We know that starting university can seem a bit scary and you probably have a lot of questions that you want to ask. To help you settle in, we’d like to invite Manchester Met undergraduate applicants that are starting university this September to join our Facebook communities. Here you can chat to fellow students starting in September and current students that already know the ropes! To find your group, you’ll just need to visit our website and input your student ID number.

Top tip: your ID number is on your offer email 🙂

Want to know more? Read on to get the lowdown from two of our social media coordinators who are current students, to find out how they really felt when they first started university…

Name: Etisam

Age: 21

Course: MChem (Hons) Pharmaceutical Chemistry 4^th Year

Where are you from? Rochdale

Why did you choose to study at Manchester Met?

“The course that I study is accredited by a professional body, which adds value to the degree, as employers are looking for high skilled and talented chemists. Plus the lecturers and staff I met on the Open Day were really friendly and gave me a warm welcome. The University is also located where I can commute via train and tram, which makes my life a lot easier. “

What’s your favourite thing about being a student here?

“I never knew I could get paid work through the University’s recruitment service Jobs4students. After finding out about it I worked and gained valuable experience which was well worth it. Moreover, I made new friends along the way as I worked in lots of different roles. I see many of the people I’ve worked with on a daily basis, whether it is a day I am working, or a normal day where I have lectures. This has spiced up my time at university as I never expected all these moments to happen.”

Do you live in student accommodation or do you commute to university?

“I commute to university. It can sometimes be a hassle in the morning if there are any delays or cancellations with my train. But the good news is that my train is a frequent service from Rochdale, which makes life a lot easier. If I miss the train, I can catch the next the one. I usually come in early to get a cappuccino and a croissant, to keep me refreshed during a long day at university. “

What is your role as a Social Media Coordinator?

“The role is about supporting new students through an online community by sharing my own experiences. I’ve done many similar roles and I have enjoyed sharing my personal experiences and challenging and memorable moments at university. I am here to make sure new students feel welcome and are ready for their time at university. “

What was your first week at university like?

“Well it was scary actually! I was the only person from my college that came here to study my course. But on the first week of university known as Welcome Week there are plenty of activities to get involved in that help you make new friends that may not be on your course. It is easy to get lost but there are plenty of people around the campus to ask directions in order to get to where you need to be.”

What top tip would you give someone who is starting their course here in September?

“My first top tip is not to feel nervous. I know it is another step from college to university, but there is plenty of support available at university. If you are worried about making new friends, please don`t be. You will make plenty of friends on your course and outside your course too. Plus, they will be your best friends for life. I made friends while working through Jobs4students as I have worked in many different roles. “

What do you know now that you wished you knew when you first started your course?

“I wish I knew that I could use the computers on the first floor in the Business School. The Library is busy, especially when there are deadlines or exams coming up and the computers in the John Dalton Building fill up as the day goes by, so it’s useful to use the computers in that area when it’s difficult to find a computer in other buildings. “

Name: Phill

Age: 21

Course: 3^rd Year BSc (Hons) Psychology

From: Ludlow, Shropshire

Why did you choose to study at Manchester Met?

“Growing up in the countryside for the majority of my life, you feel quite sheltered from the ‘real’ world. When I came to Manchester and visited Manchester Met, seeing how different life could be up here was eye-opening. It had that spark to it where it felt homey and a challenge; somewhere that could push me to grow for the following three years but still be able to become a home. “

Do you live in student accommodation or do you commute to university?

“In my first year I lived in student accommodation with 11 other people – it was an experience to say the least As a Psychology student it was really interesting to live with such a mix of different personalities, whereas as a more introverted person it pushed me out of my comfort zone. It’s an experience I’m glad I went through to be more independent and become a more social person.”

What’s your favourite thing about living/studying in Manchester?

“I think my favourite thing about living and studying in Manchester is being in a place with so much diversity and opportunity. Spending 18 years in a sheltered town in the middle of the countryside meant I wasn’t able to experience different cultures or meet people from different walks of life.”

What is your role as a social media coordinator?

“The social media coordinator role is active over this summer to help make the transition into first year easier for the future students of Manchester Met. This is through using Facebook to help them get to know other people on their course and be someone that they can talk to; dispelling any of the myths surrounding uni life. It’s so important for universities to support students in bridging this gap between college and uni life – this is the reason that I wanted to be involved. “

What was your first week at university like?

“Being an introvert, I was terrified of what it would be like in the first week – I expected everyone to be massive personalities. It was a lot calmer than I imagined it to be, everyone was friendly and really tried to get to know each other. My house explored uni and Manchester as a group, whether that was the nightlife or the multiple late-night Asda trips. “

What top tip would you give someone who is starting their course here in September?

“Everyone is in the same boat’ – it probably seems cliché but it’s completely true! Whether you have lived near cities for most of your life or a small country town, studied your subject at school/college or not, everyone has the same nerves.”

What do you know now that you wished you knew when you first started your course ?

“It may sound stupid… but knowing that the uni staff aren’t these scary or serious people, they are more than happy to support you. In college I actually failed Psychology, so when I started my degree I was really pushing myself to almost play catch up. While I had my friends, old and new, to help me along through those first few weeks, I wish I knew how supportive the uni is. “