By Charlotte Stevenson
You’ve done your research, and now the time has finally come to decide which top UK universities you’ll apply to. When choosing universities, York St. John may not be the first institution which comes to mind, but studying here has definitely been one of the greatest decisions of my life. Here are a few reasons why York St. John is a wonderful learning environment and potentially the perfect match for you.
It’s smaller on the inside
Unlike a TARDIS, you won’t enter and get lost at York St. John. Instead, there is a slightly smaller number of students here than at other unis, so your lecturers will always know everyone’s name, and you’ll always have easy access to the resources you need. The campus is light and open, with a mixture of new and old architecture; the newest part (the student union) was only opened towards the end of 2016, but wandering the picturesque 175-year-old quad will also bring out the historian in you.
The student community is really supportive
This is a massive bonus if you’re nervous about moving away from home for the first time or just want a comfortable environment you can adjust to quickly. The support systems in place, namely the wellbeing team, are excellent at responding to students efficiently and finding the right course of action for every individual. As someone with a severe nut allergy, as soon as I arrived on campus, I was being provided with information on how food was made in the cafeteria and what support was available to me. There is even a GP on campus, which made me feel doubly safe.
There are so many ways to start adding to your CV
From sports to journalism, there is a bit of everything at York St. John, and it’s great that the university openly encourages you to try new things and see what works for you. Through the activities you engage in, you’ll discover new skills and make friends with like-minded people who are studying across a range of different courses. You might even go full circle and sign up to be a student ambassador to help prospective students find out if this is the right place for them on open days next year.
Through the university, I’ve become a digital ambassador, using my love of writing to create articles like this one, and I’ve also trained to answer enquiries with the Student Room and had a photo shoot for the university website. These opportunities have been a big boost and helped contribute to some of my best memories of university so far, pushing me out of my comfort zone and making it easier to say “yes” to new experiences.
Lecturers consistently make their teaching interesting and are always there to help
In every class I’ve had, the lecturers have been enthusiastic and ready to answer any questions, finding ways to make what they’re teaching engaging and unpack more difficult content by linking it to things in the media or other sources. My literature classes have always been open and relaxed and don’t really feel like work.
Plus, because it’s a smaller university, you’re far more likely to get the help and support you need. Throughout my first year of essays, I’ve been able to book time with my tutors a week in advance and it’s helped me to maintain high marks on all my work throughout the year. On each occasion, the feedback I received went into so much detail, that it was always clear where I had slipped up and how I could go on to fix it.
York is quite literally stunning
As a YSJ student, you’ll be right in the center of the city, which is great as there’s plenty to do here. While campus is fairly quiet most days (btw, the library is open 24 hours a day, even on Christmas Day), you’ll always find something to do in the city. When you first move in, be sure to get to know the area by being a tourist for the day. Head to see York Minster, the Shambles and the Fossgate cafes. Plus be sure to pick up your York 100 challenge list so you can start working your way through the bucket list of the many things the city has to offer.
There are plenty of campus events to keep you entertained
On campus, there is always Archies Day to look forward to (named for the Archbishop of York, the day involves drinking heavily discounted alcohol in the SU bar) as well as the carol service, the music department’s Easter concert, event months, the literature festival and so much more. My personal favorite month on campus would definitely have to be November. We were studying Frankenstein in class around bonfire night and went on a trip to see a walking play production of the book. It focused more on the life of Mary Shelley, but depicted sections of the famous gothic novel as well. I'll never forget the shadows of the actors on York Minster under a heavy blue sky, with all of us wrapped up in scarves and gloves.
It is a place of history, of modernity, of great minds and of adventure. Every corner offers a new surprise. The past year has been one of the best years of my life so far and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. So, tell me, will York be your next adventure?
