My Manchester Met open day was a mixture of things at once, it was hectic, scary, fun and amazing!

I say hectic and scary because I got lost within the first 5 minutes of being here and being in an unfamiliar place scares me because I don’t know what to expect.However, once I found where I was going, it was a lot easier to navigate and I got used to being in this new place with the more fun I had.

I came to see what it was like to study a degree in Computer Games Technology. The first thing I did at the open day, was to head to a  lecture theatre to listen to a welcome talk, to find out where I would be going and what I would be doing at the open day.

Afterwards I went to a subject talk to find out more about studying Computer Games Technology.  Once the talk had finished, we were shown to a classroom where I met a tutor who explained what the course would include.  A few other people asked questions, such as “what was the work load like for the first year?” I also got to speak to a few student ambassadors as well and got to find out whether they were enjoying their time here so far.  The tutor asked us to fix an error in a simple game he had already constructed, all I had to do was just copy and paste a block from once side to other but in a curve shape like the letter U, it’s safe to say I didn’t know what I was doing!

When it comes to preparing for university open days, the first thing that everyone must do is make sure they’re prepared. Have you decided on what course you want to do? Do you have a copy of the campus map? Do you know the distance from university to the city centre? Make sure that if you have any questions that you ask them at the open day.  These  might be “what grades are needed”, to “what qualifications are accepted” or “how much coursework is involved?” If you’re feeling extra inquisitive why not ask about job fairs and how the course makes you more employable. You could also ask what previous students gone to do after graduating.

On the day it is best to make use of your time by attending more than one subject talk, taster session or department visit.  Make sure you speak with the finance team and see what you could be entitled to, and make sure you go on a campus and accommodation tour! When it comes to looking at accommodation on the university tour make sure to ask about rent, distance to and from university and where the shops are in relation. If the shops are too far there is always the option for online grocery shopping.

As well as doing all the activities that are organised by the university, go spend some time exploring by yourself and have a chat with people who could potentially be on your future course. Additionally, if you’re with parents visiting the university don’t let them ask all the questions because remember you’re going to be the student, not them!