What I Saw at an Open Day That Helped Me Make a Decision

When I attended an Open Day at the University of Chester in August 2020, there were many reasons why I picked the University as my first choice. Here is why I chose the University of Chester after coming to an Open Day.

You will always discover new places to study on campus

Firstly, the facilities that the University of Chester has to offer not only accommodate studying, but also the social side of university life. On the Open Day, I was taken on a campus tour and shown around all the different buildings, with one of them being Seaborne Library. I was then informed that all students have 24/7 access which allows use of the seminar rooms, a computer room, and individual study spaces which are great for when you want to study on your own.

Find a new hobby or go back to something you once loved with different clubs and societies

If you’re not studying, why not find something else that will take up the rest of your week? There are lots of clubs and societies, as well as sports teams to participate in. There is something for everyone. Our sports facilities come in the form of the sports hall, football and hockey pitches, tennis courts, squash courts and a swimming pool in which we have our own swimming and waterpolo team. During the Open Day, I was shown the gym and swimming pool, which definitely helped my decision. I love to swim as it helps me to relax, which in turn influenced me to join the Swim team and eventually become a part of the committee. This was a positive for me in my first year as I was able to create a new group of friends.

Do you want to wind down from a week of lectures?

I was also shown the Students’ Union Bar on a campus tour. Located on Exton Park, it offers food and drink throughout the week and provides students with lots of fun with quiz and karaoke nights. This also acts as the main hub for teams and societies to meet up, specifically on a Wednesday night for club socials.

The support provided by the languages department

I was eager to find out more about my degree in German and Spanish and was interested in having a face-to-face meeting with my Head of Department, which I had during the Open Day. By having this conversation, my mind was completely put at ease because I knew having access to the facilities that the languages courses provided would help me through the four years of my degree. I was informed about the different modules, not only in the first year but in every year, and what content would be included. The department head also told me that the University of Chester was the only university to offer both a short placement and a year abroad, which was partially why I chose UoC as my place and my home for 4 years.

A wide range of support services

Outside of the classroom, the University of Chester also offers a continuous amount of support, which I found out during the Open Day. After having enrolled, each student is supplied with a Personal Academic Tutor, who is someone usually in the relevant subject department. Your Personal Academic Tutor is the same member of staff the whole way through your degree and will always be there to support you, whether it be academic support or personal support. Chester also provides services that specialise in mental health and wellbeing, financial support or disability and inclusion, and many more. I was given the opportunity to speak to some of the mentioned services when I visited for the first time at the Information Fair, to help myself understand that if I needed it, the support was there, which instantly put my mind at rest.

Thinking about the University of Chester?

If you want to gain the full University of Chester experience and see if this University is right for you, why not book an Open Day? By doing this, you will the opportunity to go on a campus tour, view student accommodation, speak to lecturers, and find out more information about student life at the University of Chester.