on,
Vicki, Law graduate
This letter is one in a series written by Salford staff members and alumni to you and your fellow students. We hope that, by sharing our experiences and advice, we can help you settle into uni life and feel excited for all that you have to come. Want to read more? There’s plenty to choose from.
