Hope Killick

Where are you from?

Sussex

Why did you choose Northumbria University, Newcastle?

It's a vibrant city with so much to offer. The people are so friendly, and it is a wonderful and fun place to live!

What do you think of Newcastle and our region and what are your favourite things to do?

I love to explore Northumberland with my flatmates. Alnwick Castle is my favourite place to visit because it is so interesting, and the town is beautiful.

What has surprised you most about living in Newcastle and this region? What has impressed you most?

I was really surprised at how easy everything is to get to, for example the beach is only a short metro ride away. The city is a good size but not too big so you get to know it well which is great.

Did you find Northumbria University welcoming? Was it easy to fit in?

Northumbria University is so welcoming when you first join. The lecturers are always around to offer advice for new students, and having the same small tutor group for all three years is brilliant because you get to know the group really well and it is the first place you make friends.

What have you enjoyed most about coming to Northumbria University?

The environment as a whole is wonderful and is what I have enjoyed the most. Whether it is in the Students' Union getting a coffee or lectures, people are always smiling and laughing which makes it a great place to be.

Who has helped you most since you came to Northumbria?

I would say my tutor has helped me the most in academic ways, however making really good friends has made my university experience wonderful, a lot of them are home students so they take me to really interesting places which I would otherwise never have heard of which is brilliant.

Who has inspired you most at Northumbria University?

I think it's really tricky to name one person in particular however nearly all my lecturers have inspired me, they all have different stories to tell, and because at University they treat you like an adult, you get to know each other a lot better which is really nice.

What is your favourite place on campus?

It has got to be the Costa in the Students' Union at Coach Lane. I think we spend all our free time during the university day there getting our coffee fix!

Have you joined any sports teams, clubs or been involved in any volunteer projects? Tells us about the highlights?

I haven't joined a team, but I do have a student swimming membership at the City Campus. The facilities are incredible and it is brilliant value for money.

What is the best thing about your course?

I love that we all have two part routes, it means that you get to meet even more people and learn twice as much interesting information. It also gives us the chance to have lot more opportunities such as mentoring.

What are the most valuable lessons you have learnt to date?

I think the most valuable lesson I have learnt whilst being at university is to be honest. Whether it is if you are struggling about academic topics or something else, the best thing to do is to tell your lecturers and they will help you as best you can. If you don't understand something in a session then just say and they will always try and help you, which is great and not something that would happen on a really big course.

What do you want to do in the future? What skills have you learned/improved that you think will be of most use in your future career?

I don't have a set career plan and never have done, however what Society Joint Honours has taught me is where my interests lie, which is not something I would have discovered if I wasn't on the course. I now know that ideally I would like to work in a school setting which I hadn't realised before.

Have you worked on any projects with businesses or been on a placement? What were your most memorable experiences?

As an option module in second year I chose the placement module, this resulted in me working in the student support section of a big secondary school. This gave me the opportunity to work with children from a variety of backgrounds and make me question what I wanted to do in the future. I would say this has been one of the most valuable parts of my time at University so far.

If you could offer some advice to students thinking of coming to study here what would you say?

I would definitely suggest attending an open day as you can find out so much more detailed information that you won't find online. Also for anyone who lives far away from Newcastle like myself then not to worry too much about the distance from home. You can fly or get the train back fairly cheaply, but also there are benefits from not being able to go home all the time. It increases your independence and makes you value your time at home with friends and family even more which is lovely.

How do you feel you have changed as a person since being at Northumbria University, Newcastle (e.g. confidence)?

Having only lived in the countryside to suddenly living in a busy city was a real shock, I suddenly became a little fish in a big pond. But this has been great for me because it has built my confidence and made me more independent.

If you had 3 words to sum up your time with us what would they be?

Fabulous, interesting and engaging.

Would you recommend Northumbria University to a friend?

Most definitely!