Navneet Mahal

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

I knew University of Birmingham was for me once I went to the campus and compared to other campuses I had been to. I found the campus to be so green and vibrant, which genuinely made me quite excited for university. The campus was so convenient as it is all close together, and coupled with how nice the red bricks looked, I could see myself attending the university.

Why did you choose to study your course?

I chose to study accounting and finance, as I initially knew I wanted to do something finance based. I researched different jobs and was led to discover accounting, as it combined law and maths, which were two topics I was interested in. After speaking to the staff at open days and seeing how well accredited the course was, I knew it was the right choice to study.

What is student life like for you?

As a student living at home, I was initially worried about missing out on the university experience. However, I can gladly admit student at life at university can be really fun and enjoyable. For me personally, I immersed myself in quite a few of the societies the university has to offer, including the Sikh and Punjabi societies. Usually there is at least one social event I aim to attend a week. Alongside this, on every course there are a few commuters, so as long as you talk to everyone you will always have something to do.

What's your favourite memory of university life so far?

My favourite memory of university is hosting the Sikh Societies’ Langar on Campus (which is like a charitable event, giving out free meals for all). I was on the society’s committee for this and really enjoyed seeing how all members of the university came together and embraced the event. It was really wholesome to see the UoB community communicate and socialise.

What advice would you give to current or prospective students?

My advice for students would be to be open to speaking to everyone and embrace all aspects to university from the start. Attend all the societies you are interested in and speak to everyone on your course, it will really help you to settle in and enjoy your time at university.