Jess Postings

What is a typical day in your life like?

I'm currently a first year psychology student at UoB- my course only has around 10-12 contact hours per week which means a large proportion of my studies is independent work. A typical day for me may be having a lecture for an hour, a computer practical or workshop, going to a gym class at the sport and fitness centre, cooking dinner with my flatmates and spending my evening working on assignments or upcoming deadlines.

How did you know that the University of Birmingham was the right choice for you?

My course at UoB is very unique - no other university I visited had a bespoke integrated masters programme for psychology. As I want to progress to get my clinical doctorate, this course will put me in a really great position to achieve this. When I attended open days, I loved the vibe of the university, the accommodation options and the passion that the lecturers clearly had for the subject. I immediately knew that this was somewhere I could see myself spending the next chapter of my life. I also live around 25 minutes from the university, which means I was able to keep my home job and I'm able to visit family regularly whilst having the independence of living away from home.

What is student life like for you?

As I approach the end of first year, I look back on my experience at UoB with so many amazing memories. I was really lucky to get such amazing housemates and to find other people living in my accommodation village that I really get along with. My experience would be so different if I hadn't found them! I've been planning for university since I was fourteen; higher education has always been something that I wanted to pursue.

I've always been a very independent person so I knew I'd love the uni experience, and honestly, my experience has somehow been better than the life I imagined having here. I love my lectures and course, nights out with friends, going to gym classes, solo study dates at cafes in town or on campus- even the weekly shop! I've found uni to be a breath of fresh air coming straight out of a-levels; I was so confused when the lecturers spoke to us about prioritising the social aspect of uni as well as studying as that was unheard of at college! I really feel like I've had the space to grow into the person I've always wanted to be. 

What advice would you give to prospective students?

Even if you're not a very social person, try and put yourself out there as much as you can, especially during the first few weeks of the first semester. This is the time where everyone is looking to make new friends - you never know, the person you go up to and start a conversation with may be your uni bestie! If you're worried about drinking culture, don't be! The university offer alcohol free accommodation options if you don't want to be around it at all, but I have a few housemates who don't drink and we love them for it. Finally, don't take anything for granted and try to live in the moment, as cliché as it may sound! It goes by so fast.

What plans did you have for the future? 

After graduating, I plan on getting my doctorate in clinical psychology and going on to become a practicing clinical psychologist. I will need to get some job experience, for example working as a research assistant, before applying. This is something I should be able to access through the university careers network. My big dream is to own my own clinical practice and be able to conduct my own psychological research into mental health therapies and treatments.