One Hull of a Journey

After working at a recent open day for the University as a student ambassador, I took some time to reflect on the journey I’ve been on throughout my time in Hull, from my first visit all the way to welcoming the next generation of students looking to find their extraordinary.

To introduce myself, I am Emily (Millie) a final year student on a 4-year long degree programme with the University (Business & Marketing with a Placement Year). I am now back on campus after spending a year working at Jaguar Land Rover in Coventry. I am currently in the process of settling back in to university life and my part-time work as a student ambassador is reminding me of the feelings I had and excitement I felt when I first started thinking about coming here to study.

As soon as I visited the University campus on my first open day I fell in love and couldn’t picture myself anywhere else. I felt truly welcomed by everyone I spoke to, from the friendly ambassadors who directed me around campus to the passionate lecturers telling me what to expect and all the opportunities I could undertake as a student. Working on open days has always been incredibly rewarding. It has given me the opportunity to see prospective students experience the charm of the University first hand, allowed me to share the knowledge I have obtained throughout my years at Hull and helped me reassure worries that all upcoming students have.  

Retrospectively, I wish I had asked more questions on my open day such as how the course would be assessed and the support available to me, however I can only say that coming from a small sixth form college and never having been to a University I couldn’t believe the size of the place and the facilities on offer; especially the library which has hundreds of computers and thousands of books. I was completely starstruck by every stop on the campus tour!

My top 3 questions to ask for an open day would be:

1)     How many hours of contact would my course have a week? (Meaning … what will my timetable look like? Will there be time to have a part-time job or internship alongside my studies to enhance my employability skills?)

2)     What’s the cost of student living per week in this city? (*hint* Hull was the rated the UK’s most affordable city in 2018)

3)     What opportunities does the University offer to enhance my degree (placements, summer schools, study abroad etc)

Four years later and the end of my degree edges closer by the day. I am so grateful for the time I’ve spent at the University of Hull, which became a second home to me from the moment I moved in. I have learnt so much about myself, from how to cook an omelette (and nearly setting the kitchen on fire in the process) to creating memories with the best of friends. Throughout my time in Hull I have discovered chip spice, sampled just about every takeaway in the area, learnt that just because bars do 2-4-1 doesn’t mean both drinks should be for you… and of course spent many hours in the library.

I have also learnt so much about my future career plans and what the world may hold for me after graduation. The University has lots of connections with businesses in the area and I have recently been attending talks on how to build my professional skills and identifying the industry most suited to my preferred organisational culture.

 I feel incredibly lucky for the experiences I have had and that I get to assist prospective students in helping them to #ChooseHull. I recently spoke to a family about how student life in Hull is so much more than the cheap pints, it’s the film nights with friends, trips to the boardgame café with almost any society you could imagine and embracing that time in your life where your friends become your family.