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Final Year Experiences (45 clips)
Adrian talks about feeling that his final result doesn't reflect his real ability:Adrian explains why he felt that the grading system at his university was largely arbitary, and how the most intelligent, critical students often tended to get worse marks than students who towed the line.
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Adrian talks about getting a low mark for his dissertation:Adrian was disappointed that his dissertation was awarded one of his worst marks and believes he was marked down for contradicting his supervisor's ideas.
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Adrian talks about taking five years to finish his degree:Adrian explains that because he had trouble paying his fees on time in final year he had to defer for a year, was denied access to the library and then had to take another year to submit an extra essay.
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Allison talks about taking on academic challenges in her final year:Allison's experiences of her first and second year has made her feel ready to take on her final year, as she has realised her ability to rise to new challenges.
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Barry talks about feeling that he didn't deserve to get a First:Barry explains that although he worked hard he didn't feel his work was at First class standard and was disappointed that the highest grade didn't require more effort.
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Beth talks about structuring her study in final year:Beth pushed herself to get a First in final year by organising her time and engaging critically with the subject.
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Carla talks about her course becoming more interesting in 3rd year:Carla was disappointed with her course at first but found that she could choose more interesting modules in 3rd year.
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Dobrusia talks about balancing her priorities in final year:Dobrusia manages the stress of having to meet essay deadlines, prepare presentations and apply for postgraduate courses by keeping each separate task compartmentalised, and still making time to do things she enjoys.
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Dylan talks about balancing his study, social life and part time job:Dylan explains how he managed to have a part time job on weekends whilst studying and socialising during the week.
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Dylan talks about delaying looking for a career:Dylan explains why he regrets looking for work after he graduated rather than while he was still at uni.
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Emma talks about getting more involved in societies and campus life in her final year:Emma explains how she felt motivated in her final year to get involved in more activities, campaigns and the students' union.
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Emma talks about not managing to write her dissertation:Emma didn't do any preparation for her dissertation, didn't have a supervisor and became too stressed to write anything.
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Emma talks about overcoming a difficult oral exam:Emma had to do a French oral exam in her final year and panicked beforehand, but managed to get a First by speaking naturally to the examiners.
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Georgina talks about feeling ready to leave uni:Georgina explains that she found three years to be the right amount of time to study and is now excited about starting the next part of her life.
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Henry talks about finding his dissertation valuable:Henry explains why he appreciated the opportunity to do original, independent research which he needed to work hard for .
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Hermione talks about the high and low points of studying for her dissertation:Hermione describes the rollercoaster of emotion she experienced during her dissertation.
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Isobel talks about adjusting to final year study after her work placements abroad:Isobel found it difficult to readjust to intense study but found that having improved her language skills she felt more confident and could understand more.
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Isobel talks about considering changing her course:Isobel found that she preferred German to French but it was too late for her to change to a pure German degree.
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Jasmine talks about doing her Philosophy dissertation:Jasmine describes how she put her dissertation together by contrasting different philosophical perspectives and presenting her own analysis
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Jasmine talks about gaining confidence in her ideas:Jasmine got positive feedback on an essay because her ideas were original, which boosted her confidence and spurred her on to pursue her interests in the dissertation
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Justin talks about enjoying doing his dissertation:Justin explains that his course became more interesting in second and third year when he could specialise in certain aspects of History, particularly when he could conduct his own independent research.
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Linda talks about her mixed emotions when she finished her degree:Linda found leaving uni sad because she had to say goodbye to friends but felt hugely relieved to get the result she wanted.
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Linda talks about how studying English and Philosophy made her more self-reflexive:Linda describes how looking at travel writing and environmental ethics made her question her own perceptions, motivations and stances.
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Lynn talks about her reluctance to volunteer for financial reasons and how she has developed skills in other ways:Lynn describes how her study skills have developed unrecognisably over her three years at university, particularly in the areas of reading and notetaking.
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Lynn talks about how organising her time became more crucial in her third year:Lynn found using a timetable to organise her time was a huge help during her dissertation.
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Lynn talks about not studying hard enough in the first year and regretting this later:Lynn admits to not taking first year seriously and how this negatively impacted her studies in second and third year as the pressure to achieve became greater.
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Lynn talks about why knowing who she is has become less important to her over the course of university:Lynn cares less about what people think of her than she did in the first year but is still conscious that there are questions over her self identity.
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Madeleine talks about getting more involved in extracurricular activities:Madeleine spent her spare time in first year socialising with friends but decided she wanted to get more involved in different activities and social circles in her second and final year.
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Matt talks about losing enthusiasm for the language learning element of his degree:Matt preferred the cultural modules on his modern languages degree because he found it very difficult to keep up his fluency without being abroad and found the grammar exercises stale.
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Michael talks about being Vice President of the ERASMUS Society:Michael joined the ERASMUS Society when he returned from his year abroad and relished the opportunity to develop his organisation skills through the arrangement of various trips and events.
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Millie talks about finding enough time for everything in final year:Millie explains how she managed to focus on each task one at a time and found it important to leave enough time to relax when studying became stressful.
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Natasha talks about doing and presenting her dissertation:Natasha really enjoyed the subject she researched for her dissertation, which came across in her work and the way she presented it to her tutors.
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Natasha talks about living with friends in second and third year:Natasha moved into a large shared house in second year but had bad experiences with an unreliable landlord and internal divisions in the friendship group.
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Neil talks about how his social life changed while he was at uni:Neil did a lot of clubbing and drinking in first year but found that the novelty increasingly wore off in second and third year, leading him to find alternative things to do.
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Nigel talks about pressure to study hanging over him during 3rd year:Nigel found in his final year that the need to keep studying was always hovering over him and though he often worked until late he found it difficult to stop thinking about it.
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Nina talks about not wanting to come back from the year abroad:Nina found it difficult to return to the UK after her year abroad because having had six months in Germany she felt she'd just established a new life there.
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Nina talks about regaining her enthusiasm for studying in final year:Nina found that some critical theory modules reinvigorated her interest in studying in final year.
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Ollie talks about preferring independent research to taught modules:Ollie found that doing a dissertation helped to reinvigorate his interest in Maths because he was able to engage with the subject on his own terms and feel that he had achieved something independently.
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Pauline talks about doing her dissertation:Pauline liked the pressure of doing a dissertation and was very interested in her topic, but wishes she'd spent more time on it.
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Rosa talks about enjoying doing her final year art exhibition:Rosa explains that she is proud to be a Fine Art student and gained a great sense of achievement from being able to exhibit her work.
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Usman talks about joining his British degree course in the third year:Usman explains that because he had already studied in Pakistan for 2 years he could join his British degree in the 3rd year, and describes the difficulties of not having had the first two years on the same course as everyone else.
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Verena talks about becoming interested in further study:Verena began to discover in first year that she was good at studying and interested in her course enough to pursue it to postgraduate level.
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Verena talks about feeling both worried and excited about the future:Verena explains that she worries she will be disappointed by the quality of jobs or lack of available opportunities, but is also excited about having new experiences.
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Verena talks about wishing she had had more contact hours in her final year:Verena found the small amount of contact hours in first year surprising compared to school and feels it would have been motivating to have had more structure in final year.
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Will talks about having to structure his time more as he went along:Will found that second year came as a shock because the work became a lot harder and he struggled to find the time; in third year he felt he needed to structure his study as though it was a job.
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First Year Experiences (107 clips)
Abidin talks about arriving in the UK as an international student:Abidin describes arriving at his accommodation, meeting British flatmates and feeling intimidated by English language and culture.
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Abidin talks about settling into life at a UK university:Abidin explains how he made friends and became involved in his student union, particularly the Malaysian Society.
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Adrian talks about changing his degree programme at the end of first year:Adrian started studying a joint honours Media and Sociology degree but switched to pure Sociology to avoid the practical aspect of Media and graded seminar participation.
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Adrian talks about studying with friends from Halls in first year:Adrian explains how students from different courses would band together to help each other out as exam and essay deadlines approached in first year.
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Ajinder talks about her experience of Freshers' Week after a gap year:Ajinder explains how, coming to uni after a gap year, she didn't fit in with some Freshers' hypersexualisation and binge drinking .
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Allison talks about coping with nerves in Freshers' Week:Allison was worried about fitting in at uni but met new people, became independent and made herself at home in her accommodation.
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Allison talks about finding uni less structured than school:Allison found university study to be more independent than school and learnt to become self-motivated .
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Allison talks about managing her money badly:Allison describes how she spent a lot of money in first year and didn't keep track of how much she had left.
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Anna talks about coping with social nervousness in first year:Anna was anxious about meeting people and fitting in when she first got to uni but realised that her friends accepted her the way she was.
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Anna talks about spending all her money in her first term:Anna spent £3000 in her first term and decided to get a part time job to support herself.
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Anthony talks about adjusting to the uni environment:Anthony felt depressed when he first got to uni but adjusted by being sociable with different groups of people.
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Anthony talks about getting caught up in his first year social life:Anthony partied a lot in first year but decided to find other things to do in second year.
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Beth talks about changing her degree course:Beth wanted to change her course at the end of first year and got stressed out thinking she'd have to repeat the year ….
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Beth talks about feeling more anonymous at uni compared to school:Beth didn't feel as well-known or supported by uni administration as she had at school.
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Beth talks about feeling nervous and making friends in Fresher's Week:Beth was worried she wouldn't make any friends at university but soon met a group of people similar to her.
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Beth talks about finding the academic jump between uni and school easier than expected:Beth had expected her degree work to be a lot harder than A Levels but found the difference wasn't as great as she'd anticipated.
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Carla talks about learning to adjust to uni study:Carla describes how she found it difficult to readjust to writing essays after her gap year and took a while to become self-motivated.
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Carla talks about tensions with housemates over money:Carla explains how her and her housemates argued about sharing food and paying the bills.
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Cassam talks about starting uni in the UK and making friends:Cassam describes settling into uni life and meeting a lot of new people in the first few weeks of term.
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Damien talks about settling into uni life:Damien describes how he found coming to uni on his own daunting but soon met people and made a life for himself.
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Danuja talks about how he adapted to UK culture:Danuja initially struggled with the food and the drinking culture in the UK but found ways to overcome these cultural differences.
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Danuja talks about how he moved from only socialising with other Sri Lankans to being part of a varied social group :Danuja describes how it took around two terms for him to develop the confidence to broaden his social circle and the benefits of now knowing people from all over the world..
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Danuja talks about not knowing what to expect upon arrival in the UK:Danuja explains how the orientation programme helped him to overcome his initial anxieties and how he gradually began to develop the confidence to integrate with others outside his own cultural group..
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Dobrusia talks about finding it quite easy to make friends as an international student:Dobrusia lived in a multicultural student house, met people on her course and through her part time jobs.
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Dobrusia talks about having to adjust to studying in English:Dobrusia struggled in her first year to stop thinking in Polish and to get to grips with the vocabulary; she found talking and reading in English as much as possible helped her to improve.
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Ellie talks about adjusting to uni study:Ellie describes how she had to get used to studying independently and reading several books a week.
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Ellie talks about changing her friendship group :Ellie explains that she wasn't comfortable with the friends she made in Halls in first year and that her friendship group at uni was changeable.
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Ellie talks about coping with difficult times in first year:Ellie describes how despite not always feeling socially comfortable and struggling to understand her course in first year, she felt that if she carried on things would get better.
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Emma talks about regretting rushing into her friendship group in first year:Emma became friends with people in her Halls but later found that they weren't her kind of people and regretted moving in with them in second year ….
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Emma talks about starting at uni after a gap year:Emma explains how having had a gap year she found starting at uni a bit disappointing because a lot of the new experiences for other Freshers weren't a novelty for her.
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Georgina talks about being extravagant with her money:Georgina initially spent a lot of money on shopping and travelling, and found it difficult not to be influenced by friends who were doing the same.
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Henry talks about finding his first and second year disappointing:Henry felt that his course wasn't very challenging for the first two years because not much effort seemed to be required until third year.
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Hermione talks about making friends and socialising at university:Hermione initially found making friends difficult and was often put off by alcohol-fuelled social activities.
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Hermione talks about the challenges of studying at university:Hermione highlights the differences between studying at school and university and describes how her approach to study changed after her first year.
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Hermione talks about the pressure to 'fit in' at university and overcoming this:Hermione describes how as time went on she became less concerned about being 'one of the gang' and found others with common interests who she felt more comfortable socialising with.
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Hermione talks about why she would change the way she studied if she had her time at university again:Hermione feels working harder in her first year would have better equipped her for the challenges of second year.
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Imogen talks about finding the transition from school to university difficult:Imogen struggled to adapt to the independent nature of study at university but found the support provided by Student Services invaluable..
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Imogen talks about the things that helped her settle into university despite not knowing what to expect:Imogen feels her gap year helped her become more prepared for university and realised the importance of looking for help when she needed it during her first year.
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Isobel talks about preparing for and adjusting to uni life:Isobel prepared for coming to uni by talking to other students beforehand and adjusted by getting involved in the social life.
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James talks about the differences between studying at school and university:James explains how the teaching and learning methods at university encouraged self motivation and a deeper engagement with his subject than at school.
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James talks about the difficulties of choosing housemates so soon into his first year:James was disappointed to have to move to a different area to some of his friends from Halls and found this process quite stressful .
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Jasmine talks about having difficulties moving in with friends in second year:Jasmine moved into a shared house with friends in second year but found that there were some problems with people changing their minds about who they wanted to live with.
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Jasmine talks about making friends with her first year flatmates:Jasmine explains that though she'd expected to make most of her friends on her course she found she got on really well with the people she lived with in her first year accommodation.
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Jasmine talks about struggling to adapt to independent uni study:Jasmine explains that she hadn't really known what to expect before coming to uni and found it difficult to get used to the low amount of contact hours and having to find resources herself.
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Justin talks about becoming socially confident:Justin tried to fit in with the people he met in first year but realised that he preferred to meet people more like him and do his own thing.
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Justin talks about feeling disconnected from uni life and his course in first year:Justin wasn't particularly enjoying his course in first year and didn't spend a lot of time at uni, but ended up feeling more motivated in second year when the modules started to interest him.
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Justin talks about finding uni social life and lecturers very different to what he was used to:Justin describes his first term at uni as a shock because he had lived a fairly secluded life in the countryside and wasn't used to being around so many people; he also had to get used to having distant, professional relationships with his lecturers.
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Kasim talks about making friends despite his social anxiety:Kasim finds it difficult to socialise in big groups and managed to make friends by being introduced gradually to people on an individual basis.
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Kasim talks about not knowing anyone during the first four weeks of uni:Kasim came a long way from home to go to university and knew no one there; his people phobia made it difficult to get to know other students and adjust to a new social scene.
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Kasim talks about the culture shock he experienced moving away from home:Kasim was overwhelmed by the multiethnic population and noise in his university city after coming from a quieter, almost entirely white town. Having adjusted to his new life he now finds his home town more shocking and prefers not to go back.
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Lauren talks about personality clashes in her friendship group:Lauren made a large group of friends with people she lived with in Halls and found that one girl she agreed to move in with in second year rubbed people up the wrong way ….
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Lauren talks about spending her money quickly in first year and needing a job:Lauren found that her money disappeared very quickly in her first year and had to increase her shifts at work
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Leila talks about making friends at university with people different to her home friends:Leila describes how she enjoyed the diversity of values, personality and background that existed amongst her fellow students and how these differences made her feel comfortable to be herself.
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Leila talks about making the transition from school to university:Leila describes why university was initially quite daunting after the familiarity of school and why it took her longer to settle in than she would have liked.
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Linda talks about feeling unhappy with her university and course:Linda found in her first term that she wasn't enjoying either the university or the course because she felt overwhelmed, homesick and that she should be studying something else.
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Linda talks about how she made the decision to leave her first course:Linda describes want she went through when deciding to leave her first university at the end of her first term.
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Linda talks about not feeling challenged by her course in first year:Linda found that her first year provided a general overview of her subjects to bring beginners up to speed which meant that she didn't feel intellectually stimulated by all her modules.
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Linda talks about settling in to the uni environment:Linda realised that she had started to settle in when she missed her uni friends over the Christmas holidays and got involved in campus life in first year.
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Linda talks about starting at uni for a second time after leaving her previous course:Linda felt extremely nervous about starting at her second university having been unhappy at a previous one but settled in by keeping herself busy and meeting new people.
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Louise talks about taking drugs for the first time in her first year: :Louise describes how she 'slipped into' taking drugs on a regular basis during her first six months at university and the life changing experience this eventually culminated in.
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Lynn talks about how easy she found it to make friends:Lynn explains why making friends was much easier than she expected because everyone was in the same situation, sharing common anxieties and experiences.
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Lynn talks about not studying hard enough in the first year and regretting this later:Lynn admits to not taking first year seriously and how this negatively impacted her studies in second and third year as the pressure to achieve became greater.
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Lynn talks about the highs and lows of studying at university:Lynn describes her disappointment at failing her Spanish module in first year and at receiving marks for essays which she feels did not reflect her effort.
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Lynn talks about why she found it difficult to settle into uni after her gap year:Lynn was more homesick than she expected during her first year and questioned whether she had made the right course choice.
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Matt talks about disliking people in his Halls of Residence:Matt was on a corridor of lads with very different interests to him and had to find friends in other places.
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Matt talks about taking a term to fully settle into uni life:Matt took about three months to get fully settled into his new life at uni because it took a while to work out who was really a good friend and to get to know the surrounding area.
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Megan talks about improving academically:Megan found university level study a lot harder than A Levels but sought advice to improve on low marks and ended up getting a First for her dissertation.
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Megan talks about throwing herself into uni life:Megan found that the best way for her to settle into her new uni life was to get involved in lots of different activities and meet a variety of new people.
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Melanie talks about making friends in Freshers' Week:Melanie describes meeting her house and course mates for the first time and explains why she didn't want to live with her boyfriend in first year.
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Melanie talks about taking a subject at degree level that she had not studied at A level:Melanie resented her university for allowing her to choose a degree for which she felt ill-prepared in comparison to the majority of her class mates, but looking back feels she made the right decision not to change course.
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Michael talks about becoming more selective in who he made friends with as the first term progressed:Michael describes how he was very eager to make friends with everyone until he found his feet and became more discerning in his friendships.
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Michael talks about his first day in Halls:Michael recalls significant moments from his arrival at university, from being dropped off by his parents to introducing himself to his hall mates for the first time.
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Michael talks about how going to university formed a new chapter in his life:Michael contrasts the transition from school to college with that from college to university and identifies how the latter is defined by the need to make more choices.
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Michael talks about not wanting to be the odd one out during Freshers' Week:Michael was glad he had purchased an event 'queue jump' card, as everyone else had, prior to arrival .
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Michael talks about the choices and opportunities university affords in comparison to school:Michael describes going to university as an opportunity to find out who you are through the choices you make.
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Michael talks about the pros and cons of sharing a kitchen with 17 others:Michael identifies the social advantages of sharing cooking facilities with a large group.
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Millie talks about being baffled by Art History:Millie felt completely out of her depth in an Art History module she took in first year as a complete beginner but managed to pass by throwing herself into it.
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Millie talks about dropping a subject at the end of first year:Millie appreciated being able to try out different subjects in first year because she realised that she preferred to focus purely on English rather than do a Joint Honours with European Literature.
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Millie talks about getting used to the reading on her English Literature course:Millie felt overwhelmed by the quick turn around of books in her first year but had learnt to keep on top of it by second year and found it felt less like hard work because she enjoyed it so much.
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Millie talks about specialising in her favourite areas of English Literature:Millie appreciated the opportunity to be able to narrow down to specific areas of English Literature in her second and third year.
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Namita talks about arriving in Halls and plucking up the courage to go and speak to her fellow residents:Namita recalls her initial despondency at her prison-like room and her relief at finding others whom she had things in common with .
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Namita talks about her poor money management in her first year:Namita regrets her casual approach to budgeting which led to her card being rejected and having to request extra funds from her mum.
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Namita talks about missing home more than she expected:Namita tells why she would have considered university more seriously if she knew what she knows now.
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Namita talks about the importance of her friends from home in helping her to cope with her homesickness:Namita describes how she struggled with the 'boring side of independence' and why being in touch with people from home made her feel better about things.
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Natasha talks about how living in catered Halls was an easy introduction into independent life:Natasha felt that still having her meals and bills sorted for her in her first year Halls meant that she learnt gradually how to live by herself rather than being thrown straight into the deep end.
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Neil talks about finding uni a lot easier than he'd expected:Neil went to a high-ranking grammar school in which he did A Levels in one year and was in classes with genuises; he therefore found that a lot of his uni material went over old ground and was too simple for him, leading to him slacking off a lot.
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Neil talks about having to find accommodation at the last minute after going through clearing:Neil was sent an email 2 days before arriving at university informing him that all students who came through clearing had to meet up, find flatmates and their own accommodation all in one day ....
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Neil talks about how his social life changed while he was at uni:Neil did a lot of clubbing and drinking in first year but found that the novelty increasingly wore off in second and third year, leading him to find alternative things to do.
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Neil talks about living off campus in first year:Neil lived in an off campus house with 3 other students in first year; he describes how he and his housemates felt left out of the campus culture but that he realised there were also advantages to living in a house.
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Neil talks about starting a business in his first year of uni:Neil started his own company in his first year which meant that he started to put his degree second because the business was so successful.
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Nigel talks about coming to university from a small home town:Nigel was initially worried that he would find making friends difficult at uni because he lacked social experience but found that it was easier than expected.
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Nigel talks about how going to university gave him the chance to develop his personality:Nigel felt like he had become stuck in a rut at school without any further opportunities to change and express himself whereas university provided a blank canvas to be who he wanted to be.
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Nina talks about finding uni study more challenging than A Levels:Nina found studying languages at uni level harder because there were more complicated levels of grammar to get to grips with and the pace was a lot faster.
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Pauline talks about disliking Freshers' Week:Pauline wasn't as excited as other students who had never been away from home before and found the icebreaker activities cringeworthy .
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Pauline talks about making friends in Halls:Pauline found it easiest to make friends with people in her catered Halls because they could socialise at meal times.
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Pauline talks about realising she needed self-motivation for uni study:Pauline skipped a lot of lectures in first year but then found it difficult to revise for exams.
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Petra talks about starting university as a mature student:Petra describes feeling anxious about both the academic and social side of uni but found that the pre-sessional day and practical elements of her course made it easier to get to know people.
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Rosa talks about becoming more self-motivated:Rosa didn't do much work in first year but began to get to grips with the unstructured nature of her Fine Art course in second year by determining and motivating her own work.
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Rosa talks about having to adapt to the larger university environment:Rosa chose a smaller university because she went to a very small school but still had to get used to feeling anonymous on campus.
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Rosa talks about not enjoying Freshers' Week activities:Rosa didn't like the organised fun element of Freshers' Week and found it all a bit overwhelming but managed to find people who felt the same.
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Roz talks about not liking her flatmates in first year:Roz didn't get on with the rich conservatives nor the obsessively clean girl she lived with in first year but her friendships from home stopped her feeling socially isolated.
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Sian talks about superficial socialising in first year:Sian found that there was a fake level of overt friendliness in the first two or three weeks of term in first year, as people nervously tried to make contacts before forming cliques.
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Suzanne talks about gaining the confidence to study independently:Suzanne at first found it difficult to get used to independent study because she'd been so used to guidance at school, but found that taking responsibility for her own work helped her become confident in her academic abilities.
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Verena talks about adjusting to living independently in first year:Verena had to learn to compromise with dirty flatmates, become her own mother and not be too strict on herself when balancing study with a social life.
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Yahimba talks about adjusting to cultural differences between England and Nigeria:Yahimba found England to be very different to Nigeria in terms of having less of a communal environment, being more strictly punctual and having less formal modes of address.
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Yusuf talks about feeling isolated when he started at uni:Yusuf was used to working in small groups with coursemates at his home university and felt alone at his new uni in the UK until he managed to make friends with a group of home students on his course.
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Yusuf talks about making more of an effort socially in first year:Yusuf forced himself to be extra sociable by going on trips and joining societies so that he would feel like less of an outsider.
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Futures/Careers (148 clips)
Abidin talks about deciding to stay in the UK after graduation:Abidin changed his mind about returning to Malaysia after studying when he found work as an auditor in the UK.
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Adrian talks about finding the life experience of university more important than career prospects:Adrian feels that it was more important for him to grow, meet different kinds of people and develop personally than to do a degree purely to get a career.
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Allison talks about how her degree contributes to her career:Allison wants to be challenged in a rewarding job within management and feels that employers will be impressed by her degree in Consumer Behaviour.
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Allison talks about how work experience has helped her:Allison explains how work experience has helped her both to prepare for a job after graduation and to relate her course material to future work.
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Allison talks about using the Summer holiday for work experience and reflection:Allison explains why she wants to use the Summer to build up her CV and think about which modules to study in third year.
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Ameer talks about adapting to his work placement:Ameer explains how he communicated with colleagues on a professional level and took on responsibilities.
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Ameer talks about the benefits of his work placement:Ameer explains how he honed skills on his work placement which helped him in final year.
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Anna talks about applying her degree to the job market:Anna sometimes wonders if she should have studied a more business-orientated subject but ultimately believes most degrees are valued in the job market.
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Anna talks about combining a love of art with career aspirations:Anna explains that she chose Graphics because she loved design and felt it would lead to career options.
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Anthony talks about not wanting a career just yet:Anthony explains that he wants to travel and not get tied down to one particular place for the next few years.
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Anthony talks about personal change at uni as more important to him than careers:Anthony found that for him uni wasn't so much about getting a career but more about becoming stronger and learning how to live with people.
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Apsara talks about deciding to find work in the UK:Apsara has decided to look for work in the UK before returning to Thailand; she now feels more confident about the culture and wants to continue her experience.
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Apsara talks about how studying in the UK gives her more opportunities:Apsara explains that having a degree from a British university makes it possible for her to work internationally and why this is important to her.
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Barry talks about the impact his university experience could have on his future:Barry explains that although the specific subject of the History of Art won't have a direct impact on his future, he is now interested in becoming involved in universities from a business angle.
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Barry talks about thinking course material at university should be more skills-based and career orientated:Barry was surprised to find that presentations on his course were marked entirely on content rather than taking good presenting skills into account; he feels this is indicative of a general attitude that university is an end itself, whereas he feels it ought to be geared more towards training undergraduates in preparation for the job market.
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Beth talks about deciding to go on to postgraduate level:Beth realised as her course went on that she wanted to pursue an academic career.
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Carla talks about changing her career aspirations:Carla thought about working as a make-up artist but realised it wasn't the job for her ….
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Cassam talks about difficulties for international students to become UK citizens:Cassam explains that it is becoming harder for international students to stay in the UK after graduating and how he finds this unfair.
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Cassam talks about finding a job in the UK:Cassam describes his experience of the application and interview process he went through to get a job in the UK after graduation.
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Cassam talks about having a flexible approach to career options:Cassam explains how careers advisors and lecturers helped him to realise that his career path doesn't necessarily have to be fixed.
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Damien talks about changing his career expectations:Damien explains how he now sees his degree as less valuable in the job market than he initially expected.
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Damien talks about deciding what to do for his work placement year:Damien explains that it was important to him to choose a work placement which would give him the skills and experience he needed for a career.
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Damien talks about finding the uncertain future daunting:Damien describes feeling nervous about graduating and starting the next stage of his life.
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Damien talks about how his work placement improved his communication skills:Damien explains how on his work placement he learnt more about how to interact with colleagues and how professional hierarchies work.
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Damien talks about taking on responsibility in his work placement:Damien describes how at first he had hardly anything to do on his work placement but ended up managing a project.
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Damien talks about using job vacancy mailing lists:Damien explains that he became aware of companies and vacancies by signing up to jobs and careers service mailing lists.
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Danuja talks about the career prospects open to him because of his Engineering degree:Danuja feels that some employers particularly value the analytical and problem solving skills that Engineering graduates possess and that these attributes are especially attractive to the financial sector.
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Danuja talks about the impact of the credit crunch on his career plans:Danuja expresses regret at the impact of the recession on his job search but remains philosophical about this turn of events and adapts his plans accordingly.
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Dobrusia talks about having to pay fees to study at a British university:Dobrusia has had to take out a loan to pay for her degree here whereas she could have got her higher education for free in Poland; she felt it was worth the investment, however, because she predicts being able to pay off the loan with a good job at the end of it.
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Dylan talks about delaying looking for a career:Dylan explains why he regrets looking for work after he graduated rather than while he was still at uni.
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Dylan talks about feeling unique as a student but anonymous as a graduate:Dylan explains how as a student he felt his degree combination made him unique but as a graduate he feels like one of many.
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Dylan talks about finding it difficult to get a job with his languages degree:Dylan explains that he has struggled to find work in translation or using Swedish.
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Dylan talks about his diminishing career aspirations:Dylan explains that whereas once he had strong ambitions for his career his attitude has since become more resigned ….
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Ed talks about changing his career plans from politics to teaching:Ed explains how he decided not to go into politics because he realised he preferred working with children.
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Ed talks about developing a flexible approach to careers:Ed explains how he became more aware, during his degree, that he could work in various different settings rather than staying in a job for life.
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Ed talks about getting teaching experience in schools:Ed explains how doing Summer placements in local schools helped inform his decision to become a teacher.
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Ed talks about going to uni primarily for the career benefits:Ed explains that his main aim in getting a degree was to be able to get a professional job afterwards, rather than for the pursuit of knowledge itself.
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Ed talks about how studying Politics contributes to his life after uni:Ed found having studied Politics helpful when he worked as a students' union officer and can see ways in which it might influence the way he works in future.
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Ed talks about not planning his long-term future:Ed explains why he prefers to focus on the job he's doing now rather than rigidly plan too far into the future.
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Ed talks about taking on a leadership role:Ed explains how he learnt about becoming an effective leader through both his own experience and by observing other people's leadership methods.
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Georgina talks about being naïve and uninformed when deciding what to study:Georgina explains that when deciding what to study she wasn't fully aware of the range of subject choices and career options available to her.
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Georgina talks about feeling ready to leave uni:Georgina explains that she found three years to be the right amount of time to study and is now excited about starting the next part of her life.
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Georgina talks about why she studied Ancient History:Georgina found it important to study a subject she enjoyed but now wonders if she should have thought about what she would do with it after graduating.
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Henry talks about choosing History to keep his future options open:Henry explains that although he was interested in Design Technology and Engineering, he was uncertain about what he wanted to do after graduating and chose History because it would leave his options open.
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Henry talks about following random ideas to find a career:Henry hasn't rigidly planned a career path, preferring to spontaneously pursue opportunities as they come along rather than take a traditional graduate job.
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Henry talks about how travelling helped him realise what he wanted out of life:Henry explains that he needed to get away after graduating to think about his future and realised while travelling that he didn't want a money-orientated career.
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Henry talks about preferring to do short-term jobs rather than plan a long-term career:Henry explains that he has no life-long career aspirations yet and prefers to take shorter term jobs for now rather than planning far ahead into the future.
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Hermione talks about how she has used the skills developed throughout her degree since graduating:Although Hermione has not used her subject knowledge in her role as a sabbatical officer she regularly employs the transferable skills she acquired on her degree programme.
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Hermione talks about how university has changed her view of the future:Hermione's expectations of being a stay at home mum have altered since graduating.
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Imogen talks about her reasons for choosing English Literature as her degree subject:Imogen believes studying a subject she loves made her university experience much more enjoyable than if she had chosen a subject simply for its career benefits.
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Imogen talks about managing her time at university and the skills she gained from having a part-time job:Imogen explains how having a part-time job helped make her more employable by developing skills that were very different to those nurtured in her degree programme.
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Imogen talks about not allowing her desire to be a teacher interfere with her degree:Imogen feels focusing too much on her career whilst studying for her degree would have been distracting and too overwhelming.
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Isobel talks about not seeing her career options as limited to her degree subject:Isobel feels that the general skills learnt through both study and extracurricular activities are more important to her for finding a career than her specific degree subject.
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James talks about choosing to study Theatre at a university rather than Drama School:James describes how his wish to study Theatre and also gain academic credibility meant going to university was a natural step for him.
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James talks about having to decide between theatre and radio as a career direction during his second year:James describes why his intention of being an actor changed over the course of university.
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James talks about the process of deciding to study Theatre Studies despite Law offering a clearer career path:James reflects on his decision to study Theatre rather than Law due to his lifelong love for acting and desire to pursue both the theroretical and practical aspects of the discipline.
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Jane talks about deciding to quit her PGCE course:Jane left her PGCE course after six months because she found that the workload was too much for her to combine with her family life.
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Jane talks about deciding to study as a mature student:Jane decided that getting a degree was important to her for getting a better job and to realise her academic potential .
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Jane talks about feeling confident enough to do a Masters:Jane feels that further study is the next step, having developed her academic skills and interest in History throughout her degree.
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Jane talks about how being a mature student made her feel younger and excited about the future:Jane found studying with younger people made her feel younger herself and that there are many possible directions she can now go in to continue her interest and education.
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Jane talks about how her degree contributes to her work in schools:Jane found that meeting different types of people and working in varied ways on her degree course has helped her to build effective relationships with children in her teaching practice.
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Jane talks about the highs and lows she experienced on her teacher training:Jane describes how she loved working with children because no two days were the same but struggled with the heavy paperwork and lesson planning.
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Joanne talks about studying Sociology as a visiting student, what her subject means to her and how she feels it will influence her future plans:Joanne reveals that she is studying Sociology due to her interest in the subject despite others' scepticism of the career opportunities it will afford..
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Joanne talks about the freedom to consider a range of career options that she feels her degree will give her:Joanne considers the opportunities that her future might hold and why these might be less predictable than she previously thought.
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Justin talks about finding it important to keep his future open-ended:Justin likes the feeling of nothing being firmly set in stone in his long-term future because he wants to keep his options open for doing a variety of interesting things rather than getting stuck in one role.
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Justin talks about not having a fixed career plan:Justin didn't plan what he would do after graduation and explains that he prefers to follow opportunities as they spontaneously arise rather than rigidly planning a career path.
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Kasim talks about how his future plans affect his grades:Kasim feels that his current degree in Business and Management is too general for getting a career and plans to do a second, more specialist degree; despite his dad pressuring him to get a First, he hasn't focused on achieving high grades because he thinks the next degree will be more important.
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Lauren talks about wanting to be a teacher:Lauren found that doing work experience in a school changed her perspective on effective teaching.
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Leila talks about the challenge of entering the world of work:Leila describes her excitement at the prospect of a career and how she has learned not to worry too much about her long-term future .
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Leila talks about the kinds of jobs she has considered for after university :Leila reflects upon her decision to train to be a teacher rather than go into the financial sector in order to maintain a healthier work-life balance.
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Linda talks about adapting to work after graduation:Linda describes how, working as a Students Officer in a students union after graduation, she had to get used to having professional responsibility and delegating tasks.
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Linda talks about her mixed emotions when she finished her degree:Linda found leaving uni sad because she had to say goodbye to friends but felt hugely relieved to get the result she wanted.
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Linda talks about trying different things out to find out what she wants from life:Linda wants to accrue various experiences and reflect on them before she starts planning her long-term future.
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Louise talks about her previous uncertainty about her career and what she intends to do after graduation:Louise discusses her views of career, her desire to work for a charity, to travel and to make a difference.
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Louise talks about why university for her was more about gaining life experience than improving her job prospects:Louise saw university primarily as a chance to broaden her horizons and experience new things before entering the world of work.
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Lucy talks about how she feels being an international student affects her future:Lucy thinks her experience as an international student helps her in the job market because she is able to cross boundaries, communicate, relate to people and deal with difficult situations.
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Lucy talks about working towards a clearer idea of what she wants to do in life:Lucy explains that she had various, unrelated ideas about what to do in the future when she was younger; though she doesn't have concrete, rigid plans now she feels she has a clearer picture of who she is and the sort of area she wants to work in.
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Lynn talks about adjusting to not having a definite career path following her graduation:Lynn is very unsure of what she wants to do after leaving university but aims to prioritise travelling and gaining work experience to enhance her CV.
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Lynn talks about the impact she feels having a degree will have on her future:Lynn discusses the pros and cons of spending three years studying for a degree and the value different employers place on the qualification .
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Lynn talks about what she would most like to do next:Lynn describes her desire to gain relevant paid work so that she can afford to travel .
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Madeleine talks about losing her ambition to be a journalist:Madeleine used to have a rigid career plan to be a journalist but found after getting work experience that it wasn't the right job for her.
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Matt talks about drifting after graduation without a set career plan:Matt finds that a lot of typical graduate roles don't appeal to him and that he doesn't have the experience required by a lot of employers.
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Matt talks about his changing perception of what a career means to him:Matt explains that he went through uni thinking of careers as structured and high-powered but now feels less pressured to conform to common notions of success.
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Matt talks about the professional and personal impacts of his degree:Matt feels that his degree has not yet been particularly helpful to him in the jobs he has done but that it has aided him personally to develop his interest in literature and bring ideas together.
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Matt talks about wishing he'd done more with his spare time:Matt thinks in retrospect that he should have spent more of his spare time on extracurricular activities such as volunteering, sports and societies because it might have helped him gain more experience.
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Megan talks about doing an applied science degree to get a career:Megan explains that she chose to do Food Bioscience because as an applied science it lent itself well to her getting straight into a career path after graduation.
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Megan talks about how her work placement helped her realise what she wanted to do in life:Megan initially wasn't sure exactly what job she wanted to do after graduation and found that getting experience of the food industry on her placement year helped her become clear about wanting to work that in area.
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Megan talks about what she gained from her work placement year:Megan learnt to take responsibility and become organised during her year in industry in which she worked for a multinational company.
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Michael talks about his satisfaction with his degree choice:Michael feels his competency in a language together with his business knowledge will differentiate him from his peers in the eyes of employers.
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Michael talks about how his view of the future has changed:Michael would like to work for the charity sector and has applied for an internship with Cancer Research UK.
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Michael talks about the professional and personal impact he feels his degree will have on his future:Michael describes the benefits of his degree for a career in international business as well as the confidence he has developed through the experience of being an undergraduate.
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Michael talks about wanting to study a French course with a business element at degree level:Michael sought advice from college staff before choosing his university programme as there were many options for combining a language with business.
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Michael talks about why the idea of a career is unappealing:Michael has never been career-minded, preferring to keep his options open and try different things; however the stability provided by a career remains attractive to him.
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Millie talks about deciding to do a Masters:Millie enjoyed her course so much in final year, particularly her Children's Literature module, that she wanted to carry it on to Masters level and feels this will help her get into children's publishing afterwards.
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Millie talks about doing work experience in a publishing house:Millie worked in a large publishing team for two weeks in London which helped her to gain experience of the workplace and realise that magazine publishing wasn't the right thing for her.
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Millie talks about how going to uni helped shape her character and future plans:Millie feels going to uni helped her to get a better understanding of who she is and to find direction for her career path in publishing.
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Namita talks about how she would prioritise travel and family over a career:Namita explains why a career is something that can wait whereas other things need to be prioritised whilst she is young.
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Natasha talks about finding her History degree too general for getting a lot of jobs:Natasha has found when job searching that many employers ask for specific qualifications relating to the role, so she feels she needs to acquire experience in addition to her degree.
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Natasha talks about finding work experience helpful for thinking about the future:Natasha worked with school pupils on university open days which helped her realise she might like teaching whereas a friend of hers decided not to go into PR after trying the role out.
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Natasha talks about not wanting a 'job for life':Natasha finds it too difficult for her to decide at this stage what she definitely wants to do with the rest of her life and would prefer to take it step by step.
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Natasha talks about possibly becoming a History teacher:Natasha has uncertain career plans but is thinking of teaching because it would be a way for her to be creative and make History interesting for children.
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Natasha talks about skills she gained from being on a Junior Common Room Committee:Natasha found that as treasurer on the JCR she learnt various skills such as managing budgets, working as a team and dealing with colleagues diplomatically.
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Neil talks about having ambitions in the property market:Neil is proud to have already made enough money during and after leaving uni from his own business to buy a house without needing a mortgage; his future goals focus on continuing to build on this success.
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Neil talks about preferring to be self-employed than work for a company:Neil at first planned to work for an established company but began his own business while he was at university; he explains that he prefers to be his own boss.
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Neil talks about seeing his career as the means to an end :Neil sees his career as the means to making money as quickly as possible so that he can live a comfortable life, rather than being an end in itself.
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Neil talks about starting a business in his first year of uni:Neil started his own company in his first year which meant that he started to put his degree second because the business was so successful.
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Nina talks about being disappointed with her first job:Nina did a Masters which changed her mind about previous ambitions; she was initially disappointed with her first graduate job but ended up seeing it as a useful first step.
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Nina talks about changing her original career ambitions:Nina feels she was naïve about careers when she was at uni and changed her mind about wanting to gain a high status job in International Development.
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Nina talks about focusing on the present rather than long-term planning:Nina prefers to concentrate on her current job because she enjoys it and feels generally positive that her open future could lead to other interesting opportunities.
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Nina talks about learning how to present her experience to employers:Nina wanted to side-step into a different industry when looking for a second job and realised that she could apply her skills more broadly to other areas.
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Ollie talks about aiming for an enjoyable and stable career:Ollie didn't think too deeply about careers during his time at uni but has started thinking more, as he nears graduation, about finding a job which is both secure and engaging.
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Pauline talks about finding it difficult to get a job after graduating:Pauline got a job in a museum shop which was not what she was expecting to do, and has found it difficult to get work without much prior experience.
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Pauline talks about getting together new ideas for the future:Pauline feels she is working towards an idea of what she wants to do in life by getting more experience in illustration in her spare time.
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Pauline talks about her changing perceptions of careers:Pauline makes the distinction that a career for her would be an occupation she enjoys and can work her way up in whereas at the moment she feels she's doing a job just to pay the bills.
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Pauline talks about losing her aspiration to do an Art degree:Pauline originally wanted to study art after she finished her theology degree but disliked her Foundation course; she's now uncertain which path to take from here.
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Petra talks about no longer thinking of careers as all-important and hierarchical:Petra has changed her previous perception of a career as rising through the ranks because she now finds it more important to enjoy what she does and find it worthwhile.
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Petra talks about realising the different career paths open to her:Petra feels there are several interesting options open to her after graduating, such as working with humanitarian food programmes and postgraduate study.
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Richard talks about how studying Geography has deepened his understanding and skills:Richard feels that Geography helps him to better understand how the world works and has equipped him with useful skills.
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Richard talks about the options he's considering as a Geography graduate:Richard initially wanted to be a teacher but has since discovered a lot more possibilities open to him with his Geography degree and is particularly interested in working for the environment.
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Rosa talks about studying for love of art rather than for a career:Rosa found it important to study a subject that she had a passion for rather than something career-orientated, as she felt she wouldn't have stuck at it without being genuinely interested.
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Roz talks about degree subjects being more respected if they apply directly to the job market:Roz finds that her English Literature degree is more respected than her PhD in Media and Politics but that English is still far further down the social hierarchy than the sciences and commercially orientated courses.
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Roz talks about feeling that she didn't pick up any genuinely transferable skills from her degree:Roz thinks that the sorts of skills you need in the workplace can only be learnt on the job and sees transferable skills simply as things to jazz up a CV.
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Roz talks about having to play a part to get a job:Roz finds it difficult to act like someone else on job applications and in interviews because she isn't particularly theatrical, and is wary of fragmenting herself to the point of nervous breakdown ... .
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Roz talks about her undergrad degree and PhD not equipping her for anything in the job market:Roz feels in retrospect that she perhaps should have done something more vocational rather than her PhD and regrets the fact that although she enjoyed the intellectual development on her English undergrad course, she can't change a tyre... .
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Roz talks about not taking herself and her ideas too seriously:Roz navigates the difference between her interest in deconstructive critical theory and the need to get a job in a neoliberal economy by not assuming that her position in the world is all-important.
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Roz talks about not thinking of careers during her degree:Roz studied English Literature purely because she liked books and didn't think about what she'd do afterwards; whilst she critiques the neoliberal attitude to consuming higher education and getting on a graduate scheme afterwards, she regrets her lack of money now.
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Roz talks about regretting not doing a law conversion course after her undergrad degree:Roz doesn't regret having studied English Literature at undergrad level but thinks that following it up with a Humanities PhD has been a massive drag factor in getting a job afterwards.
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Sian talks about getting work experience in the charity sector:Sian describes how she feels her work experience in two different charities has equipped her with useful skills which will help her get a job after graduation.
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Sian talks about her degree subjects not helping her to get a career:Sian feels that History and Film don't lend themselves to anything she would like to do in future and feels that the work experience she did alongside the degree will be more useful for finding a job.
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Sian talks about using the uni careers service:Sian used the uni careers service to help her find work experience in the charity sector and to advise her on applying for jobs after graduating.
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Suzanne talks about how skills from her degree contribute to her career:Suzanne feels that her degree programme was specially tailored for going into teaching because she gained experience in coaching, leadership and working with different age groups.
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Suzanne talks about reconsidering her career path:Suzanne started to reconsider her initial plan to become a PE teacher and worked as a student union's sabbatical officer for two years instead; she has since realised that her passion still lies in teaching sport but feels she now has additional skills to bring to the role.
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Suzanne talks about wishing she'd been more focused on her career:Suzanne wishes she'd taken up training opportunities, courses and extra qualifications during her degree because she feels they would have made her more employable after graduation.
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Suzanne talks about wishing she'd seen her degree as career training rather than as a purely educational step:Suzanne initially saw her degree purely as a continuation of her education but now wishes that she'd viewed it more as a career development opportunity.
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Usman talks about wanting his course to apply more directly to industry:Usman feels that, although a lot of his tutors are excellent teachers, he expected the course material to be more orientated towards knowledge needed for working in industry.
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Verena talks about becoming interested in further study:Verena began to discover in first year that she was good at studying and interested in her course enough to pursue it to postgraduate level.
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Verena talks about being influenced by her parents to go to university:Verena explains that her parents encouraged her to go to university because it would help her future job prospects and give her the opportunity to grow as a person.
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Verena talks about feeling both worried and excited about the future:Verena explains that she worries she will be disappointed by the quality of jobs or lack of available opportunities, but is also excited about having new experiences.
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Verena talks about her motivations for joining university societies:Verena explains that she joined the East African society for fun and to get in touch with her heritage, whereas she joined the Law Society more as a CV-building exercise.
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Verena talks about how she feels going to uni has benefited her:Verena believes that going to university helped her to think more deeply, follow her interests and have far greater career prospects than if she hadn't have gone.
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Verena talks about questioning her altruistic motivations:Verena wonders whether sometimes wanting to be an activist rather than have a more ordinary life and career could actually stem from a fear of failure, or impatience .
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Verena talks about wanting a long-term ethical career:Verena wants to bring about fundamental change by gaining long term skills and resources, rather than doing short term 'charity tourism'.
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Verena talks about wanting to delay having a family:Verena is unsure whether she will want to have children or not and predicts she will definitely wait for at least another 5 - 10 years to have a career first.
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Verena talks about wanting to work for an NGO after graduating:Verena explains that she would like to do a worthwhile job that helps other people but worries that she might be doing it for selfish reasons, or that the work could prove ultimately ineffective.
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Will talks about being the president of the Junior Common Room committee:Will decided to run for president of the JCR because he felt it would be sociable, a lot of fun and would give him the chance to experience Freshers' Week again from the other side; he also learnt planning, leadership and communication skills.
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Yahimba talks about becoming more focused on her career as she got older:Yahimba feels that when she was younger she wandered into a degree in Sociology purely because her father and brother suggested it, whereas now that she has matured she is more focused on her career goals.
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Yahimba talks about doing a degree to further her career:Yahimba became pregnant with her second child whilst working as a library assistant; she decided to do a degree with a work placement year to get the right experience and qualification needed for a higher paying job.
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Yahimba talks about preferring to study a practical course related directly to a job:Yahimba is happier with her current course in Business and Management because it applies directly to life and will lead to a job, whereas she wasn't sure what she would do with her first degree in Sociology.
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Gap Year (15 clips)
Adrian talks about finding it advantageous to be slightly older than most other undergraduates:Adrian feels that coming to uni a couple of years later than 18 year old students meant that he was more mature and made less mistakes.
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Adrian talks about making friends with other older and more unusual students:Adrian was 21 when he started uni and found that he wasn't alone as an older student, especially due to living in a Halls for late applicants who had come to uni via unconventional routes.
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Ajinder talks about her experience of Freshers' Week after a gap year:Ajinder explains how, coming to uni after a gap year, she didn't fit in with some Freshers' hypersexualisation and binge drinking .
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Carla talks about going to uni after a gap year working in PR:Carla enjoyed her gap year a lot and at first doubted whether she wanted to leave work to go to university ….
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Emma talks about starting at uni after a gap year:Emma explains how having had a gap year she found starting at uni a bit disappointing because a lot of the new experiences for other Freshers weren't a novelty for her.
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Imogen talks about the things that helped her settle into university despite not knowing what to expect:Imogen feels her gap year helped her become more prepared for university and realised the importance of looking for help when she needed it during her first year.
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Kasim talks about avoiding taking out a student loan:Kasim worked three jobs while he was at college and during his gap year to avoid having to take out a student loan but spent a lot of his savings in first year.
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Linda talks about feeling more certain about her course having had a gap year:Linda noticed that a lot of other students who had come to uni straight from their school or college doubted more what they were doing than she did, having already left one course and had the gap year to consider what she really wanted.
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Lynn talks about how her gap year provided a crucial break from education after college:Lynn did not feel ready to go to university straight from college and feels she may not have coped with the transition if she hadn't taken some time out to work and travel during her gap year.
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Nigel talks about how he feels his gap year affected his uni experience:Nigel feels that taking a gap year before he went to uni made him more socially confident, able to work harder and to appreciate the freedom of the university environment.
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Nigel talks about how his gap year helped prepare him for independent adult life:Nigel spent his gap year working in a warehouse office with 5am starts which he feels helped him to take responsibility for motivating himself and earning his own money.
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Pauline talks about wishing she'd done a gap year:Pauline feels that had she worked a year or two before coming to university she might have studied more and spent less money.
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Rosa talks about how doing a Foundation art course helped her realise what she wanted to study:Rosa had originally applied to study Art History and French but found on her Foundation course that she much preferred fine art practice rather than theory.
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Rosa talks about why she took a gap year and did a Foundation art course:Rosa wanted to take a gap year primarily so that she could improve her art on a Foundation course, and also do some work and travelling.
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Suzanne talks about finding a gap year useful for getting more out of studying:Suzanne feels that taking a break from education before going into her PGCE has been useful for realising what she really wants to get out of studying
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International Students (115 clips)
Abidin talks about arriving in the UK as an international student:Abidin describes arriving at his accommodation, meeting British flatmates and feeling intimidated by English language and culture.
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Abidin talks about becoming proud of his national identity:Abidin describes how being an international student caused him to become aware of and celebrate his Malaysian nationality.
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Abidin talks about being President of the Malaysian Society:Abidin was President of the Malaysian Society which helped him get to know more people, get involved in campus life and share his culture with fellow students.
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Abidin talks about deciding to stay in the UK after graduation:Abidin changed his mind about returning to Malaysia after studying when he found work as an auditor in the UK.
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Abidin talks about finding the UK both hostile and welcoming:Abidin describes experiences of rudeness and racial discrimination but how despite this he generally felt welcome in the UK.
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Abidin talks about getting to grips with the English language:Abidin describes how he developed techniques to study in English and became more confident about his language skills.
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Abidin talks about his experience of drinking and British social culture:Abidin initially felt pressured to socialise and drink but then found his friends didn't mind if he opted out.
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Abidin talks about his experiences of cultural differences:Abidin found aspects of British culture more efficient but missed Malaysian food and his family.
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Abidin talks about making friends with British and Malaysian people:Abidin explains that he did not have many close British friends and spent a lot of time with other Malaysian students.
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Abidin talks about settling into life at a UK university:Abidin explains how he made friends and became involved in his student union, particularly the Malaysian Society.
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Apsara talks about considering quitting and deciding to stay:Apsara considered going back to Thailand in her first term but decided that she would stay to become stronger and to prove to herself she could get through it.
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Apsara talks about coping with difficulties studying in the UK:Apsara describes how she found studying here very intense but found group work and support from friends helpful.
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Apsara talks about cultural differences and feeling discriminated against:Apsara felt that European students did not integrate with Asian students and seemed to have a sense of cultural superiority.
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Apsara talks about deciding to find work in the UK:Apsara has decided to look for work in the UK before returning to Thailand; she now feels more confident about the culture and wants to continue her experience.
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Apsara talks about feeling lonely when she arrived in the UK:Apsara was surprised that she felt lonely and homesick when she first arrived in the UK but felt better when she started meeting people.
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Apsara talks about her uni experience being international rather than British:Apsara had friends from lots of different countries but didn't study or live with any British students.
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Apsara talks about how studying in the UK gives her more opportunities:Apsara explains that having a degree from a British university makes it possible for her to work internationally and why this is important to her.
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Apsara talks about meeting people from different cultures:Apsara describes how meeting students from other countries made her feel more confident about talking to people from different cultures.
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Apsara talks about negative perceptions of Thai women:Apsara experienced prejudiced attitudes towards Thai women as "easy" but came to realise that not all people think that way.
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Apsara talks about strengthened relationships with friends and family in Thailand:Apsara explains how being apart from her friends, family and boyfriend has actually made the relationships stronger.
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Apsara talks about struggling with studying in the English language:Apsara found that although her daily English was fluent, the particular vocabulary for her course was difficult.
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Cassam talks about difficulties for international students to become UK citizens:Cassam explains that it is becoming harder for international students to stay in the UK after graduating and how he finds this unfair.
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Cassam talks about finding a job in the UK:Cassam describes his experience of the application and interview process he went through to get a job in the UK after graduation.
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Cassam talks about finding British student life fast-paced:Cassam describes how his time was packed with activities while he was at uni.
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Cassam talks about forgetting most of what he learnt:Cassam found that his studying relied on short term memory and believes it should have been based more on practical experience.
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Cassam talks about having a flexible approach to career options:Cassam explains how careers advisors and lecturers helped him to realise that his career path doesn't necessarily have to be fixed.
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Cassam talks about mixing with British and international students:Cassam describes how despite many national groups sticking together at uni, he met people from lots of different countries.
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Cassam talks about not always finding lectures useful:Cassam explains that he prefers a more practical approach to the British focus on theoretical lecturing.
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Cassam talks about starting uni in the UK and making friends:Cassam describes settling into uni life and meeting a lot of new people in the first few weeks of term.
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Danuja talks about his feelings on going back home to Sri Lanka during university vacations:Danuja identifies the positive and negative aspects of returning to Sri Lanka and how he now views the UK as his second home..
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Danuja talks about how he adapted to UK culture:Danuja initially struggled with the food and the drinking culture in the UK but found ways to overcome these cultural differences.
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Danuja talks about how he moved from only socialising with other Sri Lankans to being part of a varied social group :Danuja describes how it took around two terms for him to develop the confidence to broaden his social circle and the benefits of now knowing people from all over the world..
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Danuja talks about how his relationships with family and friends back home have changed since he came away to university:Danuja describes how he has drifted away from family and friends in Sri Lanka and does not always feel able to share problems and concerns with them as they are often on a different wavelength..
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Danuja talks about how it is more acceptable for him to work in a shop in the UK than in Sri Lanka:Danuja explains how the social class system in Sri Lanka would preclude him from working as a shop assistant but how he feels this role inspires respect from his fellow students in the UK..
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Danuja talks about how learning styles differ between Sri Lanka and the UK:Danuja explains why he chose to study Engineering and how learning in the UK focuses on the practical application of knowledge as opposed to understanding principles..
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Danuja talks about how studying Engineering has affected the way he approaches every day tasks:Danuja feels his degree has encouraged him to be more analytical in his approach to life and finds his subject knowledge constantly applicable to real world situations.
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Danuja talks about not knowing what to expect upon arrival in the UK:Danuja explains how the orientation programme helped him to overcome his initial anxieties and how he gradually began to develop the confidence to integrate with others outside his own cultural group..
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Danuja talks about the career prospects open to him because of his Engineering degree:Danuja feels that some employers particularly value the analytical and problem solving skills that Engineering graduates possess and that these attributes are especially attractive to the financial sector.
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Danuja talks about the decision to study Engineering despite his love for Maths:Danuja explains how Civil Engineering turned out to be the right subject choice for him although he wishes he had had access to more advice about the career options open to a Maths graduate..
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Danuja talks about the differences in teaching methods between Sri Lanka and the UK:Danuja had to adapt to the independent nature of study in the UK as well as new ways of working, such as group work and using the Internet more regularly..
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Danuja talks about the impact of the credit crunch on his career plans:Danuja expresses regret at the impact of the recession on his job search but remains philosophical about this turn of events and adapts his plans accordingly.
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Danuja talks about the skills he has needed to lead a full and active life at university:Danuja puts his success down to time management, flexibility and the confidence to try new things..
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Danuja talks about the wide range of extracurricular skills he has developed throughout his time at university:Danuja describes how having a job as well as becoming involved in volunteering and other recreational activities has developed his leadership and interpersonal skills beyond recognition.
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Danuja talks about valuing his friendships with others from Sri Lanka:Danuja feels his fellow Sri Lankans provide him with a unique connection to home and finds this reassuring, whilst also recognising there is a lot to be gained from socialising outside his comfort zone.
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Danuja talks about what he found most difficult about the educational experience in the UK:Danuja found the heavy reliance on online material at university difficult to adapt to, as well as finding the time to effectively balance studying with social activities.
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Danuja talks about why he chose to study in the UK from Sri Lanka:Danuja reflects upon his decision to study in the UK rather than Australia or the US, and the main factors which influenced his choice of UK university..
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Danuja talks about working part-time alongside his degree:Danuja describes his motivation to hold down a number of part-time jobs whilst studying for his degree and how this employment helped to enrich his social life..
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Dobrusia talks about adjusting to culture shock on placement in Nicaragua:Dobrusia struggled to adapt to the climate and cultural differences in Nicaragua, and found that international development was a far more complex matter than she had realised.
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Dobrusia talks about balancing her priorities in final year:Dobrusia manages the stress of having to meet essay deadlines, prepare presentations and apply for postgraduate courses by keeping each separate task compartmentalised, and still making time to do things she enjoys.
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Dobrusia talks about being in a long distance relationship at uni:Dobrusia met her boyfriend in her first year of uni but he moved away to do a Masters in the Netherlands; she copes with missing him by talking to him on Skype, focusing on their future plans and keeping busy so that she doesn't dwell on the past.
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Dobrusia talks about deciding to do a Masters:Dobrusia wants to go on to do postgraduate study so that she can specialise in international development project management and improve her research skills.
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Dobrusia talks about deciding to study as an international student in the UK:Dobrusia explains that her dad encouraged her to study in the UK because British degrees have good reputations, would increase her career prospects and allow her to specialise in her specific subject interests.
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Dobrusia talks about finding it difficult to talk in seminars:Dobrusia is nervous about talking in front of other people but has found it easier as she's got to know her coursemates better, deepened her knowledge of the subject and improved her English.
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Dobrusia talks about finding it quite easy to make friends as an international student:Dobrusia lived in a multicultural student house, met people on her course and through her part time jobs.
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Dobrusia talks about focusing on finding the right kind of course when choosing a university:Dobrusia's top priority when applying for universities was to research which ones had highly recommended International Development Studies programmes.
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Dobrusia talks about having to adjust to studying in English:Dobrusia struggled in her first year to stop thinking in Polish and to get to grips with the vocabulary; she found talking and reading in English as much as possible helped her to improve.
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Dobrusia talks about having to pay fees to study at a British university:Dobrusia has had to take out a loan to pay for her degree here whereas she could have got her higher education for free in Poland; she felt it was worth the investment, however, because she predicts being able to pay off the loan with a good job at the end of it.
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Dobrusia talks about spending a Summer in Nicaragua:Dobrusia found working for an NGO in Nicaragua an amazing experience because she experienced a completely different culture and it helped to cement her ideas about wanting to work in international development.
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Dobrusia talks about struggling through a module she didn't like:Dobrusia forced herself to get through assignments for a module she didn't find interesting by focusing on her final marks and thinking of it in the larger perspective of her whole degree.
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Dobrusia talks about trying to spend enough time with her boyfriend:Dobrusia found it stressful when her and her boyfriend were studying at the same uni because they had to find enough time for each other whilst maintaining their friendships, studies and part time jobs.
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Joanne talks about a falling out between two of her friendship groups which she found pointless:Joanne explains why she tried to stay out of the firing line when her friends were arguing, and how the situation eventually resolved itself.
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Joanne talks about adjusting to living with her family again during university holidays:Joanne describes how she enjoys her home comforts during vacation time but soon feels ready to come back to university..
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Joanne talks about how her friendships with people back in the US have changed since starting university and since coming to the UK:Joanne describes how she has naturally drifted apart from her high school friends and why she thinks it is healthy for relationships to evolve in this way.
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Joanne talks about how university has encouraged her to ask questions about the kind of person she is:Joanne has embraced the challenges that university has posed to her self identity and tries to keep an open mind in order that she is continually able to develop as a person throughout her time as a student
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Joanne talks about studying Sociology as a visiting student, what her subject means to her and how she feels it will influence her future plans:Joanne reveals that she is studying Sociology due to her interest in the subject despite others' scepticism of the career opportunities it will afford..
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Joanne talks about the challenges of managing her money independently for the first time:Joanne found running out of money in her first term forced her to be stricter with her spending so that she was able to survive the rest of the year.
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Joanne talks about the experience of making friends at university in a new country:Joanne initially made friends with her housemates but explains why it was important for her not to restrict herself to just one group of friends.
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Joanne talks about the freedom to consider a range of career options that she feels her degree will give her:Joanne considers the opportunities that her future might hold and why these might be less predictable than she previously thought.
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Joanne talks about the highs and lows of studying at university and how she coped with failing a module for the first time:Joanne felt overwhelmed by modules that were assessed solely by examination and describes how she sometimes struggled to keep up with the work culminating in a fail for one module during her first term..
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Lucy talks about experiencing culture shock:Lucy describes how she went through a long period of anxious cultural readjustment because it took time to get to know people, understand British social customs and adapt to feeling like an outsider.
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Lucy talks about feeling conspicuous as an international student:Lucy explains how as an American international student she found British English language usage very different to what she was used to and that her accent sometimes meant she had to deal with national prejudice.
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Lucy talks about feeling penalised for not knowing about British cultural norms:Lucy explains how there were certain situations in which she felt that people expected her to know British social rules and dismissed her for not understanding.
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Lucy talks about finding the British dating culture very different to that of the US:Lucy describes how she was confused by what seemed to be a relationship with a British guy but turned out not to be ….
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Lucy talks about getting over her lowest ebb:Lucy describes the hardest point of her uni experience when she was feeling most isolated and homesick, but decided to turn her situation around.
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Lucy talks about having problems with her Halls of Residence:Lucy explains how her student accommodation made her transition to uni in the UK harder because it was so isolated.
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Lucy talks about having to adapt to independent study:Lucy explains her surprise at being left almost entirely to her own devices on her Fine Art course.
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Lucy talks about hiding away when she first got to the UK:Lucy was in an isolated Hall with people who were intimidated by her as the only native English speaker; at first she hid in her room, talking to friends from home online but eventually felt that she needed to meet people here.
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Lucy talks about how being an international student has affected her sense of national identity:Lucy explains how having studied in the UK she has become more aware of how huge and varied the US is, and now feels that a large part of her identity has been affected by her experience of British culture.
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Lucy talks about how her experience as an international student impacts on her art:Lucy explains how having been through the cultural and academic process of being an international student has fuelled her interest in exploring the different ways people cope and communicate, which she incorporates into her artwork.
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Lucy talks about how she feels being an international student affects her future:Lucy thinks her experience as an international student helps her in the job market because she is able to cross boundaries, communicate, relate to people and deal with difficult situations.
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Lucy talks about how she socially integrated as an international student:Lucy started to build up a life for herself in the UK by spending more time in her art studio, tagging along with coursemates to the pub and getting into a daily routine .
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Lucy talks about overcoming the temptation to quit and go home:Lucy feels proud of herself for sticking with her course despite wanting to quit and go home several times.
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Lucy talks about struggling with British social customs:Lucy found that British social behaviour was very cautious compared to what she was used to in the US, with people tending to gossip and extract information rather than approaching each other directly.
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Lucy talks about what she feels she's gained from being an international student:Lucy feels that being an international student has made her more confident to deal with difficult situations and more able to relate to other people who are struggling.
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Lucy talks about why she would recommend being an international student:Lucy explains why she thinks being an international student is an experience she would recommend to anybody who has the courage to do it because of the positive change it tends to lead to.
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Lucy talks about working towards a clearer idea of what she wants to do in life:Lucy explains that she had various, unrelated ideas about what to do in the future when she was younger; though she doesn't have concrete, rigid plans now she feels she has a clearer picture of who she is and the sort of area she wants to work in.
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Mae talks about differences between studying in Thailand and the UK:Mae found studying in the UK more effective in terms of teaching her to do background reading and develop analytical skills but wished that the course had involved more social activities rather than focusing purely on the academic side.
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Mae talks about finding her Investment Management course difficult and intense:Mae had to study very intensely to get all her course's topics covered but found that it got easier in Spring term when she learnt how to manage her time better and focus on the most important aspects.
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Mae talks about how she settled into life in the UK:Mae found her homesickness lasted only about a week because she spoke to other international students who felt the same and got involved in activities at uni.
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Mae talks about improving her time management and becoming more active:Mae found that studying in the UK improved her ability to balance her time between different priorities and made her feel more adventurous about seeing new places.
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Mae talks about not making any European friends while in the UK:Mae made a lot of friends with other Asian students but found that there were no European people on her course or in her dorm and that social integration was not easy due to the language and cultural barriers.
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Mae talks about why she wanted to study in the UK and how she prepared:Mae felt that studying in the UK would be useful for finding work in the globalised job market and sought advice from an alumni international student before coming over.
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Usman talks about adjusting to cultural differences between university here and in his home country:Usman is used to not being able to complain to tutors because it could have a negative effect on how they would grade you and was also surprised to find that the deans here don't carry out surprise class inspections like they did in Pakistan.
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Usman talks about arranging his own group study outside of the course:Usman finds that because his course encourages self-directed study and doesn't research the students' backgrounds, it is up to him and his coursemates to find out about each other and organise their own group study.
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Usman talks about drawing on different resources and areas of knowledge from outside his course:Usman describes the independent research on the internet and from colleagues in industry that he does in order to supplement and expand on the knowledge that he receives from his course.
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Usman talks about feeling misled by some of the module descriptions in the course material:Usman plans to change some of his module choices because he felt they didn't live up to their descriptions; he feels there has been inadequate transfer of knowledge and skills from his tutors.
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Usman talks about finding some parts of his course too fast-paced and lacking in input from the tutors:Usman feels that the course doesn't allow enough time for each module and relies too much on entirely independent study without giving the students any initial help with it.
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Usman talks about fitting in socially on his course:Usman had already studied for 2 years in Pakistan and so entered his British degree in the 3rd year where people already had well-established friendship groups; he has fitted in by proving he is knowlegeable about the course and therefore able to help them.
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Usman talks about his disappointment over not getting onto a Masters programme:Usman had started the first two years of his degree in Pakistan, then worked in industry for 2 years; he wanted to finish his education in England and felt he had the right experience to go straight to MSc level but was required to do the final year of a BSc instead.
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Usman talks about his friends learning together and helping each other out:Usman has a group of friends from a variety of different countries and cultures who can pool their experiences to support and learn from each other.
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Usman talks about his high expectations of academic support not being met:Usman feels that having come from industry rather than following the whole course through he had higher expectations than other students in terms of how much help he could expect from tutors.
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Usman talks about joining his British degree course in the third year:Usman explains that because he had already studied in Pakistan for 2 years he could join his British degree in the 3rd year, and describes the difficulties of not having had the first two years on the same course as everyone else.
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Usman talks about the potential for his course to make more use of students with specialist knowledge:Usman thinks that his university should waive part of the fees for students with experience in specific areas of the electronic engineering industry, to teach their coursemates specialist knowledge.
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Usman talks about wanting his course to apply more directly to industry:Usman feels that, although a lot of his tutors are excellent teachers, he expected the course material to be more orientated towards knowledge needed for working in industry.
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Usman talks about why he decided to study in the UK:Usman already had a City and Guilds qualification which is only valid in the UK so he decided to come here where it would be recognised and he could build on it further; he also had heard that his particular university was a good place to do an MSc and had an international, mulitcultural environment.
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Yusuf talks about adapting well to life in the UK:Yusuf feels he has grown accustomed to British life because he went on so many trips that nothing suprised him anymore, worked part time and got to know local people.
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Yusuf talks about becoming a responsible adult at uni:Yusuf lived at home when he studied in Uzbekistan and feels that now having to adjust to life in a new country on his own whilst supporting himself financially has transformed him.
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Yusuf talks about deciding to do his second degree in the UK:Yusuf wanted to do a second degree to study Computing and found a university in the UK which offered a high quality course; he had always wanted to study abroad and felt it would help him work out what to do in the future.
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Yusuf talks about feeling isolated when he started at uni:Yusuf was used to working in small groups with coursemates at his home university and felt alone at his new uni in the UK until he managed to make friends with a group of home students on his course.
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Yusuf talks about finding the personalised feeling of belonging to the university more important than league tables ranking:Yusuf feels that although the reputation and quality of the department and university were important to him when applying for an institution he also found it important to go somewhere with a friendly, personal atmosphere.
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Yusuf talks about having the freedom to choose modules and specialise on his course:Yusuf appreciates the opportunity to decide which modules to take and schedule his degree programme according to his own interests, which wasn't a possibility in his home country.
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Yusuf talks about how he decided on a particular university:Yusuf chose his university because it had a high proportion of international students, was in an area he was already familiar with and had impressed him on the open day.
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Yusuf talks about making more of an effort socially in first year:Yusuf forced himself to be extra sociable by going on trips and joining societies so that he would feel like less of an outsider.
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Yusuf talks about not feeling homesick anymore:Yusuf worries that he hasn't been back to Uzbekistan for a year and doesn't feel homesick because he's been so focused on his course.
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Yusuf talks about what he gained from his university's open day:Yusuf found the open day at his university before he applied extremely helpful because he had a personal tour of the Computing department by the Head of Computing and was showed around the union by other students.
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Mature Students (63 clips)
Barry talks about adjusting to study as a mature student:Barry got used to studying after having been out of education for 30-odd years by writing up his notes after lectures, doing careful background reading and mind-mapping his ideas.
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Barry talks about being the only full time mature student on his course:Barry found that the other mature students on his course were all part time, so although he could get together with them to talk about the course occasionally, they were often in at different times or not doing the same modules.
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Barry talks about deciding to study History of Art and Architecture as a mature student:Barry explains his motivation for going to university later in life as 'pure indulgence' of his desire to know more about the art and architecture he had seen whilst travelling throughout his working life.
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Barry talks about difficulties he experienced living far away from the campus:Barry found that the library opening hours were restricted and he was unable to take out essential course books on 6 hour loans because he lived 75 miles away from the campus; he felt as a result that as a mature student living far away he was slightly isolated and set aside.
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Barry talks about enjoying researching and writing essays:Barry feels he gained a lot from drawing together multiple perspectives, balancing different ideas against each other, backing them up with evidence and concentrating his ideas within a short word limit.
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Barry talks about feeling supported by his personal tutor:Barry advises carefully selecting a personal tutor, as his own was immensely helpful to him, particularly with his dissertation.
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Barry talks about feeling that he didn't deserve to get a First:Barry explains that although he worked hard he didn't feel his work was at First class standard and was disappointed that the highest grade didn't require more effort.
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Barry talks about finding the life-learn programme highly useful for getting back into studying:Barry had to gain a certain number of credits from a life-long learning programme before he could enrol on his course as a mature student, which involved practice essays, tests and discussion groups.
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Barry talks about finding the university to be a strange hybrid between academia and business:Barry feels that the university he attended was a 'strange beast' in that it wasn't run like any commercial business he had been used to working in but had to become increasingly business-like.
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Barry talks about gaining new subject knowledge and theoretical perspectives:Barry sometimes found the 'woolly intellectual ramblings' on his History of Art course strange but appreciated having his mind opened to a whole range of new perspectives and ideas which he was free to critically explore.
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Barry talks about getting very little feedback on coursework and struggling with exams:Barry never had the opportunity to find out how he did in his dissertation, only got limited feedback on essays after the modules they were part of were already over and found having to readjust to exams difficult.
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Barry talks about having clear motivations for doing a degree as a mature student:Barry explains that many mature students have the advantage of knowing more clearly why they are doing their degree than younger undergraduates; in his case he was fully aware of wanting to indulge purely in knowledge for its own sake.
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Barry talks about how his approach to studying changed over time:Barry found that he had to up the ante in third year to get better marks, by adding greater depth to his arguments, drawing independent interpretations from the reading and articulating his ideas more concisely.
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Barry talks about how his previous experience impacted on studying as a mature student:Barry found that turning specific notions into generalisations on his History of Art course was entirely opposite to the approach he had taken in business, but found that his previously honed organisational skills proved very useful.
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Barry talks about how the intellectual stimulation from his degree course has changed him:Barry found the new perspectives he learnt on his course more important than any specific knowledge he gained, and thinks it is important for retired people to continue their intellectual development.
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Barry talks about mixing with younger students on his course:Barry found that he got on well with the younger students on his course by making sure he didn't act like a parent, whilst still encouraging them to be disciplined in group work.
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Barry talks about not overthinking his decision to study as a mature student:Barry describes himself as a person who doesn't deliberate too much or calculate his decisions; he felt he wanted to learn more and went into it experimentally without stacking up any particular expectations.
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Barry talks about the decision to study as a mature student being quite a quick and simple one:Barry explains that although he didn't think of himself as particularly bright, he wanted to prove to himself that he could be an academic and felt that he had the freedom and support from his wife to do a degree.
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Barry talks about the impact his university experience could have on his future:Barry explains that although the specific subject of the History of Art won't have a direct impact on his future, he is now interested in becoming involved in universities from a business angle.
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Barry talks about the intellectual demands of studying independently:Barry found that as a mature student he was better equipped to take responsibility for his own learning than some of the younger students on his course who expected it to be more like school.
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Barry talks about thinking course material at university should be more skills-based and career orientated:Barry was surprised to find that presentations on his course were marked entirely on content rather than taking good presenting skills into account; he feels this is indicative of a general attitude that university is an end itself, whereas he feels it ought to be geared more towards training undergraduates in preparation for the job market.
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Barry talks about wishing there had been more intellectual discussion on his course:Barry found that other students on his course hadn't done the pre-reading which meant that seminars were often devoted to bringing them up to speed rather than properly discussing ideas; he was also disappointed to find that students did not engage in this kind of critical debate outside of the classes.
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Jane talks about adjusting to uni study as a mature student:Jane explains how the continuing education modules she did to prepare for the degree helped her to get back into the habit of essay-writing and exams.
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Jane talks about becoming more confident in the way she studied:Jane explains that she at first wrote down everything in lectures and felt nervous about giving presentations, but learnt to relax and believe in her capabilities.
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Jane talks about deciding to quit her PGCE course:Jane left her PGCE course after six months because she found that the workload was too much for her to combine with her family life.
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Jane talks about deciding to study as a mature student:Jane decided that getting a degree was important to her for getting a better job and to realise her academic potential .
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Jane talks about feeling confident enough to do a Masters:Jane feels that further study is the next step, having developed her academic skills and interest in History throughout her degree.
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Jane talks about feeling more socially relaxed as a mature student than many of the younger undergrads:Jane found that as a mature student she felt more confident than the younger students to move around the class to meet different people and talk to the lecturers.
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Jane talks about fitting in part time study as a mature student:Jane describes how enthusiastic she was to get back into education and how she managed to find courses which fitted around her work and family life.
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Jane talks about getting negative feedback on essays:Jane found that, though one essay feedback left her feeling crushed, for the most part the criticism her work received was constructive and useful.
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Jane talks about having difficulties with module options as a part time mature student:Jane explains that as a part time mature student she didn't always have the same access to module choices as other full time undergraduates and had to fight her corner to get into the lectures she wanted.
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Jane talks about how being a mature student made her feel younger and excited about the future:Jane found studying with younger people made her feel younger herself and that there are many possible directions she can now go in to continue her interest and education.
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Jane talks about how her degree contributes to her work in schools:Jane found that meeting different types of people and working in varied ways on her degree course has helped her to build effective relationships with children in her teaching practice.
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Jane talks about making friends with younger students:Jane enjoyed socialising with the younger undergraduates on her course and found that they could relate to each other because they had the subject in common.
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Jane talks about the highs and lows she experienced on her teacher training:Jane describes how she loved working with children because no two days were the same but struggled with the heavy paperwork and lesson planning.
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Jane talks about why she finds studying History important:Jane finds learning about our history vital for understanding events in the world today and finds it to be a core element underpinning many other subjects.
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Jane talks about wishing she'd got more involved in her course's social life:Jane feels, in retrospect, that she could have become more involved in social activites with course mates, to get to know more of them better.
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Petra talks about deciding to do a second degree:Petra went back to university as a mature student because she was dissatisfied with her job and wanted to pursue something she was genuinely interested in.
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Petra talks about feeling more independently engaged in her study than other younger students:Petra was surprised that other younger students on her course seemed unwilling to challenge what they were learning rather than cramming and regurgitating facts.
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Petra talks about finding it difficult to balance her academic work and social life:Petra finds that she can get so absorbed in her degree that it's sometimes difficult for her to fit in friends and family.
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Petra talks about fitting work around her studying:Petra feels that she wouldn't have enough time for a regular part time job with fixed hours but has managed to find flexible and freelance jobs to fit in around her modules .
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Petra talks about having problems with group work:Petra has found group work on her course a chore because it has caused arguments and tensions between people with differing working styles.
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Petra talks about how doing her second degree has changed her:Petra feels that she has become more open-minded and less clear-cut in her beliefs, both through the things she has studied and the people she's met at uni.
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Petra talks about moving to a new town:Petra enjoyed moving from a large city to a smaller town although her partner has to commute and it's been lonely for them not knowing anyone.
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Petra talks about negative reactions to her studying for a second time:Petra has found that whilst her good friends have supported her decision to do a second degree, more money-orientated friends from her previous job have found it odd.
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Petra talks about no longer thinking of careers as all-important and hierarchical:Petra has changed her previous perception of a career as rising through the ranks because she now finds it more important to enjoy what she does and find it worthwhile.
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Petra talks about not always keeping up with other interests and commitments:Petra has found it difficult to keep up with regular hobbies such as going to a running club and visiting her former home town because her course takes over her time.
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Petra talks about not fitting into different age groups on her course:Petra initially found it difficult to fit in on her course because she is older than the 18 year olds but younger than the middle-aged mature students with children….
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Petra talks about not getting stressed over things she finds difficult:Petra has struggled with Chemistry and lab work but has learnt to relax, take her time and realise that it's more important for her to work out why something went wrong rather than getting it right first time.
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Petra talks about readjusting to science and maths as a mature student:Petra was daunted by not having studied science and maths for 15 years but found that the study support services helped her to fill in the gaps.
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Petra talks about realising the different career paths open to her:Petra feels there are several interesting options open to her after graduating, such as working with humanitarian food programmes and postgraduate study.
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Petra talks about starting university as a mature student:Petra describes feeling anxious about both the academic and social side of uni but found that the pre-sessional day and practical elements of her course made it easier to get to know people.
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Petra talks about studying more actively and passionately as a mature student:Petra feels that she has studied more actively for her second degree than for her first because, having worked in between the two, she realised that she thrives on learning and research.
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Petra talks about the impact of her second degree on her relationship:Petra explains that although her partner understands that she needed a change, he has had to put his own plans for further education on hold to support her through her degree.
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Petra talks about wanting to study Nutrition and Food Science:Petra decided to study Nutrition and Food Science because she finds it interesting, relevant to everyday life and appreciates the way it challenges her previous beliefs.
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Petra talks about worrying that she didn't know enough to do her course:Petra didn't have one of the required A Levels for her course and had to do extra tuition to catch up, but later found that many other students came to the course from an alternative route.
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Yahimba talks about becoming more focused on her career as she got older:Yahimba feels that when she was younger she wandered into a degree in Sociology purely because her father and brother suggested it, whereas now that she has matured she is more focused on her career goals.
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Yahimba talks about choosing which university to study at:Yahimba needed to study at a university local to where she was already living with her family, and also chose it because the School of Business and Management at that uni was high up in the league tables for that subject.
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Yahimba talks about getting to know a mixture of other mature students and younger people on her course:Yahimba doesn't find the age difference between her and her coursemates a barrier because she enjoys mixing with different kinds of people and prefers to treat them as individuals .
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Yahimba talks about how having young children affects her studying:Yahimba finds it challenging to study full time with three young children; she has to structure her studying during the day around them and finds that she has to work under pressure.
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Yahimba talks about how her experiences have boosted her confidence:Yahimba explains that the people she has met on her course, the things she has read, improving her writing and overcoming challenges have all helped to boost her confidence.
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Yahimba talks about preferring to study a practical course related directly to a job:Yahimba is happier with her current course in Business and Management because it applies directly to life and will lead to a job, whereas she wasn't sure what she would do with her first degree in Sociology.
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Yahimba talks about wishing she'd done extra reading in first and second year:Yahimba got 50% in first year and realised that she would have got a higher mark if she had done further reading rather than sticking purely to the course textbook.
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Online Identity (23 clips)
Digital Identity Focus Group Whole Interview:This is a focus group discussion between four students: Jenny, Warren, Sebastian and Rob, talking about how digital identity affects them as students; differences between Twitter and facebook; advantages and disadvantages of having an online presence; how they decided on their email address names, and Googling themselves.
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Jenny talks about using online profiles to connect with both professional and social contacts:Jenny finds that key word searches are increasingly being used in both professional and social online networks so that profiles are becoming the means to self-promotion and connection.
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Jenny talks about wanting to protect her online identity:Jenny feels that she has to restrict the information about her which is available online so that people she doesn't want in her life can't track her down.
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Rob talks about trying to improve his Google ranking:Rob talks about how having a common name has made it more of a challenge for him to create a strong and positive online presence of his own.
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Sebastian talks about changing his email addresses to reflect a better self-image:Sebastian explains that when he was younger he made a zany email address which embarrasses him now; he has therefore made new accounts with more professional-sounding names.
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Sebastian talks about how he uses Twitter to help with studying:Sebastian follows certain topics relevant to his course using hashtags on Twitter and has used it to meet up with people studying the same subject.
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Sebastian talks about how his digital identity has matured while he's been at uni:Sebastian feels that before he came to uni he didn't take his online presence too seriously but now tailors its uses more to meet his needs and suit the kind of image he wants to present.
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Sebastian talks about personalising his digital identity more since being at uni:Sebastian originally developed online social networking profiles in order to contact people rather than present an image of himself but says that since he became a student he has filled in more personal information to create more of a presence which could become useful in the future.
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Sebastian, Jenny and Warren talk about how having a digital identity is important to many students:Sebastian, Jenny and Warren feel that people don't use their mobile phones to call and send texts much anymore, it's more that they use portable online devices to be on social networking sites wherever they are.
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Warren and Jenny compare Twitter and facebook:Warren finds that you can filter out information you don't want to see more easily on Twitter whilst Jenny points out that tweets can go into digital identity searches about you and can therefore be more difficult to manage.
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Warren and Jenny talk about hiding certain information from different people on facebook:Warren and Jenny discuss the fact that the privacy settings on facebook have now become so complicated that it's difficult to control who accesses what on your profile, with the outcome that Auntie Jane might see something she didn't want to... .
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Warren and Jenny talk about the advantages and disadvantages of funny email addresses:Warren thinks that funny email addresses are a massive turn-off for serious companies looking at CVs whilst Jenny points out that a man made money out of an email address pun on Microsoft.
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Warren talks about finding some email signatures pretentious:Warren finds it unnecessary to include all your qualifications, work information, confidentiality disclaimers and postal address in personal emails.
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Warren talks about how his digital identity has helped him do things he otherwise couldn't have:Warren feels that networking online has allowed him to do things and meet people he couldn't otherwise have known about had it not been for being able to get himself out there to such a wide audience; he feels that having an online presence can be a major advantage as long as it's managed properly.
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Warren talks about how his Twitter identity has grown over time:Jenny comments on her surprise that Twitter isn't more popular with students, leading Warren to admit that he found it difficult to get going with his Twitter account when he first joined because most other students use facebook but through connecting with people with similar interests and tweeting himself he built up a following.
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Warren talks about how his use of facebook has changed over time:Warren explains that when he first joined facebook he used it mostly for fun, added lots of applications and people he hardly knew anymore; having had a recent 'facebook crisis' he now only uses it to stay in touch with genuine friends.
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Warren talks about how working hard at building up a presence on Twitter has benefited him:Warren feels that Twitter has led him to more events, opportunities and interesting people than facebook has, and that it was therefore worth working a bit harder to become part of its online community.
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Warren talks about managing his email identities more carefully as he gets older:Warren uses different accounts for his personal and professional lives and is more careful about how much information he gives away about himself in them.
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Warren talks about old digital identities still floating around on the internet:Warren talks about how forgotten profiles, CVs and other online information can come back to haunt when doing searches for yourself on the internet.
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Warren talks about owning your digital identity:Warren recounts the experience of a friend whose Twitter identity was taken over by the company he worked for.
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Warren talks about preferring simple, serious email addresses:Warren thinks that having long, complicated, difficult to remember or outlandish email addresses create a bad impression and prefers to keep his short and innocuous.
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Warren talks about students tending to have open, personal online presences:Warren feels that a lot of students, particularly when first coming to uni, allow their online profiles to have fairly open access, displaying intimate photos, status updates and personal information.
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Warren talks about wanting people to find him in internet searches by accident:Warren shares his name with quite a few famous people and has therefore worked at getting a high ranking on Google and Bing so that 'happy accidents' can occur if people find and become interested in him whilst searching for someone else.
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Pre-University Experiences (64 clips)
Ajinder talks about lacking information on available degree subjects:Ajinder explains how the diversity of degree choices was not clear to her when deciding which subject to study and how she would have chosen Anthropology.
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Barry talks about deciding to study History of Art and Architecture as a mature student:Barry explains his motivation for going to university later in life as 'pure indulgence' of his desire to know more about the art and architecture he had seen whilst travelling throughout his working life.
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Barry talks about finding the life-learn programme highly useful for getting back into studying:Barry had to gain a certain number of credits from a life-long learning programme before he could enrol on his course as a mature student, which involved practice essays, tests and discussion groups.
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Barry talks about how his previous experience impacted on studying as a mature student:Barry found that turning specific notions into generalisations on his History of Art course was entirely opposite to the approach he had taken in business, but found that his previously honed organisational skills proved very useful.
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Barry talks about not overthinking his decision to study as a mature student:Barry describes himself as a person who doesn't deliberate too much or calculate his decisions; he felt he wanted to learn more and went into it experimentally without stacking up any particular expectations.
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Barry talks about the decision to study as a mature student being quite a quick and simple one:Barry explains that although he didn't think of himself as particularly bright, he wanted to prove to himself that he could be an academic and felt that he had the freedom and support from his wife to do a degree.
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Beth talks about being pushed towards going to uni:Beth describes how going to university was expected of her and thinks she should have been aware of other options.
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Carla talks about feeling uncertain before coming to uni:Carla describes feeling stressed, confused and scared when deciding whether to come to uni or not.
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Danuja talks about why he chose to study in the UK from Sri Lanka:Danuja reflects upon his decision to study in the UK rather than Australia or the US, and the main factors which influenced his choice of UK university..
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Dobrusia talks about deciding to study as an international student in the UK:Dobrusia explains that her dad encouraged her to study in the UK because British degrees have good reputations, would increase her career prospects and allow her to specialise in her specific subject interests.
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Dobrusia talks about focusing on finding the right kind of course when choosing a university:Dobrusia's top priority when applying for universities was to research which ones had highly recommended International Development Studies programmes.
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Ed talks about going to uni primarily for the career benefits:Ed explains that his main aim in getting a degree was to be able to get a professional job afterwards, rather than for the pursuit of knowledge itself.
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Georgina talks about being naïve and uninformed when deciding what to study:Georgina explains that when deciding what to study she wasn't fully aware of the range of subject choices and career options available to her.
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Georgina talks about finding it important to go to uni open days:Georgina initially relied a lot on league tables but changed her mind when she visited the unis she was interested in.
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Georgina talks about why she studied Ancient History:Georgina found it important to study a subject she enjoyed but now wonders if she should have thought about what she would do with it after graduating.
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Henry talks about being 'groomed' for uni and doubting the value of it:Henry describes how most people in his sixth form went to university and he felt dragged along with everyone else despite not feeling very motivated to go; looking back he is still uncertain whether it was worth it for him.
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Henry talks about choosing History to keep his future options open:Henry explains that although he was interested in Design Technology and Engineering, he was uncertain about what he wanted to do after graduating and chose History because it would leave his options open.
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Hermione talks about her decision to study Philosophy at university:Hermione struggled to decide which of her A level subjects to continue to degree level but eventually decided it was more important to choose that which she enjoyed most rather than the one she was 'best' at .
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Imogen talks about her reasons for choosing English Literature as her degree subject:Imogen believes studying a subject she loves made her university experience much more enjoyable than if she had chosen a subject simply for its career benefits.
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Imogen talks about the process of deciding to go to university and which institution to attend:Imogen explains why she took a year out before going to university and why she would have benefited from more advice in this area.
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Isobel talks about preparing for and adjusting to uni life:Isobel prepared for coming to uni by talking to other students beforehand and adjusted by getting involved in the social life.
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James talks about choosing his institution for its welcoming and communal approach which valued the opinions of students:James felt the atmosphere on campus, in Halls and during his admissions interview suited his personality better than other institutions he had visited which were more formal in their approach.
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James talks about choosing to study Theatre at a university rather than Drama School:James describes how his wish to study Theatre and also gain academic credibility meant going to university was a natural step for him.
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James talks about his preference for campus visits rather than open days prior to deciding which institution to attend:James found visiting different universities informally most useful for getting a feel of the place, finding out about the course and talking to current students about their own experiences.
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James talks about the process of deciding to study Theatre Studies despite Law offering a clearer career path:James reflects on his decision to study Theatre rather than Law due to his lifelong love for acting and desire to pursue both the theroretical and practical aspects of the discipline.
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Jane talks about deciding to study as a mature student:Jane decided that getting a degree was important to her for getting a better job and to realise her academic potential .
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Justin talks about wishing he'd made more informed decisions when choosing his uni and modules:Justin chose which uni to go to almost at random and often chose safe or easier modules; he now thinks he could have looked into things and considered his options more.
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Kasim talks about choosing a university far from his home town:Kasim decided not to go to university open days because he felt they would exaggerate about being more wonderful than they were, and decided to base his choice on the furthest location from his home town.
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Kasim talks about the disadvantages of getting onto his course through clearing:Kasim found coming through clearing stressful because he had to get everything done quickly and he felt that he was being squeezed onto the course to make up their numbers.
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Leila talks about feeling unprepared for university:Leila did not have any expectations of university before she arrived and explains why, in hindsight, she wishes she'd prepared more thoroughly.
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Leila talks about the unexpected decision to study Maths at university:Leila explains how getting a good GCSE Maths result prompted a change in attitude towards the subject which culminated in her choosing it at degree level despite initial plans to study Politics or History.
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Linda talks about choosing to study English and Philosophy:Linda explains that she loves reading literature, found philosophy very thought-provoking and felt that the two subjects complemented each other well.
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Louise talks about choosing to study Sociology and how her love for the subject has grown over time:Louise describes how Sociology was an instinctive choice for her and how she enjoys the opportunity to tailor the course to her own interests at degree level.
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Louise talks about how the decision to go to university was never something she questioned:Louise analyses why she didn't contemplate doing anything other than going to university after sixth form and considers how she feels about this now.
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Lynn talks about how her gap year provided a crucial break from education after college:Lynn did not feel ready to go to university straight from college and feels she may not have coped with the transition if she hadn't taken some time out to work and travel during her gap year.
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Madeleine talks about how she decided which uni to go to:Madeleine describes how going to open days, internet research and talking to both lecturers and students helped her to decide which uni would be best for her to study at.
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Mae talks about why she wanted to study in the UK and how she prepared:Mae felt that studying in the UK would be useful for finding work in the globalised job market and sought advice from an alumni international student before coming over.
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Matt talks about choosing to go to uni as an easy option:Matt explains that he didn't have any clear ideas about what to do after school and found that continuing study seemed like the easiest natural progression.
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Megan talks about doing an applied science degree to get a career:Megan explains that she chose to do Food Bioscience because as an applied science it lent itself well to her getting straight into a career path after graduation.
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Melanie talks about how her university choices were influenced by her relationship:Melanie and her boyfriend decided to apply to universities in the same areas to allow them to see one another on a regular basis.
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Michael talks about his expectations of university:Michael describes his social and academic expectations of university and tells why he didn't worry too much about what it would be like.
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Michael talks about university being the natural choice for him:Michael followed in the footsteps of his brother in his decision to go to university and to take a gap year beforehand which gave him a much needed break from education!.
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Michael talks about wanting to study a French course with a business element at degree level:Michael sought advice from college staff before choosing his university programme as there were many options for combining a language with business.
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Namita talks about missing home more than she expected:Namita tells why she would have considered university more seriously if she knew what she knows now.
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Neil talks about getting into university through clearing:Neil didn't get the grades he needed to study Maths; he decided in 20 minutes after getting his results to switch to a Computer Science course because he felt the pressure to go to a reputable university while other courses were still available.
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Nigel talks about coming to university from a small home town:Nigel was initially worried that he would find making friends difficult at uni because he lacked social experience but found that it was easier than expected.
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Nina talks about studying languages for both enjoyment and practical reasons:Nina chose to study German and Spanish because she enjoyed the subjects for their own sake but also because they helped her to gain useful skills for the future.
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Pauline talks about going to uni purely to learn:Pauline found it important to study a subject she enjoyed and to go to university in order to learn more academically, rather than using it as a career tool.
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Pauline talks about wanting to study a subject she enjoyed:Pauline didn't see her degree as a vehicle to getting a career, as she feels that a more practical subject wouldn't have engaged her enough to finish the course.
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Pauline talks about why she wanted to study Theology:Pauline approached religious studies from a sociological perspective to investigate the Christian environment she had been brought up in and to explore the topic of death rituals.
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Petra talks about deciding to do a second degree:Petra went back to university as a mature student because she was dissatisfied with her job and wanted to pursue something she was genuinely interested in.
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Petra talks about starting university as a mature student:Petra describes feeling anxious about both the academic and social side of uni but found that the pre-sessional day and practical elements of her course made it easier to get to know people.
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Rosa talks about how doing a Foundation art course helped her realise what she wanted to study:Rosa had originally applied to study Art History and French but found on her Foundation course that she much preferred fine art practice rather than theory.
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Rosa talks about why she took a gap year and did a Foundation art course:Rosa wanted to take a gap year primarily so that she could improve her art on a Foundation course, and also do some work and travelling.
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Roz talks about being introduced to different kinds of literature and critical theory by a college tutor:Roz started to learn in college how to do her own self-directed reading which fuelled her interest in literary criticism and further study.
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Usman talks about his high expectations of academic support not being met:Usman feels that having come from industry rather than following the whole course through he had higher expectations than other students in terms of how much help he could expect from tutors.
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Verena talks about being influenced by her parents to go to university:Verena explains that her parents encouraged her to go to university because it would help her future job prospects and give her the opportunity to grow as a person.
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Verena talks about why she chose to study Politics and Law:Verena enjoys studying Politics as a subject for thinking, debating and philosophising whereas Law provides a more practical, career-focused element.
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Yahimba talks about choosing which university to study at:Yahimba needed to study at a university local to where she was already living with her family, and also chose it because the School of Business and Management at that uni was high up in the league tables for that subject.
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Yahimba talks about doing a degree to further her career:Yahimba became pregnant with her second child whilst working as a library assistant; she decided to do a degree with a work placement year to get the right experience and qualification needed for a higher paying job.
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Yusuf talks about deciding to do his second degree in the UK:Yusuf wanted to do a second degree to study Computing and found a university in the UK which offered a high quality course; he had always wanted to study abroad and felt it would help him work out what to do in the future.
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Yusuf talks about finding the personalised feeling of belonging to the university more important than league tables ranking:Yusuf feels that although the reputation and quality of the department and university were important to him when applying for an institution he also found it important to go somewhere with a friendly, personal atmosphere.
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Yusuf talks about how he decided on a particular university:Yusuf chose his university because it had a high proportion of international students, was in an area he was already familiar with and had impressed him on the open day.
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Yusuf talks about what he gained from his university's open day:Yusuf found the open day at his university before he applied extremely helpful because he had a personal tour of the Computing department by the Head of Computing and was showed around the union by other students.
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Second Year Experiences (26 clips)
Allison talks about using the Summer holiday for work experience and reflection:Allison explains why she wants to use the Summer to build up her CV and think about which modules to study in third year.
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Beth talks about having problems with housemates:Beth lived with six friends in second year in a claustrophobic house which led to tensions ….
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Carla talks about improving on low marks:Carla was disappointed to get low marks in 2nd year and explains how she started to plan her work more in advance.
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Emma talks about regurgitating facts in exams:Emma became stressed in second year and tried to prove all that she'd memorised in exams rather than answering the questions.
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Georgina talks about focusing less on study in second year:Georgina felt less committed to studying in second year because she'd lost the excitement of first year but didn't yet have the pressure of final year.
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Henry talks about finding his first and second year disappointing:Henry felt that his course wasn't very challenging for the first two years because not much effort seemed to be required until third year.
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Imogen talks about how her living situation changed whilst at university:Imogen describes the ups and downs of living in Halls in her first year and sharing a house with 10 of her friends in second year..
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Jasmine talks about having difficulties moving in with friends in second year:Jasmine moved into a shared house with friends in second year but found that there were some problems with people changing their minds about who they wanted to live with.
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Justin talks about becoming socially confident:Justin tried to fit in with the people he met in first year but realised that he preferred to meet people more like him and do his own thing.
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Justin talks about learning to live independently in his student house:Justin found moving in with friends a useful way to learn to take responsibility but had to deal with a difficult housemate.
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Lauren talks about getting low grades and considering changing her course:Lauren was disappointed with her marks in second year and found that she was spending more time on German than English because she found the language difficult.
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Lynn talks about not studying hard enough in the first year and regretting this later:Lynn admits to not taking first year seriously and how this negatively impacted her studies in second and third year as the pressure to achieve became greater.
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Madeleine talks about getting more involved in extracurricular activities:Madeleine spent her spare time in first year socialising with friends but decided she wanted to get more involved in different activities and social circles in her second and final year.
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Matt talks about coping with depression in second year:Matt found second year difficult because he felt that the novelty had worn off, he wasn't sure where he was going with his course and felt like it was all meaningless.
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Michael talks about how conflicts between his housemates caused difficulties in his friendships:Michael felt pressure to take sides when two of his housemates wanted to keep their relationship a secret from others in the house.
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Millie talks about developing her own written style:Millie copied set academic styles to articulate her thoughts in first year but found in second year that she had read and written enough to develop her own way of expressing ideas.
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Millie talks about doing work experience in a publishing house:Millie worked in a large publishing team for two weeks in London which helped her to gain experience of the workplace and realise that magazine publishing wasn't the right thing for her.
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Namita talks about falling out with her housemate in second year:Namita thought the grudge her housemate held against her was unnecessary but accepts that friendships change and that some conflicts are unavoidable.
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Natasha talks about living with friends in second and third year:Natasha moved into a large shared house in second year but had bad experiences with an unreliable landlord and internal divisions in the friendship group.
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Neil talks about how his social life changed while he was at uni:Neil did a lot of clubbing and drinking in first year but found that the novelty increasingly wore off in second and third year, leading him to find alternative things to do.
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Nina talks about social pressure affecting her study in second year:Nina found she was less motivated to study in second year because she felt the pressure to go out had to be satisfied before she could do any work.
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Nina talks about struggling in her second year:Nina found second year difficult because the first year novelty had worn off, student life had become repetitive, a difficult relationship broke up and some of her modules weren't very interesting.
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Rosa talks about living in a student house:Rosa found it difficult to have to rush into choosing her flatmates to live with in second year and to adjust to taking responsibility for bills.
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Rosa talks about losing interest in Art in her second year:Rosa had a slump in second year because she started to get itchy feet but managed to focus on her work again by talking about art with her dad and realising that the distractions of first year weren't as fun anymore.
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Will talks about being the president of the Junior Common Room committee:Will decided to run for president of the JCR because he felt it would be sociable, a lot of fun and would give him the chance to experience Freshers' Week again from the other side; he also learnt planning, leadership and communication skills.
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Will talks about having to structure his time more as he went along:Will found that second year came as a shock because the work became a lot harder and he struggled to find the time; in third year he felt he needed to structure his study as though it was a job.
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Social/Personal (326 clips)
Abidin talks about arriving in the UK as an international student:Abidin describes arriving at his accommodation, meeting British flatmates and feeling intimidated by English language and culture.
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Abidin talks about becoming proud of his national identity:Abidin describes how being an international student caused him to become aware of and celebrate his Malaysian nationality.
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Abidin talks about being President of the Malaysian Society:Abidin was President of the Malaysian Society which helped him get to know more people, get involved in campus life and share his culture with fellow students.
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Abidin talks about finding the UK both hostile and welcoming:Abidin describes experiences of rudeness and racial discrimination but how despite this he generally felt welcome in the UK.
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Abidin talks about his experience of drinking and British social culture:Abidin initially felt pressured to socialise and drink but then found his friends didn't mind if he opted out.
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Abidin talks about his experiences of cultural differences:Abidin found aspects of British culture more efficient but missed Malaysian food and his family.
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Abidin talks about making friends with British and Malaysian people:Abidin explains that he did not have many close British friends and spent a lot of time with other Malaysian students.
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Abidin talks about settling into life at a UK university:Abidin explains how he made friends and became involved in his student union, particularly the Malaysian Society.
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Adrian talks about becoming politicised at university:Adrian explains how he became increasingly politically engaged as a Sociology student, to the point where he fought with the Student Union to increase democratic participation.
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Adrian talks about feeling that his final result doesn't reflect his real ability:Adrian explains why he felt that the grading system at his university was largely arbitary, and how the most intelligent, critical students often tended to get worse marks than students who towed the line.
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Adrian talks about finding it advantageous to be slightly older than most other undergraduates:Adrian feels that coming to uni a couple of years later than 18 year old students meant that he was more mature and made less mistakes.
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Adrian talks about finding it important to question ideas and be aware of the university's corporate environment:Adrian finds it important to take a critical approach to lecturers' ideas and not accept university advertising at face value.
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Adrian talks about finding the life experience of university more important than career prospects:Adrian feels that it was more important for him to grow, meet different kinds of people and develop personally than to do a degree purely to get a career.
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Adrian talks about finding the university experience valuable:Adrian feels he gained a lot from his higher education despite the negative aspects he experienced, and therefore thinks everyone should have the opportunity to go to university.
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Adrian talks about his experiences of living in Halls:Adrian was surprised by the drinking culture and inability to do any serious studying in his first year Halls.
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Adrian talks about making friends with other older and more unusual students:Adrian was 21 when he started uni and found that he wasn't alone as an older student, especially due to living in a Halls for late applicants who had come to uni via unconventional routes.
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Adrian talks about university encouraging people to be adventurous :Adrian noticed that people who had come to university straight from school benefited a lot from meeting interesting and unusual people, as it encouraged them to live more adventurously.
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Adrian talks about why he finds the fees system unfair:Adrian describes his disappointment over British universities having becoming corporate institutions.
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Ajinder talks about guilt in relation to her education and social background:Ajinder describes how she feels guilty for having access to a privileged education when many people from her social background do not.
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Ajinder talks about her experience of Freshers' Week after a gap year:Ajinder explains how, coming to uni after a gap year, she didn't fit in with some Freshers' hypersexualisation and binge drinking .
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Ajinder talks about her experience of sexist attitudes on campus:Ajinder describes how sexist attitudes were so dominant in her uni environment that she at times became unaware of and swept up in them.
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Ajinder talks about how negative experiences at uni made her stronger:Ajinder explains how she found it valuable to push herself outside her comfort zone; how it helped her to analyse and articulate power relations within institutions.
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Ajinder talks about students' racist attitudes:Ajinder describes how her Politics course was dominated by white, privileged students with discriminating views.
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Ajinder talks about the financial gulf between her and other students:Ajinder describes how the financial strain of university for her and her family meant she studied a lot harder than many of her fellow students.
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Allison talks about becoming independent:Allison used to follow the crowd but learnt at uni to make her own decisions and pursue her own interests.
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Allison talks about coping with nerves in Freshers' Week:Allison was worried about fitting in at uni but met new people, became independent and made herself at home in her accommodation.
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Allison talks about managing her money badly:Allison describes how she spent a lot of money in first year and didn't keep track of how much she had left.
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Ameer talks about balancing his social life with studying:Ameer made a timetable to make sure he had enough time to study but to have fun too.
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Anna talks about coping with social nervousness in first year:Anna was anxious about meeting people and fitting in when she first got to uni but realised that her friends accepted her the way she was.
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Anna talks about spending all her money in her first term:Anna spent £3000 in her first term and decided to get a part time job to support herself.
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Anthony talks about adjusting to the uni environment:Anthony felt depressed when he first got to uni but adjusted by being sociable with different groups of people.
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Anthony talks about dealing with mood changes on his year abroad:Anthony describes the initial ups and downs of arriving in Canada on his exchange year and how keeping busy helped him adjust.
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Anthony talks about getting caught up in his first year social life:Anthony partied a lot in first year but decided to find other things to do in second year.
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Anthony talks about learning how to balance his time:Anthony explains how he made more time for himself by finding a medium between both academic and social pressures.
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Anthony talks about overcoming social pressures and stereotypes:Anthony describes the pressure he sometimes felt to live a stereotyped "uni life" but recommends living it however you want to.
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Anthony talks about personal change at uni as more important to him than careers:Anthony found that for him uni wasn't so much about getting a career but more about becoming stronger and learning how to live with people.
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Anthony talks about returning from his year abroad:Anthony found it depressing but also comforting that not much had changed back home and although he preferred the course in Canada he was glad to come back to his friends.
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Anthony talks about socially and culturally integrating in Canada:Anthony was at first aware of his cultural difference but made an effort to learn native customs and meet Canadians.
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Apsara talks about considering quitting and deciding to stay:Apsara considered going back to Thailand in her first term but decided that she would stay to become stronger and to prove to herself she could get through it.
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Apsara talks about cultural differences and feeling discriminated against:Apsara felt that European students did not integrate with Asian students and seemed to have a sense of cultural superiority.
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Apsara talks about feeling lonely when she arrived in the UK:Apsara was surprised that she felt lonely and homesick when she first arrived in the UK but felt better when she started meeting people.
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Apsara talks about her uni experience being international rather than British:Apsara had friends from lots of different countries but didn't study or live with any British students.
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Apsara talks about meeting people from different cultures:Apsara describes how meeting students from other countries made her feel more confident about talking to people from different cultures.
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Apsara talks about negative perceptions of Thai women:Apsara experienced prejudiced attitudes towards Thai women as "easy" but came to realise that not all people think that way.
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Apsara talks about strengthened relationships with friends and family in Thailand:Apsara explains how being apart from her friends, family and boyfriend has actually made the relationships stronger.
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Barry talks about being the only full time mature student on his course:Barry found that the other mature students on his course were all part time, so although he could get together with them to talk about the course occasionally, they were often in at different times or not doing the same modules.
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Barry talks about mixing with younger students on his course:Barry found that he got on well with the younger students on his course by making sure he didn't act like a parent, whilst still encouraging them to be disciplined in group work.
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Beth talks about feeling more anonymous at uni compared to school:Beth didn't feel as well-known or supported by uni administration as she had at school.
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Beth talks about feeling nervous and making friends in Fresher's Week:Beth was worried she wouldn't make any friends at university but soon met a group of people similar to her.
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Beth talks about having problems with housemates:Beth lived with six friends in second year in a claustrophobic house which led to tensions ….
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Beth talks about how her friendships at uni helped her confidence:Beth describes how her friendship group at uni made her feel comfortable to be herself, to express her sense of humour and interests.
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Carla talks about becoming President of the Dance Society:Carla relished taking on responsibility for her uni's Dance Society and making it the biggest Society on campus.
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Carla talks about tensions with housemates over money:Carla explains how her and her housemates argued about sharing food and paying the bills.
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Cassam talks about finding British student life fast-paced:Cassam describes how his time was packed with activities while he was at uni.
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Cassam talks about mixing with British and international students:Cassam describes how despite many national groups sticking together at uni, he met people from lots of different countries.
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Cassam talks about starting uni in the UK and making friends:Cassam describes settling into uni life and meeting a lot of new people in the first few weeks of term.
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Damien talks about becoming more socially grounded and mature at uni:Damien describes how he initially started off with a hectic social life but began to focus more on fewer, closer friendships.
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Damien talks about hit and miss friendships:Damien describes how he made some "poor choices" with friends and relationships in second year, and relied on stronger friendships to help him get through hard times.
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Damien talks about returning to his old uni life after his work placement:Damien explains why he found it hard to readjust to uni social life after his work placement.
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Damien talks about settling into uni life:Damien describes how he found coming to uni on his own daunting but soon met people and made a life for himself.
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Danuja talks about his feelings on going back home to Sri Lanka during university vacations:Danuja identifies the positive and negative aspects of returning to Sri Lanka and how he now views the UK as his second home..
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Danuja talks about how he adapted to UK culture:Danuja initially struggled with the food and the drinking culture in the UK but found ways to overcome these cultural differences.
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Danuja talks about how he moved from only socialising with other Sri Lankans to being part of a varied social group :Danuja describes how it took around two terms for him to develop the confidence to broaden his social circle and the benefits of now knowing people from all over the world..
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Danuja talks about how his relationships with family and friends back home have changed since he came away to university:Danuja describes how he has drifted away from family and friends in Sri Lanka and does not always feel able to share problems and concerns with them as they are often on a different wavelength..
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Danuja talks about how it is more acceptable for him to work in a shop in the UK than in Sri Lanka:Danuja explains how the social class system in Sri Lanka would preclude him from working as a shop assistant but how he feels this role inspires respect from his fellow students in the UK..
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Danuja talks about not knowing what to expect upon arrival in the UK:Danuja explains how the orientation programme helped him to overcome his initial anxieties and how he gradually began to develop the confidence to integrate with others outside his own cultural group..
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Danuja talks about the skills he has needed to lead a full and active life at university:Danuja puts his success down to time management, flexibility and the confidence to try new things..
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Danuja talks about the wide range of extracurricular skills he has developed throughout his time at university:Danuja describes how having a job as well as becoming involved in volunteering and other recreational activities has developed his leadership and interpersonal skills beyond recognition.
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Danuja talks about valuing his friendships with others from Sri Lanka:Danuja feels his fellow Sri Lankans provide him with a unique connection to home and finds this reassuring, whilst also recognising there is a lot to be gained from socialising outside his comfort zone.
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Danuja talks about working part-time alongside his degree:Danuja describes his motivation to hold down a number of part-time jobs whilst studying for his degree and how this employment helped to enrich his social life..
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Dobrusia talks about being in a long distance relationship at uni:Dobrusia met her boyfriend in her first year of uni but he moved away to do a Masters in the Netherlands; she copes with missing him by talking to him on Skype, focusing on their future plans and keeping busy so that she doesn't dwell on the past.
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Dobrusia talks about finding it quite easy to make friends as an international student:Dobrusia lived in a multicultural student house, met people on her course and through her part time jobs.
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Dobrusia talks about having to pay fees to study at a British university:Dobrusia has had to take out a loan to pay for her degree here whereas she could have got her higher education for free in Poland; she felt it was worth the investment, however, because she predicts being able to pay off the loan with a good job at the end of it.
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Dobrusia talks about trying to spend enough time with her boyfriend:Dobrusia found it stressful when her and her boyfriend were studying at the same uni because they had to find enough time for each other whilst maintaining their friendships, studies and part time jobs.
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Dylan talks about balancing his study, social life and part time job:Dylan explains how he managed to have a part time job on weekends whilst studying and socialising during the week.
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Dylan talks about getting into debt:Dylan found that he spent a lot of money in first year and ran up a debt on a credit card.
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Dylan talks about having less money than other students he knew:Dylan had to be financially self-sufficient at uni while a lot of students he knew were spending their parents' money ….
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Ed talks about becoming less politically opinionated during his Politics degree:Ed describes how he started off his Politics degree with strong opinions but became more interested in how politics and the media are put together.
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Ed talks about becoming more socially open-minded:Ed describes how he got to know a variety of people at uni and learnt not to judge on first impressions .
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Ed talks about not feeling socially pressured:Ed explains that although some people he knew felt pressured to go out drinking he stuck to doing what he wanted.
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Ed talks about wishing he'd made more of his time at uni:Ed feels that in hindsight he wishes he'd done more activities, gone to extra public lectures and got to know more about his department while he was at uni .
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Ellie talks about becoming more socially confident and independent:Ellie was at first anxious to be liked and fit in but found that over time she stopped worrying and preferred to be herself.
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Ellie talks about changing her friendship group :Ellie explains that she wasn't comfortable with the friends she made in Halls in first year and that her friendship group at uni was changeable.
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Ellie talks about coping with difficult times in first year:Ellie describes how despite not always feeling socially comfortable and struggling to understand her course in first year, she felt that if she carried on things would get better.
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Emma talks about finding extra funding for her degree:Emma became worried about her student debts but found out about extra funds available to students from low income families.
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Emma talks about gaining from both positive and negative experiences of uni:Emma appreciated the level of education and intellectualism she experienced at uni but also feels she gained from negative aspects and disappointments.
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Emma talks about getting more involved in societies and campus life in her final year:Emma explains how she felt motivated in her final year to get involved in more activities, campaigns and the students' union.
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Emma talks about how studying French affected her sense of identity:Emma explains that, being half-French but not raised bilingual, she found that studying French and living in France helped her to develop her sense of national identity and explore more of her personality.
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Emma talks about making friends while working abroad:Emma describes how she met people in Paris by getting involved in a variety of social activities.
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Emma talks about regretting rushing into her friendship group in first year:Emma became friends with people in her Halls but later found that they weren't her kind of people and regretted moving in with them in second year ….
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Emma talks about starting at uni after a gap year:Emma explains how having had a gap year she found starting at uni a bit disappointing because a lot of the new experiences for other Freshers weren't a novelty for her.
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Georgina talks about being extravagant with her money:Georgina initially spent a lot of money on shopping and travelling, and found it difficult not to be influenced by friends who were doing the same.
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Georgina talks about enjoying society socials :Georgina went to a lot of different society and club socials as a way to meet new people and try out different things.
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Georgina talks about finding university a useful step towards becoming independent:Georgina explains how she found being at uni helped her learn to manage her own time and money.
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Georgina talks about how being at uni changed her relationships with people from home:Georgina found that while she was away she came to appreciate her family more but drifted away from a lot of old friends.
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Georgina talks about not finding enough time to do everything she wanted at uni:Georgina thought three years was a long time to do all the social activities she was interested in but now wishes she'd done more when she had the time in first year.
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Henry talks about becoming more confident and closer to friends:Henry was shy before coming to uni but now finds it much easier to talk to new people; he also found that living with friends meant that he developed much closer bonds with them.
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Henry talks about being 'groomed' for uni and doubting the value of it:Henry describes how most people in his sixth form went to university and he felt dragged along with everyone else despite not feeling very motivated to go; looking back he is still uncertain whether it was worth it for him.
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Henry talks about spending a lot of money and feeling socially pressured:Henry explains that he spent a lot of money in his first two years at uni and sometimes found it difficult to avoid the social pressure to go out and have fun.
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Henry talks about wishing he'd done more sport at uni:Henry explains that socialising with friends dominated his spare time and how looking back he wishes he'd become more seriously involved in some sport societies.
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Hermione talks about how she coped when difficulties in her personal life distracted her from studying:Hermione found being open and honest with her friends and with university staff helped her to cope during difficult times..
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Hermione talks about making friends and socialising at university:Hermione initially found making friends difficult and was often put off by alcohol-fuelled social activities.
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Hermione talks about the impact of university on her sense of identity:Hermione explains how the diversity of people and experiences at university have contributed hugely to her personal development and sense of identity.
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Hermione talks about the pressure to 'fit in' at university and overcoming this:Hermione describes how as time went on she became less concerned about being 'one of the gang' and found others with common interests who she felt more comfortable socialising with.
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Hermione talks about the range of extracurricular activities she took part in during her time at university:Hermione found getting involved in the drama society and hockey club as well as volunteering for the British Red Cross helped her to make friends and develop her experience and skills..
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Imogen talks about how her living situation changed whilst at university:Imogen describes the ups and downs of living in Halls in her first year and sharing a house with 10 of her friends in second year..
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Imogen talks about maintaining friendships with people from home who didn't go to university:Imogen tells why her bonds with friends at university are stronger than with friends from home and how this can cause friction at times.
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Imogen talks about managing her money at university:Imogen describes the tactics she employed to ensure she was able to keep on top of her finances during the academic year.
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Imogen talks about managing her time at university and the skills she gained from having a part-time job:Imogen explains how having a part-time job helped make her more employable by developing skills that were very different to those nurtured in her degree programme.
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Imogen talks about supporting herself financially at university:Imogen explains why it was important for her to be realistic about money from the outset and how living in Halls helped her to manage her budget.
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Imogen talks about the things that helped her settle into university despite not knowing what to expect:Imogen feels her gap year helped her become more prepared for university and realised the importance of looking for help when she needed it during her first year.
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Isobel talks about becoming a lot more confident to be herself:Isobel found that being at uni helped her to become independent and know herself better.
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Isobel talks about becoming less attached to people from home:Isobel explains that now she has lived independently at uni she feels less inclined to go home and has drifted from some friends who didn't move away .
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Isobel talks about finding her uni experience worth the debt:Isobel explains that although she sometimes worries about her student debts, she feels that it was a loan worth having and is fairly manageable to pay back.
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Isobel talks about finding uni life unpredictable:Isobel found that she ended up doing things at uni which she had never expected to do and found it important to throw herself into new experiences.
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Isobel talks about having a difficult Summer in France:Isobel describes how she struggled with living alone in an isolated rural French village.
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Isobel talks about her involvement in uni societies:Isobel found that setting up a language teaching society and volunteering with the Girl Guides gave her both a break from her course and a sense of achievement.
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Isobel talks about how her negative experience in France made her stronger:Isobel wanted to quit her work experience in France but decided to stay and prove to herself she could do it.
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Isobel talks about learning to say no to social pressures:Isobel felt that as her degree went on she needed to prioritise studying more and had to overcome social pressures to go out instead.
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Isobel talks about meeting people while working abroad:Isobel explains that she first met people through work and said yes to most social opportunities as a way of widening her new circle of friends.
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Isobel talks about preparing for and adjusting to uni life:Isobel prepared for coming to uni by talking to other students beforehand and adjusted by getting involved in the social life.
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James talks about the difficulties of choosing housemates so soon into his first year:James was disappointed to have to move to a different area to some of his friends from Halls and found this process quite stressful .
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James talks about the difficulties of having a relationship at university and missing people from home:James identifies how relationships and friendships are all affected by going away to university and recalls his own and his friends' experiences of this.
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James talks about the impact of the university experience on his self identity:James feels university helped him to mature as a person and develop the skills needed to cope in the real world.
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Jane talks about feeling more socially relaxed as a mature student than many of the younger undergrads:Jane found that as a mature student she felt more confident than the younger students to move around the class to meet different people and talk to the lecturers.
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Jane talks about making friends with younger students:Jane enjoyed socialising with the younger undergraduates on her course and found that they could relate to each other because they had the subject in common.
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Jane talks about wishing she'd got more involved in her course's social life:Jane feels, in retrospect, that she could have become more involved in social activites with course mates, to get to know more of them better.
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Jasmine talks about appreciating uni as a unique life experience:Jasmine found that for her going to uni wasn't so important for gaining specific practical skills but more for providing her with the general experience of living independently, meeting new people and balancing priorities.
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Jasmine talks about balancing her study, social life and part time job:Jasmine explains how she learnt to prioritise her commitments and how having an understanding employer helped her to put study first.
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Jasmine talks about finding her housemates frustrating:Jasmine sometimes became annoyed with housemates who weren't working and didn't put as much effort into looking after the house even though she was at work all day
.
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Jasmine talks about friends not pressuring her to socialise:Jasmine found that although there was a certain amount of social pressure to go out a lot, her friends were usually understanding when she had to study or go to work instead .
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Jasmine talks about having difficulties moving in with friends in second year:Jasmine moved into a shared house with friends in second year but found that there were some problems with people changing their minds about who they wanted to live with.
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Jasmine talks about how working part time helped her manage her money:Jasmine found that she spent a lot of money in first year and needed a part time job to support her throughout the rest of her degree
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Jasmine talks about making friends with her first year flatmates:Jasmine explains that though she'd expected to make most of her friends on her course she found she got on really well with the people she lived with in her first year accommodation.
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Jasmine talks about skills she gained from her part time job:Jasmine explains how her part time job in a call centre enhanced her communication skills and ability to take on responsibility, which she feels will help her get a job after graduation.
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Jasmine talks about wanting to extend her social life beyond knowing only students:Jasmine wanted to meet a variety of people rather than limiting herself to only knowing other students on campus and found that having a job helped her widen her social circle
.
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Jasmine talks about working alongside her degree:Jasmine found that working part time became just as important to her as doing her degree, as she needed the money and also found it helped her to become more experienced and independent than uni study did.
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Joanne talks about a falling out between two of her friendship groups which she found pointless:Joanne explains why she tried to stay out of the firing line when her friends were arguing, and how the situation eventually resolved itself.
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Joanne talks about adapting to a busy social schedule and the importance of balancing study and socialising:Joanne wasn't used to going out in the evenings so much in the States and found she had to adapt her study schedule to accommodate a hectic social life.
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Joanne talks about adjusting to living with her family again during university holidays:Joanne describes how she enjoys her home comforts during vacation time but soon feels ready to come back to university..
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Joanne talks about how her friendships with people back in the US have changed since starting university and since coming to the UK:Joanne describes how she has naturally drifted apart from her high school friends and why she thinks it is healthy for relationships to evolve in this way.
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Joanne talks about how university has encouraged her to ask questions about the kind of person she is:Joanne has embraced the challenges that university has posed to her self identity and tries to keep an open mind in order that she is continually able to develop as a person throughout her time as a student
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Joanne talks about studying Sociology as a visiting student, what her subject means to her and how she feels it will influence her future plans:Joanne reveals that she is studying Sociology due to her interest in the subject despite others' scepticism of the career opportunities it will afford..
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Joanne talks about the challenges of managing her money independently for the first time:Joanne found running out of money in her first term forced her to be stricter with her spending so that she was able to survive the rest of the year.
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Joanne talks about the experience of making friends at university in a new country:Joanne initially made friends with her housemates but explains why it was important for her not to restrict herself to just one group of friends.
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Justin talks about becoming socially confident:Justin tried to fit in with the people he met in first year but realised that he preferred to meet people more like him and do his own thing.
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Justin talks about changed relationships with people from home:Justin found that being away at uni improved his relationship with his parents by making it less intense but his connection to people from home became more distant and boring in comparison to friendships he made at uni.
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Justin talks about feeling disconnected from uni life and his course in first year:Justin wasn't particularly enjoying his course in first year and didn't spend a lot of time at uni, but ended up feeling more motivated in second year when the modules started to interest him.
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Justin talks about finding uni social life and lecturers very different to what he was used to:Justin describes his first term at uni as a shock because he had lived a fairly secluded life in the countryside and wasn't used to being around so many people; he also had to get used to having distant, professional relationships with his lecturers.
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Justin talks about learning to live independently in his student house:Justin found moving in with friends a useful way to learn to take responsibility but had to deal with a difficult housemate.
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Kasim talks about avoiding taking out a student loan:Kasim worked three jobs while he was at college and during his gap year to avoid having to take out a student loan but spent a lot of his savings in first year.
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Kasim talks about choosing a university far from his home town:Kasim decided not to go to university open days because he felt they would exaggerate about being more wonderful than they were, and decided to base his choice on the furthest location from his home town.
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Kasim talks about feeling that he was singled out unfairly by a tutor:Kasim had an argument with a tutor because he felt she humiliated him in a lecture for giving an answer to a question which she didn't understand.
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Kasim talks about losing touch with friends from home:Kasim doesn't speak to many of his old friends and the ones he has stayed in touch with he only talks to now and again; he finds his long-lasting friendships have been made at uni.
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Kasim talks about making friends despite his social anxiety:Kasim finds it difficult to socialise in big groups and managed to make friends by being introduced gradually to people on an individual basis.
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Kasim talks about not knowing anyone during the first four weeks of uni:Kasim came a long way from home to go to university and knew no one there; his people phobia made it difficult to get to know other students and adjust to a new social scene.
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Kasim talks about the culture shock he experienced moving away from home:Kasim was overwhelmed by the multiethnic population and noise in his university city after coming from a quieter, almost entirely white town. Having adjusted to his new life he now finds his home town more shocking and prefers not to go back.
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Kasim talks about the majority of students at his university coming from the local area:Kasim observes that local students get a bad reputation at his university for forming huge, exclusive cliques which spend a lot of time socialising in the students' union.
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Kasim talks about university helping him to overcome his shyness:Kasim can tell how much he's changed from having had the confidence to take part in this interview, as he knows that in first year he wouldn't have dared talk at length about himself to a complete stranger.
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Lauren talks about how having a part time job affected her social life and studying:Lauren found that having a job meant she missed out on a lot of things her friends were doing and made her sometimes feel too tired when she was trying to study.
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Lauren talks about making close friendships at uni:Lauren describes how important her friendships are to her because she knows her friends are there for each other and care about her.
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Lauren talks about making friends in Halls on her year abroad:Lauren went along to the bar in her Halls by herself to meet people and found that she quickly felt welcome there.
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Lauren talks about personality clashes in her friendship group:Lauren made a large group of friends with people she lived with in Halls and found that one girl she agreed to move in with in second year rubbed people up the wrong way ….
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Lauren talks about returning from her year abroad:Lauren found it hard to return from her year abroad because she'd made close friends and had such a good time in Germany.
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Lauren talks about spending her money quickly in first year and needing a job:Lauren found that her money disappeared very quickly in her first year and had to increase her shifts at work
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Lauren talks about wanting to support herself through uni but worrying about money:Lauren's parents offered to help her financially through uni but she opted to work instead; though she's glad to be independent she admits that she worries a lot about money and often resents her job.
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Leila talks about making friends at university with people different to her home friends:Leila describes how she enjoyed the diversity of values, personality and background that existed amongst her fellow students and how these differences made her feel comfortable to be herself.
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Leila talks about making the transition from school to university:Leila describes why university was initially quite daunting after the familiarity of school and why it took her longer to settle in than she would have liked.
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Leila talks about the positive impact university has had on her self awareness and development:Leila now has a more definite sense of self identity as well as greater awareness of her own professional and personal strengths and weaknesses.
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Leila talks about the system she used to manage her finances and the value she places on money:Leila's difficulties with managing her budget in her first year forced her to cope with very little money which she found less gruelling than expected.
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Linda talks about actively pursuing her interests at uni:Linda explains how being at uni encouraged her to have the confidence to take the initiative and act upon her beliefs.
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Linda talks about becoming closer to uni friends than her friends from home:Linda turned to her home friends a lot in first year but found that as time went on she became closer to friends at uni who had been there through her highs, lows and changes.
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Linda talks about feeling unhappy with her university and course:Linda found in her first term that she wasn't enjoying either the university or the course because she felt overwhelmed, homesick and that she should be studying something else.
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Linda talks about how she made the decision to leave her first course:Linda describes want she went through when deciding to leave her first university at the end of her first term.
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Linda talks about learning to cope with feeling low:Linda initially turned to family and friends for support when she felt down but gradually learnt to build up an inner resilience to help her get through it.
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Linda talks about rising to challenges and developing her sense of identity:Linda feels that going to uni helped her both to explore who she really is and to learn from having to face things she found difficult.
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Linda talks about settling in to the uni environment:Linda realised that she had started to settle in when she missed her uni friends over the Christmas holidays and got involved in campus life in first year.
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Linda talks about starting at uni for a second time after leaving her previous course:Linda felt extremely nervous about starting at her second university having been unhappy at a previous one but settled in by keeping herself busy and meeting new people.
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Linda talks about the highs and lows of her friendships:Linda found constantly making new, close friends throughout uni one of the highs of her social life at uni but also found times when friends argued frustrating, particularly because having had a gap year she felt some people were immature.
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Louise talks about changing relationships with her family and friends at home:Louise tells how her university experience put a strain on her relationship with her mum and why she never thought she would be part of the friendship group she fell in with.
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Louise talks about how drugs changed her as a person:Louise describes the panic and anxiety she felt on drugs, the effect this has had on her long term and what she has learned from the experience.
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Louise talks about how she feels about paying for her university education:Louise explains why she is opposed to tuition fees and considers the impact of these on the expectations she had of the quality of the teaching on her course.
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Louise talks about not needing to worry about money at university:Louise feels privileged that she didn't need to take out a student loan as her mum was able to cover her accommodation fees.
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Louise talks about taking drugs for the first time in her first year: :Louise describes how she 'slipped into' taking drugs on a regular basis during her first six months at university and the life changing experience this eventually culminated in.
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Louise talks about the academic and personal challenges she faced as a consequence of her study abroad placement in Alaska:Louise explains why adapting to a new way of studying in Alaska was less problematic than trying to maintain her relationship and friendships with those back home.
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Louise talks about the gradual yet profound way in which university has changed her sense of identity :Louise feels university, like any life experience, has fundamentally shaped the person she is and the way in which she has 'grown up'.
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Louise talks about the highs and lows of her university career and the constant balancing act between her social life and her academic commitments:Louise was demotivated by the lack of academic pressure in first year and despite overcoming this, the beginning of a new relationship half way through her second year meant her studies were not prioritised.
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Louise talks about the skills and experience she has gained at university both in and outside her degree:Louise identifies analytical thinking as the main skill she has developed during her degree, alongside her involvement in protest groups and other societies which has contributed to her sense of identity.
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Louise talks about why university for her was more about gaining life experience than improving her job prospects:Louise saw university primarily as a chance to broaden her horizons and experience new things before entering the world of work.
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Lucy talks about experiencing culture shock:Lucy describes how she went through a long period of anxious cultural readjustment because it took time to get to know people, understand British social customs and adapt to feeling like an outsider.
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Lucy talks about feeling conspicuous as an international student:Lucy explains how as an American international student she found British English language usage very different to what she was used to and that her accent sometimes meant she had to deal with national prejudice.
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Lucy talks about feeling penalised for not knowing about British cultural norms:Lucy explains how there were certain situations in which she felt that people expected her to know British social rules and dismissed her for not understanding.
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Lucy talks about finding the British dating culture very different to that of the US:Lucy describes how she was confused by what seemed to be a relationship with a British guy but turned out not to be ….
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Lucy talks about getting over her lowest ebb:Lucy describes the hardest point of her uni experience when she was feeling most isolated and homesick, but decided to turn her situation around.
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Lucy talks about having problems with her Halls of Residence:Lucy explains how her student accommodation made her transition to uni in the UK harder because it was so isolated.
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Lucy talks about hiding away when she first got to the UK:Lucy was in an isolated Hall with people who were intimidated by her as the only native English speaker; at first she hid in her room, talking to friends from home online but eventually felt that she needed to meet people here.
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Lucy talks about how being an international student has affected her sense of national identity:Lucy explains how having studied in the UK she has become more aware of how huge and varied the US is, and now feels that a large part of her identity has been affected by her experience of British culture.
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Lucy talks about how she socially integrated as an international student:Lucy started to build up a life for herself in the UK by spending more time in her art studio, tagging along with coursemates to the pub and getting into a daily routine .
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Lucy talks about overcoming the temptation to quit and go home:Lucy feels proud of herself for sticking with her course despite wanting to quit and go home several times.
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Lucy talks about struggling with British social customs:Lucy found that British social behaviour was very cautious compared to what she was used to in the US, with people tending to gossip and extract information rather than approaching each other directly.
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Lucy talks about what she feels she's gained from being an international student:Lucy feels that being an international student has made her more confident to deal with difficult situations and more able to relate to other people who are struggling.
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Lucy talks about why she would recommend being an international student:Lucy explains why she thinks being an international student is an experience she would recommend to anybody who has the courage to do it because of the positive change it tends to lead to.
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Lynn talks about having mixed feelings over her lack of participation in sport at university:Lynn wishes she had joined more societies but found many of the sports clubs too cliquey and was turned off by the peer pressure to get drunk on nights out.
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Lynn talks about her tendency to feel homesick when things weren't going smoothly at uni:Lynn was surprised to feel homesick at university having been away on her gap year but feels it is a natural part of being in a new environment that most students experience at some stage.
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Lynn talks about her term abroad and why it felt like she was starting uni again from scratch:Lynn found the lack of a social scene in Canada quite isolating after what she had become used to at uni in the UK; this was particularly difficult to cope with on her 21st birthday!.
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Lynn talks about how easy she found it to make friends:Lynn explains why making friends was much easier than she expected because everyone was in the same situation, sharing common anxieties and experiences.
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Lynn talks about the frustration of going to live back at home during the holidays:Lynn is apprehensive about living at home after graduating, having previously struggled to revert back to the role of 'daughter' during university vacations.
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