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Becka Savill - Realising university means more than a degree

I am originally from Luton and I didn’t know a lot about Leicester until I started looking at universities – and even then, it wasn’t really a city I seriously considered moving to.

If I’m honest, I had a vision for what I thought student life should look like and I wasn’t sure ÐßÐßÊÓƵ was the right fit. I thought I needed to choose a university that ticked certain boxes if I wanted to do well.

Luckily, my parents convinced me to visit ÐßÐßÊÓƵ for an Open Day.

I will never forget stepping foot onto the campus for the first time. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. And that’s something that I’m still astounded by to this day. It really feels like everyone is so happy to be here.

Within a few hours, I had fallen in love. I left the Open Day starry eyed, telling my parents that I had to study at ÐßÐßÊÓƵ. It completely changed my whole outlook on universities and I just had a really good feeling about it.

And so, I accepted my place to study Psychology.

It was hard moving away at first. I am the oldest sibling in my family and had never lived away from home. Before I came to ÐßÐßÊÓƵ, I guess like a lot of 17-year-olds, I was quite sheltered by my parents. I was really nervous but I wound up living in a flat with two really outgoing student nurses, so I quickly settled in.

I surprised myself with how brave I felt at ÐßÐßÊÓƵ. But that’s because there are so many opportunities available. I have met such a diverse group of friends from the different extracurricular activities that ÐßÐßÊÓƵ has to offer.

I joined the Korean Culture society and made new friends that way. I even took up taekwondo! I got to know new people with similar interests to me.

In my first year I went on a ÐßÐßÊÓƵ Global trip to Seoul in South Korea. It was the first time I had ever travelled abroad without my family – another new, eye-opening experience for me.

I also did an internal placement with the Careers Team, helping other students to secure external placements and work experience of their own, and I took up a job as a student ambassador – something I never would have had the confidence to do before joining ÐßÐßÊÓƵ.  

Thinking back to when I was applying to university, I was very stubborn about what I thought made a university a good choice.

In reality, and with the benefit of hindsight, I now know that what made ÐßÐßÊÓƵ a good choice for me is that it is a vibrant, happy and diverse environment where I have been able to flourish.

Getting a good degree has always been the end goal but I never realised university would open so many other doors and help me grow like it has.

I feel like I got the reins to my life while studying at ÐßÐßÊÓƵ.

I went from being a timid young girl to a social butterfly.

ÐßÐßÊÓƵ is not perfect, but it’s been perfect for me.