Hello My Lovelies,
I hope you are all doing well and have had a fabulous weekend. I am actually jetting off to Barcelona with work for the next few days so I might be a little quiet over on the blog this week. I promise I will be back with lots of exciting posts upon my return. Part of my New Years resolutions for my blog was
to branch out and write more diverse posts for you all, so today we are getting
a little more personal on the blog. I was recently approached by St Mary’s
University and was asked if I would like to talk about my experiences when
choosing which university I wanted to attend. I thought this would be a great
post and campaign to get involved in because I would have loved to have read
something similar when I was making such a huge decision but also because it is
always nice hearing about someone else’s journey. Also, this has arrived at the
most perfect time because I am in the process of deciding whether I want to go
back to University and study for a second degree or masters.
Firstly, I thought I’d talk to you about
what I decided to do. If you follow me on various social media platforms then
you will know that I graduated last year with a 2.1 in Business Management
(literally points away from a 1st- boo!) and to this day it still
feels like a complete dream. I remember sitting in one of my first ever
lectures and thinking to myself that this was going to be my life for the next
3 to 4 years but I kid you not, the time literally flew by…even whilst writing
the dreaded dissertation! If you have been following my blog from the very
beginning then you would know that I started my blog during my first year at university
as a creative outlet whilst studying and it was one of the best things I ever
did.
Like I mentioned above, I studied a
Business Management degree. Originally my degree was set to run over four
years, however, during my second year I decided a placement year was not for me
anymore and opted to change my course to three years. Placements were something
my sixth form were really pushing when we were applying, however, I guess I
never really knew if it would be something beneficial for me until I started my
degree. This is something you should consider when thinking about your course.
At the time this seemed like the perfect decision for me and for what I was
aiming for in regards to my future I personally feel I made the right decision.
University is such an exciting yet scary
experience because you are literally pulled out of your comfort zone and
everything you knew and just thrown into a selection of completely new
scenarios. Even though I decided to stay local when choosing my university it
was still such a nervous experience having to jump into something new that I
knew would be my life for the next 3 to 4 years. I am such a quiet and shy
person until you get to know me quite well so I was quite anxious diving into
something new but I got there in the end!
I chose to study at my particular
University because it offered me everything I wanted and more. It was close to
home so I could still work alongside my degree and I felt extremely comfortable
knowing I was still in an environment I knew quite well. Occasionally I wonder
what life would have been like if I left to live away at university but I have
no regrets. Sometimes the options that are on your doorstep turn out to be the
best for you! Even though I decided to stay local whilst completing my degree I
still had your typical university lifestyle and had all of the experiences that
came along with it. I joined a few societies including the Cheerleading team (1st and 2nd year),
I went out with friends, I went on dates, I dived into as many activities as I
could and during my final year I even had the opportunity to become a student
representative with one of my close friends…I did pretty much everything!
There are so many options when deciding
which university to go to these days and if university is the right decision
for you at all. I know so many people who decided university wasn’t for them
and they have jumped into so many amazing opportunities. During sixth form at
my Upper School I found they were quite pushy and pressurised us with university…even
though they were not that helpful with it. To be completely honest I don’t
think anyone knows for sure what he or she wants to do with their lives at 18…I
mean I know you have an idea but it is quite daunting having to make such a big
decision before experiencing it for yourself.
I think this was why I chose to study such a versatile degree; however,
Business had always been something I really enjoyed and was always interested
in. I studied Business at both GCSE and A Level but I also grew up in a very
business oriented environment with my Dad having his own Advertising and Marketing
business and was inspired by my Dad to have my own desire to succeed. Something
I did look at when choosing my degree was the actual units involved – at the
end of the day there are so many different Business courses. My Business
Management degree covered so many great aspects from Accounting, Law,
Marketing, Project Management, Operations Management and so much more.
When making such a huge decision don’t ever
think that you are alone, there are so many different people you can talk to or
resources you can find. There are a huge variety of forums, videos and groups
online when you can speak to people who have done your degree or who can share
their experiences with you. Don’t ever worry about asking a silly question
because there are no silly questions when it comes to your life. These options
are great if you can’t make a specific open day or you just want something to
watch instead of reading through countless prospectuses (I literally had towers at home). St Mary’s University has made a
selection of fantastic videos that can help you in your decision making process
from the comfort of your very own home. They are doing so much to support individuals
who are looking to go to University with the ‘Be Part Of It’ campaign. The
campaign celebrates St Mary’s inclusive culture where students are encouraged
to be a part of St Mary’s in everything from their course, to their halls,
sports teams and extra curricular activities. They asked a number of existing
student and alumni why they chose to ‘Be Part Of It’ and they came back with
tons of reasons that covered everything from the campus, to the library, Students’
Union and more. I think this campaign is such a great idea because you don’t
know what life at the University is going to be like until you are there
yourself. This way you get to see and hear first hand experiences from students
and alumni, which might help, make your overall decision easier.
Overall, I really do hope this post has helped you with making your university decisions – I think it is always nice hearing a little bit about someone else’s experiences. I didn’t go into too much detail about my overall university experience but if that were something you would like to hear about then please let me know. I hope you all enjoyed this post and I would love to hear your thoughts on the ‘Be Part Of It’ campaign and what yours plans are regarding university. Like always lovelies, if you have any questions, requests of if you just want a chat you can contact me on my social media or leave me a comment below. I love hearing from you all and I make sure to read every single comment…they really make my day!
Lots of Love
*Sponsored Post
This is such a lovely post for those who are struggling with unis! x
ReplyDeletelotsofloveliz.blogspot.com
I love this post- I felt exactly the same!
ReplyDeleteUni was soo scary - but I am so grateful I had and still have you as a friend to go through it all with :)
I miss it a little, but then I think about certain things and think.. nah! It is stressful but we've developed into new people for the best xx
Kirsty
misskirstyworsty.blogspot.co.uk
I'm in love with your blog and I think that it's a great job!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll wait for the new one!
Diana Cloudlet
http://www.dianacloudlet.com/
It's been years since my college days, but I think it's great how universities are getting so involved in social media. It definitely would have made my decision a little easier!
ReplyDeleteI was points away from a first too and it has annoyed me for years x
ReplyDeletewonderful post! I remember myself how hard it was to pick a school to go
ReplyDeleteLaura
Pink Frenzy
This is a really wonderful idea! Great work!
ReplyDeleteLovely post! I graduated in computer science back in 2012. I hated the course and was close to changing uni and course during first year but things happened and stayed to finish instead. I'm kind of glad I stayed till the end
ReplyDeleteGreat post Sophia and congrats on your 2:1. I did a Criminology degree for my undergrad and a masters in PR and stayed at home for both, I do regret not going away for uni as I think I would have had a completely different experience but if I'd moved away then I would have never started seeing my now husband so everything happens for a reason I guess! xxx
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this as I never went to uni so have no idea of what it's like to even think about choosing the right one for you! Lovely pics and congratulations on your 2:1 :D
ReplyDeleteLouise x
With love from Lou