I chose #SouthamptonBecause...

...it was the only university I could see myself attending.

There is a little theme on the blog this December, which involve us bloggers telling the story of why we chose to study at the University of Southampton.

If someone has followed this blog for a long time you might remember that I have talked a bit about this already in my first blog post and in my #LoveSouthampton post last year.

Now I’m dedicating one whole post to explain why I chose Southampton and why it was the best decision I have made.

I’ve never tried to ‘sugar-coat’ why I chose Southampton – it was random and quite unexpected. My mind was set on another university and as the offers came back I also got my offer from Southampton. All my conditional offers expected the same grades, so it wasn’t the conditional offer on UCAS that made me do a 360 spin on my choice.

It was the emails informing me so well about halls, university life and international student services offered at Southampton that made me feel (weirdly enough) at home.

When I first got the email about the brand new halls being built at the time (Mayflower Halls) I could see myself living there in contrast to the other universities, and that is obviously the most important thing.

The strange thing with applying for university is that, in the process, you get so caught up with rankings rather than really looking into what the university has to offer. Universities are so much more than rankings, although I’m not complaining that Southampton consistently ranks as one of the top universities in England, Europe and the world.

It is important to remember that you are not only choosing a university; you are also choosing your new city which you will call home for the next three or four years, and it needs to feel right.

That is not to say that I didn’t doubt myself before I actually accepted my offer. I was terrified of going abroad and moving away from my home, friends and family. Fast forward a little, and I accepted my offer at Southampton and was incredibly lucky to also get my first choice of accommodation; Mayflower Halls.

I still believe this is the best choice I have ever made so far in life and, although I had certain expectations of how it would be, I could not have imagined how incredibly brilliant it turned out. It has exceeded all expectations. I was recently reading an article that one-third of Southampton students stay in Southampton after graduating, and I must say - it doesn’t surprise me at all.

Two years later, and I have:

• accumulated knowledge and skills which I know will be valuable for the future
• read hundreds of academic articles and written dozens of essays and coursework
• been taught (and obviously am still being taught) by great and inspiring lecturers who are experts in their fields
• seen a whole new part of Southampton and England
• met friends for life from every corner of the world
• found a quite alright boyfriend as well!

I could go on forever, but here are some pictures to illustrate why I love Southampton so much. Trust me when I say this; if someone told me to write a 2000-word essay on Southampton and why I love it here it would be the easiest essay I have ever written, and I’m only sorry I couldn’t post my whole camera roll here because I truly have the best memories from the last two years here.

#SouthamptonBecause of the city, sunsets and history; Walking to explore the city with friends, Southampton sunsets and interesting history, cruise ships and all the exciting things they bring with them; like the queen visiting Southampton last year.

 #SouthamptonBecauseof  its closeness to fabulous destinations; London, Bournemouth and Winchester. I wasn’t exactly complaining when one of my modules were invited to a workshop in the cabinet office a couple of weeks ago in London.

 #SouthamptonBecause of all the stuff you can get involved with on and off campus; Guide dogs visiting campus, farmers market every week, surfing taster session in Bournemouth and football matches at St. Marys to mention a few.

 #SouthamptonBecause of its hidden beautiful streets and lush Sunday brunches

 #SouthamptonBecause the boyfriend and his (my adoptive English) family take me out to see cool places like last Sunday at Longleat safari park and lantern festival.

 #SouthamptonBecause of this cat, who I have named Albert and who loves to sleep in the newly refurbished area in Building 58. I think he loves the refurbished area even more than the students!

And if you quickly want to see 10 simple examples; I chose #SouthamptonBecause of…

1. Its great, talented and caring lecturers
2. The beautiful and innovative campuses
3. Our library
4. Research conducted on highly important issues (cancer immunology and Alzheimer’s among others)
5. Research you can be proud of because it has been conducted at your university
6. Halls suited for every type of person
7. Over 250 different societies and clubs to join
8. Unilink buses always getting you to campus from every part of town
9. The Union and everything they organise during the year (anyone else remember the llamas on campus before summer?)
10. Staff who care about you and want you to succeed

It’s safe to say if I could choose again, I would choose Southampton!

Alexandra

Success at Southampton

On Wednesday 25th November I was wandering around campus at the Postgraduate Open Day, since my initial plan for this post was to write about that. However, I spotted signs for something entirely different and thought I would wander in and see what was going on. It turns out that I had walked into the interviews for the University of Southampton’s SUCCESS scholarship scheme for Civil Engineers. Being from Social Sciences I had never heard of the scheme, so I was interested to learn more about what was going on. Fortunately a few of the students who were waiting for their interview to start agreed to talk to me. I wasn’t able to catch their names, but thank you to those who took the time to chat!

So what is the SUCCESS scholarship?

“It’s not just a scholarship. We are being interviewed by representatives from different companies within the industry who take on students from first to third year for 8-10 week paid internships over summer. Once you are successful in getting a place, you also receive a bursary to help you with your studies whilst at University.”

So what year are you in?

“Most of us are in our first year. Some of us had written our application for the scheme before we even started University in September, because they have to be sent off by the middle of October.”

Wow that’s pretty intense – what made you want to apply for the scheme?

“Loads of different things really; it’s a unique opportunity to gain industry experience and develop a professional network. There are really not many opportunities like this, because work experience is notoriously difficult to get as a Civil Engineer and this is so much more than just experience! We’ve heard from students who are already part of the scheme and they’re in such a strong position when they graduate, as they have on the job training and have created such good links with the company that they worked for. It’s a bit strange to be in first semester of our first year thinking about job security in the future, but this scheme means that the successful applicants won’t have to worry as much about that when they graduate.

Plus unlike a lot of internships, this is a paid position, so getting the experience isn’t a financial burden, which means that everyone is able to apply and doesn’t have to worry about not being able to afford it.”

Dressed to impress – Two of the students who I spoke to

I’m impressed, it took me until third year to feel ready for a formal interview! How has the University supported you in prepping for the interview?

"The Engineering department held workshops to help prepare for the interview, and you can ask for personal help if you need it. The department has definitely set us up to succeed - there isn’t anywhere else that provides you with an opportunity like this right off the bat!"

Thanks – and good luck with the interviews!



The SUCCESS Scholarship team very kindly invited me to stick around for lunch which gave me the opportunity to talk to some of the industry reps and a student who was currently on the scheme.



So from an industry perspective – why are you part of the programme, and why Southampton in particular?

“I think the main point is to improve links between industry and students, and to start making those links when students are in their first and second year. The thing about Engineering at Southampton that makes it so attractive for us is that the department produces good engineers year in, year out. As well this being very good for business, we provide on the job training across a range of developments so when the student graduates, they can start working for us from day one; they know the company and they know how we work, so they are ideal recruits! Of course, because they have such great experience, we have to encourage them to stay with us. Usually they have several companies offering them jobs"

Everyone approves of the free lunch

What do you think you gained from the six-week placement?

"So much I don’t know where to start. I think a big benefit was the friends that I made within the company. As an intern you are treated as a regular member of the team, and that makes a big difference – to feel so valued when you are just starting out. It’s going to have a huge impact on my dissertation as well, because I know people in the business that I can talk to and get advice from. I have such great links with the people in the industry, and that’s invaluable really."

Do you have any advice for people applying for the scheme next year?

"Research the company that you are applying for a position with - sometimes students get confused about which company they are interviewing with. The applicants that stand out are the ones who show good knowledge of the company and what they feel they can bring to the team, even if that’s just enthusiasm. Talk to students who are on the programme in the year above as well; they are the best source of information for those who are unsure what the work will be like and what will be expected of them."

Dedicated student ambassadors directing people to the right place at the Postgraduate Open Day

Tika Widyaningtyas representing social sciences at the Postgraduate Open Day

I know it’s strange for someone studying within the Social Sciences to be writing about opportunities for Civil Engineers but honestly, after talking to everyone, I was so jealous that I was thinking of switching disciplines…! Well maybe not, but still I wish I had been able to practice job applications and interviews when I was in first year!

I would hate to leave without mentioning the Postgraduate Open Day which was on the same day. I really recommend coming to an Open Day if you are interested in Postgraduate study. It’s a great chance to talk to lecturers and current students who can give you a unique perspective on the particular benefits of studying that course at Southampton. For those of you who couldn’t make it to the talks today the Welcome and Finance talks were recorded and are available online, and you can tour the campus using the University’s Virtual Open Day!

Emma

Mark your calendar: September Open Days

September will soon be upon us, which means there are loads of exciting things coming up. Hopefully a lot of people reading this blog are excited because they have been accepted to Southampton and will be joining us in September. Or maybe you’re thinking of visiting on the Open Day and starting to apply to universities for next year!

The September Open Days for the University of Southampton are coming up very soon. Two weeks from tomorrow to be precise!

I personally did not visit on an Open Day and I honestly can’t say that I regret it tremendously. However, after being a student ambassador at a recent Open Day it struck me what a great opportunity an Open Day actually is. I know I learned a thing or two about the University and the campus that I didn’t know before, even though the Open Day was 5/6 months after I started uni!

Therefore, I have some advice and tips for the upcoming Open Day that I want to share with you.

During the Open Day you will be able to meet some prospective lecturers, attend taster sessions, go on campus and accommodation tours, meet with current students (student ambassadors), sometimes even alumni ambassadors show up and you can meet the staff who work within the admission team.

In other words, it’s a great opportunity to really get the feel of what the University of Southampton has to offer.

The first bit of this post is slightly obvious. I advise you to ask ALL of the different questions you have, no matter what! Stop a student ambassador and ask them about the course; what does he/she like about the course? What has been the biggest adjustment at university? You can ask about halls, nightlife, Freshers’ Week, optional modules, sporting facilities, societies, the library…anything! Make sure you also ask the lecturers and other staff about course content, readings, assessments, academic tutors, workshops, tutorials and optional modules.

Bringing a small notebook where you can write down your questions in advance or to take notes from the information provided on the open day is a good idea.

The whole purpose of the Open Day is for you to decide if Southampton is the university for you, so remember that there are absolutely no ‘stupid’ questions and you can never ask too many!

This brings me on to the next part, which I think is very important to remember, regardless of whether you are a prospective student or parent.

It’s important that you distinguish between the student ambassadors and the staff. As mentioned, you should ask all the questions you might have, but in order to get the best response, make sure you ask the ‘right’ person. For example, if you are curious about internships you can ask your student ambassador if they have had any internships or what they know about internship opportunities. But, to get the best response, you should also ask the staff/lectures. They have (probably) been around longer than the student ambassadors and they are connected to all the students regardless of what year they are in. This means that they can tell you about the current internships opportunities, but also what current AND previous students have been doing.

The same applies to questions about admission and conditional offers. If you are worried you might not meet your conditional offer, maybe something in your personal statement will secure your place. It might be a good idea to ask staff about personal statements, but bear in mind that all applications are different and no one at the Open Day can tell you if your application will be accepted!

Highfield Campus

Going on a Campus Tour is a standard part of the open day. So, when you first arrive, go on the campus tour! Touring around the main Highfield Campus is a good way familiarise yourself with the ‘heart’ of the University.

Depending on your course, the majority of your lectures may be at another campus. For example, Ocean and Earth Science students will study at both Highfield Campus and the Waterfront Campus. Humanities students will be at Avenue Campus a lot, whilst Medicine students will be at Southampton General Hospital. Highfield Campus, despite this, is still extremely relevant for all students, because Highfield is more than just lecture halls. It’s where you find the Hartley Library, which is the largest of all the University libraries, as well as the connection point for all the Uni-link buses, and the location for the University Health Service and the Students’ Union (SUSU).

In other words, Highfield will always be relevant for you and it is, in my opinion, one of the nicest places in Southampton! A little ‘botanical garden’ within the city, as I like to call it.

One of my favourite buildings on campus – The Hartley Library 

The same advice goes for the accommodation tour, but I recommend that you visit the University’s accommodation pages and read about the different types of accommodation offered before you go. The University offers all types of accommodation within the different halls, but unfortunately you can’t view all of them on the Open Day. If the accommodation you see on the tour isn’t ideal for you, fear not! I guarantee you will find a hall that fits your needs.

You should ask your student ambassador about accommodation, because almost all of us will have lived in halls at least for our first year. For example, if you have seen a specific hall you like, but this is not the hall shown on the accommodation tour, ask your student ambassador about it! Chances are that the student ambassador has lived there or will know someone who has.

Some other questions you might like to ask yourself when looking at accommodation include;

• How far away from Highfield Campus will you want to live?
• Do you have a budget?
• Should I opt for catered or non-catered halls?

If you are unsure what the best choice is, ask the student ambassadors what they preferred and hopefully this will help you!

My last piece of advice would be to eat all the food offered at the Open Day! There is usually some really good food, with lots of refreshments available on campus - or you could visit the street food and general market down in the City Centre when you are done! There are plenty of place to eat when you visit.

The view from Mayflower Park in the City Centre

I hope those who are attending the Open day finds this helpful and that you enjoy your visit!

Alexandra