I was attracted to Loughborough University because of the family feel that the campus had to it. When I came to the campus during an open day, I immediately felt like I was at home. I knew that I would be able to settle into life here eventually and that I would be able to find my place. I also liked that although the campus was big enough for me not to feel trapped, it was small enough that I was not too overwhelmed with the amount of people that were around. The people that I met on my open day also played into my decision a lot as they all seemed so invested in what they were showing me and the stories that they were sharing and you could tell that they genuinely meant what they were saying.

Before coming to University, I was worried about being away from home for the first time ever. I was concerned that I wouldn’t find any friends as I was coming to university at a later stage to others and I was scared that I would be left on my own with no clue what I was doing. I was worried that I’d get lost or that I wouldn’t know what to do.

I was surprised at how many opportunities there were outside of studying. I’d always thought that university would be like other educational institutions where there was a set weekly timetable and then you were left to it, but I was relieved to find that there was much more flexibility and there were other things to engage in during my spare time. I was also surprised about how much support there was available for students as I had thought that we were expected to be fully independent straight away and be able to deal with our own problems, but I quickly found out that this was not the case at all.

I found the first few weeks of university to be a mixed bag of emotions. I’m a very introverted person and suffer with a chronic anxiety disorder and so I can find it quite daunting to be in public spaces where there are masses of people. This meant that during some of the bigger events during Freshers, I found it difficult to manage my anxiety, but I was extremely lucky that I had a really understanding hall committee who went out of their way to make sure that I was as comfortable as possible. I found it quite difficult to be away from home at first, but I was quickly distracted with university work and extra-curricular activities and time began to fly by. I began to settle in the most when I was introduced to LSU Action in my second/third week of university. I had the opportunity to go out and help in the local community and I was able to begin to meet new people in more relaxed environments.

My advice to anyone considering coming to Loughborough University is take the time to come on an open day and get a feel for the campus and what is on offer. When I attended my open day, it made me realise that this was the place that I really wanted to be, and I felt a sense of belonging almost immediately. Ask questions to people that offer to give their time to you, they are all there to help and it can really open your eyes to the opportunities that are available. Hearing from people that are experiencing life at Loughborough makes it a lot more personable as you know that they are speaking their truth.