Why you should come to a Southampton Open Day

July is the season for university open days and this, of course, includes the University of Southampton.

This year the Open Days are on the 9th and 10th of July – this weekend! - and later on the 3rd and 4th of September.

Open Days are a great opportunity to experience campus life, meet what might be your future lecturers, see the halls and in general, hopefully, get a good taste of what it’s like to be a student at Southampton.

I wrote a blog post about Open Days last year, sharing what I still think are some good tips to keep in mind. To summarise it quickly;

• There’s no such thing as a dumb question, so prepare some questions and remember to ask them to the appropriate people. Keep hold of your bus ticket and program of the day.

• You will most likely only be shown one of the halls of residence on the Open Day, so remember if you’re not sure, there are loads of other halls to choose from. I dare to say Southampton has halls to fit everyone and every budget.

Before any of this, though, you need to book your place for the Open Days. It doesn’t take long and is essential in order to attend. When this is done, the University provides you with an online step-by-step guide to prepare you and make sure you have everything you need for your day. They help you with everything from planning your journey to campus including parking, viewing the program and planning where on campus you can stop for a coffee. It’s always good to be prepared.

The difference between the Open Day and just visiting the University independently is that on the Open Day you get to actually meet other students who are doing the course you are interested in and the staff who teach them. This is why the Open Days are the best option you have to get a proper taste of the student life and opportunities Southampton can offer.

However, as mentioned there is the possibility of visiting the University independently and getting a Campus Tour around the Highfield campus. If you want a guided tour outside of the Open Days, you will still need to register and these tours are not subject specific. Tours for your potential specific department need to be arranged separately. Although these options are there, if you have the chance, do go to the Open Day.

The great thing about a university like Southampton is that they like to be one step ahead – meaning that if you are unable to attend the Open Days in person, you can use their Vitrual Open Day. This is especially a good idea if you are a prospective international student and don’t have the chance to travel to England. It’s also good if you can’t get to Southampton very easily too! The Virtual Open Day takes you to see the different campuses and halls Southampton have to offer. Furthermore, it takes you through all the main topics such as fees and funding, your career after graduation, student life and the city of Southampton.

Universities are so much more than just international and domestic rankings. Choosing the right university is essential because it’s your new home for the next three or four years, so putting some extra time and effort into it will pay off.

There are also Open Days for the Winchester School of Art campus. If your chosen subject is located in Winchester, you can visit the campus on 3rd September this year! Again, booking is essential.

It is genuinely hard to find a picture which does justice to how beautiful our campuses are. Since Avenue Campus is being revamped, I thought I’d post a picture of what Avenue looks like in the spring without all the scaffolding!

If you’re coming to the Open Days this weekend, I hope you have a fantastic time!

Alexandra