Tianna Hunkins

Tianna's Story – Clearing introduced me to my second home

Course: Law
Year of Study: 1st Year
From: Nottingham

When Tianna received her results, they weren’t quite what she had hoped for. But having already considered Northumbria University, she was confident in her decision to call the clearing hotline for advice.

From Nottingham, 18-year-old Tianna was nervous to make the big move up North, but decided to take a leap of faith, which paid off in abundance. “I never thought I could be this far from family and friends, but I love the independence it’s given me,” she said. Tianna has now completed the first year of a Law degree at Northumbria University.

Newcastle quickly became Tianna’s new home. Describing it as “such a vibrant city,” she said “I love that I can be in the heart of everything, but just 30 minutes away from the calm of the seaside. I have the best of everything at my fingertips, and that really helped me settle in.”

Relocating to a city close to the coast was on Tianna’s must-list. As a passionate and competitive skater, she was excited at the prospect of joining the Ice Skating society at Northumbria’s Students’ Union.

“Keeping part of my life from home helped to make the transition to life as a student as easy as possible,” she explained. “I have been able to continue training and attending weekly lessons with a British Ice Skating coach at a nationally recognised ice rink in Whitley Bay. Being on the ice is my home away from home.”

Tianna has truly immersed herself in the university experience and is also a member of the Film Society. “Being a student at Northumbria has given me so many opportunities to try new things,” she said. “I’m not a film enthusiast, but the society is so much fun. It’s a chilled way to get together with friends and socialise with good snacks and a movie.”

As a Law student, she found a particularly strong connection with The Greys Society – a society for Law students to enhance employability, socialise with course-mates and network with industry professionals. “Being a member of Grey has been amazing for my confidence and career skills,” Tianna said. “From networking events with employers, to public speaking at Model UN simulations — I already feel as though I’ve grown so much. I even placed third at a recent event where I had to represent North Korea! It was nerve-wracking but taught me a lot.”

Tianna’s experience in Newcastle has exceeded her expectations. “At first, my family and friends were nervous about me moving so far away from home. But now I rave about the city, and they love it too. Newcastle just feels like home, and the people are so friendly!

“I meet a lot of people at my part-time job, working in the centre of Newcastle, and it’s hard to be sad when everyone around you is smiling.”

For Tianna, it’s not just the city that stands out — it’s the university experience itself. She commented: “Northumbria really looks after its students. Straight from enrolment, there is so much support available. I’ve got friends at universities in other cities across the country — Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham — and honestly, when I hear what their unis offer, I’m so glad I came here.

“The Freshers’ Fair alone was incredible — I came away with three bags full of freebies! The Students’ Union puts on so many events, and I always feel like students have a say here. I’m happy to be part of the Northumbria community and can’t wait to get stuck into more activities and experiences next year.”

Tianna called Northumbria University’s clearing hotline on A-Level results day and secured her place to study Law. Nervous about picking up the phone, she explained: “I already had Northumbria in mind, but speaking to someone on the phone made me feel so much more at ease. It was a lot less scary than I expected.”

Northumbria University has a limited number of places available for high-quality students through Clearing this Summer. 