Ros
They say time goes quickly when you’re having fun, and I can certainly vouch for that! My name is Ros and I am in my second year student studying for a BSc Geography degree. Perhaps like many, when I first decided to study Geography at university, I wasn’t really sure which aspect of the subject I liked the most. The first year here at Leicester gave me a solid grounding in all aspects of Geography – human, physical and the ever-developing digital branch – and allowed me to know that the choices I made for second year were the right ones.
I find the teaching in the department really good! A range of teaching styles are used, from whole year lectures, small group tutorials, and the ever important field trips and laboratory work. The wide variety of contact types means that you are always getting to meet new people, and the lecturers are also always willing to help you – whether it is answering a question at the end of the lecture, or seeing you during their office hours.
We had a fun-filled field trip to Exeter during the Easter holidays of the first year. What was great about this trip was that everything we had been learning about in lectures came to life in the field. It also provided an opportunity for me to really get to know other students on the course, as well as the lecturers.
University is not all about studying and outside work I am involved in several societies. I am the Hiking Club Captain this academic year, and while it is quite a commitment, I am definitely enjoying the new challenges it carries. The Geography Society and the University Concert Band and Orchestra provide nice breaks in the evenings. I am looking forward to the many more adventures that the rest of my time here will bring!
At the same time as being a relatively small campus, Leicester has everything you need on it: food outlets, book stores, stationers, cash machines etc. It’s also nice to not have to worry about being late for lectures when you have to dash from one end of the campus to the other for the next slot in the timetable! The facilities on campus are really good too, with a library and Students' Union (home to an O2 academy) that are only a couple of years old, and a new gym facility. Campus is perfectly situated next to Victoria Park too, so when you’ve got a break between lectures and it’s a nice sunny day, it’s great to be able to pop over to the park to relax.
Leicester itself has a wide variety of entertainment venues to suit all. Alongside your standard shops, it has a great variety of restaurants (there’s some really good curry houses) and entertainment venues: cinemas, museums, pubs, clubs etc. The covered market is a great place to pick up cheap fruit and vegetables. I don’t think I’ve ever got 20 odd bananas for 50p anywhere else before! We also have one of the biggest Diwali celebrations outside of India; certainly not an event to be missed.
