I applied to Discover Bath when my sixth form college was advertising it, and I was looking for something to make my personal statement unique. While initially reluctant to move away from my hometown, Southampton, I applied anyway as my sixth form teachers pushed me to explore my opportunities beyond the South Coast. I thought attending Discover Bath would also be fun and a great way to make new friends, as well as being able to see what a university looks like and what it's like living in halls, to help my decision of whether I'd like to move away from home.
Why did I love it?
On the first day of Discover Bath, I started to fall in love with the university, and everything kept getting better the more information I found out. I felt at home in Bath, surrounded by like-minded people, including my ambassador, who studied a subject within my current academic department, the Social & Policy Sciences department. I was being taught something exciting, and most importantly, I felt incredibly safe at the university. I learnt that the University of Bath is known for its excellent student support services, including mental health and wellbeing resources, contributing to its high safety ranking, with campus security available 24/7 and a student-run Nightline available every night. My ambassador was caring, compassionate, and well-trained to support me in my university choices. I learnt that there were so many great opportunities to get involved with sports, arts, and societies at Bath, which reassured me that I would make friends. I went home thinking I was going to join 100 different societies! My favourite part of the programme was the evening activities the ambassadors ran for us, I always chose to watch Love Island, but there were lots of opportunities to get involved in boardgames, karaoke, JustDance, and sports such as football, basketball, netball, volleyball, and plenty more! It was a great way to meet more students on the program and relax! The ambassadors were very caring but also ensured we always had fun!
How did it help me?
The Discover Bath program made me more confident about going to university as I developed skills in academic writing, referencing, debating, note-taking, and public speaking, which are hugely relevant and valuable for my degree and career direction. Before attending the Discover Bath program, I had yet to learn what studying at university was like. After the program, I realised I could be a great student at university! It also helped me make decisions; I am now studying for a bachelor's degree in Sociology at the University of Bath, and I decided to take the plunge and move away from home. I decided that the number of opportunities available to me at Bath, both academically and socially, were exceptional, and I felt like it was the place for me. I finished my A Levels with the intention of studying at Bath, which motivated me through my A Levels. When I came to university, I realised that the Discover Bath program had put me at a head start with the skills I had learnt academically and with being familiar with some of the content taught. Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and I highly recommend the opportunity!
This summer, I worked as an ambassador at the Discover Bath program, using my previous experience as a student on the program to improve my work! It was very fulfilling to become an ambassador and complete the 'full circle' of Discover Bath from prospective student to ambassador!
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