Stranmillis University College

I have only been at university for 3 weeks but so far my experience has been full of fun, food and friends! I was nervous coming to uni but the friends that I have made and all the staff in Stranmillis have been so welcoming. I have loved my time here so far and look forward to what is to come.

Excellent experience, with helping tutors and great support along the way!

It was a wonderful way to make friends. There were so many events day and night for everyone. I love it. Especially the fact we don't have to cook our food and we have cleaners! It's also great for making friends for life. The facilities are great, especially the library. It has a vast range of books and also ICT rooms. The students union is really helpful and hosts various events through the year. It is also great for buying stationary as it's really affordable. The course offers a wide range of content surrounding education. I love placement as it gives us the opportunity to learn on the job. The lecturers are really supportive and encouraging in our studies. City life is definitely different than my home in the countryside. However, I love that everything is within walking distance. It's also great to have food delivery services so close by.

Freshers week was really varied and had options for people who wanted to go to clubs, as well as those who didn't. We had trips paid for to streamvale farm, and free events in the on-campus bar with snacks provided. The freshers fair was also really helpful for joining teaching unions and getting involved in clubs. The accommodation is great as the stranmillis primary timetable is very intense and we are in class from 9-5 some days. It is very affordable and most meals are provided for students living in accommodation. The only downside is that there are not many lifts in the accommodation, making it difficult at the holidays and moving in. The library has everything you need for both placement and academic essays. The staff are extremely helpful and it is a modern and welcoming library environment. Classrooms are good sizes, but one lecture hall did not have enough seats for all students in a couple of lectures. The student union has supplies if needed for placement, but I don't think it works out any cheaper. The course is very thorough and you feel that you are fully able to immerse yourself in all aspects of primary education. I found the psychology lectures very interesting, and there was a good balance of theory and practical knowledge offered in lectures. The lectures have been more difficult to engage with as we've moved online but they have generally worked hard to try to keep it interesting. Stranmillis is close to multiple restaurants and cafes catering to different dietary requirements. It is a short train journey or half hour walk into the city centre which makes it handy if you want to go shopping after classes. I personally didn't get involved in that much nightlife but the students that did really enjoyed it. There is a wide range to choose from! It is a five minute walk from botanic gardens, a tropical ravine and the Ulster museum which are all free and make a lovely after class trip to relax.

Stranmillis University is very homely and like a family. People are friendly and welcoming. Students are known as Strandas and Strannys (Stran grandas and grannys) as they are hard working and are studying education.

Uni so far has been a blast, I very much enjoyed the fresher events, aswell as meeting lots of new people ! I can't wait for the next four years of gaining new knowledge, friends and an over all real life experiences. The accommodation is not my cup of tea, but home life helps with the stress of teaching and coursework assignments. I'm a homebird at heart but loving uni life!