Hi, everyone, my name's Sion and I am a second-year student studying BSc Biomedical Science at the University of Birmingham. I chose Biomedical Science because at school I enjoyed subjects like Biology and Chemistry as I am very interested in science. So when I was looking into the University of Birmingham course, I liked the sound of the modules being biology focused and also how they were structured. I just wanted to do a course that I was interested in and one that I was then going to go into as a profession. I also came to the University Open Day and I really liked it, it’s a great way to explore campus and the Medical School.
Transitioning to university life from secondary school was a big change for me. I moved from London to Birmingham and as an only child, I would rely upon my parents quite a lot for help and routine. Even though this seemed daunting at first, particularly after my parents dropped me off, I threw myself into navigating Welcome Week. I have to be honest and say that this was a bit difficult, but I did really enjoy it. I was able to receive guidance to support with the transition to university, make new friends and go to fayres to find out more about what societies and sports I can join. Welcome Week is my favourite time as a university student so far - it was an exciting period of time in my life, for sure!
In my first year, my flatmate brought me along to an African and Caribbean Society (ACS) event which was a really good place to meet loads of cool people and new people like me. They put on loads of different types of events and I made a lot of friends that weren’t just from my course. I joined as a member and have since been elected on the committee as Social Media Officer as this is another passion of mine. It’s how I unwind after a long day of lectures as well as watching YouTube and Netflix. There's also a Ghana society that I'm looking to join this year as my parents are from Ghana and I've been there many times before. I also joined MedSoc football last year which was fun as I love watching and playing sports! I try to watch live sport as much as I can and with many local football teams close by, I am able to enjoy watching live sport fairly often. This year I have actually bought a membership to Aston Villa Football Club so I can go with some friends and watch Premier League games. It’s all on our doorstep so why miss out?
“One of the best things about the University of Birmingham, is the campus and how our learning takes place in the Medical School which feels like we have our own community. It's not just Biomedical Science students here, you have medics, dentists, nurses, likeminded people with the same kind of goals and interests.”
Birmingham City itself resembles London in a few ways. You have the town centre and the Bullring, full of different shops and attractions. There are always plenty of affordable hotels for my parents to stay when they come visit. I didn’t want to go university in a small city, so coming to the big city of Birmingham has reminded me a bit of home. I now live in Selly Oak, which is close to both campus and the town centre. There's so many different shops close to the area so I have everything I need on my doorstep.
One tip I have for anyone thinking about studying at university would be to embrace the change. My Uncle used to say to me that University is the start of life, like proper life, where you're living by yourself, exploring freedom and being independent. So definitely embrace the change and step out of your comfort zone. Enjoy the freedom but don't let the freedom become detrimental. I am able to go out whenever I want, but at the same time you still need to remember the reason why you're here which is for a career and for your education. Another tip would be to get some sort of calendar as if you're planning to do like a lot of things (like me!), it is the best way to remember and keep on track. Lastly, don’t be afraid to try new things and take opportunities as they arise!