By: Caitlin Allison
Hi, my name is Caitlin and I’m currently starting my fourth year of my biochemistry course, having just recently completed my placement year. I’ve been elected welfare officer for BeeSoc for three years now and my love for beekeeping continues to grow.
Continue reading “How beekeeping helped me get a placement”
By: Caroline Elaine
I’ll give you a little teaser of your first year at Newcastle University if you’re planning to study at BNS school.
When I was giving the offer holders’ students a tour of the school, I noticed that some of the questions they asked were quite similar. For example, how are the lectures, what modules are we studying, and so on.
Therefore, I’ll go over some of the things I believe you should all know. Hopefully, after reading this, you have a better idea of how your first year of university will go. Okay, let’s get started!
Continue reading “From One First Year Student to The Next”
Our exploration of Newcastle is far from complete. Welcome to Part 2 of our list of locations to visit in Newcastle upon Tyne, one of England’s most major destinations for tourists and students.
Let’s pick up where we left off in the previous section of the series. We saw largely historical structures in Newcastle. Now we’ll continue on the tour of the city, from the popular nightlife district to spots where you can relax and enjoy the weather.
Where have all the night owls gone? This is the perfect location for you.
Newcastle residents refer to the area along the Tyne river as “quayside.” Pubs, bars, and eateries line the streets surrounding this site. As a result, this area is well-known for its nightlife. When you’re here, you can do more than just party and drink; you can also take in the breathtaking views of the river and bridges. I encourage you to visit here at sunset so that you can enjoy the beautiful sunset panorama. The scenery is just as stunning at night as it is during the day, with lights illuminating the street and the river, and music from the bars accompanying you. This area is excellent for enjoying the moment and socialising with friends or family. (You should try the Wetherspoon in Quayside; they offer such good food at a good price!)
In addition, the Sunday market is a weekly market that opens on the quayside. You should be able to figure out when it is open each week just by reading the name; yep, the market is open every Sunday. There were over 20 vendors selling a variety of items, including food, drinks, artwork, flowers, and much more. They sell a wide range of foods, including Italian fare such as pasta and pizza, Indonesian fare, Greek fare, Chinese fare, and so on. (Must try!)
Apart from the country’s history, who doesn’t know that England is also known for its football? Newcastle United Football Club is also one of the most well-known football clubs in the world. Newcastle United’s logo features the classic black and white stripes that gave them the nickname “The Magpies.”
Newcastle United’s home football stadium is called St. James Park. Do you want to have a tour inside the stadium or want to watch a football match? You can book the ticket here (https://book.nufc.co.uk/) (Don’t forget to take pictures with the legends out front of the stadium!)
It’s time for a snack! Have you noticed that there are a lot of Greggs stores around town?
Fun Fact of the day: Do you know that this store with the well-known blue and yellow logo was founded in Newcastle?
That is why you must try their food while you are here. Greggs is known for its savoury and sweet items including sausage rolls and doughnuts. Not only do the locals enjoy it, but so do students, including international students like me, who also love their food so much. Give it a try!
Take your snacks and head to one of Newcastle’s most popular parks.
Leazes Park, which is next to St. James Park, is a lovely place to sit and unwind yourself. You could sit on the benches beside the lake and watch the ducks and geese while taking in the sunshine. (If I’m feeling stuffy in my room, I like to go sit there for hours.)
This park also allows you to enjoy a picnic; benches and tables are available for the public, but you may also bring your own picnic mat and sit on the grass. However, once your picnic is over, please remember to clean up all the trash.
Do you want to go on another picnic? Another park to visit is this one! This huge park is also available to the general public. If you wish to enjoy a picnic, there are several spots to choose from. In addition, there is a skating arena that is always open and popular.
Don’t worry, the park also has a lake with benches close to it where you can sit and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.
Want to eat or drink anything but forgot to bring it with you? In the park, there are cafes and a brewery. Wylam Brewery is the name of the brewery, and they make excellent beer.
This concludes my recommendations for this part. There are still a few locations I want to tell you about, so stay tuned for the next part!
For prospective and current students don’t forget to check out our university website!
Are you visiting Newcastle for the first time? This blog post is for you if that’s the case. I’ll recommend a few locations to visit in Newcastle while you’re here. Even if you aren’t, you should read this in case you forget or don’t recognise these areas.
Newcastle is one of England’s most popular cities, known for its heritage, nightlife, and much more. That is why I am separating this series into two parts because I will be recommending a lot of places for you. Now, without further ado, let’s get started!
Continue reading “Places to Visit in Newcastle (Part 1)”
It’s coming to the end of August and there is only one thing you can think about – leaving home and going to University! Here are some tips on what you should take, how to cope with homesickness and more…
Deciding what to pack for University can be a huge challenge. There are so many items you use everyday that you don’t even think about! We’ve written a short list of things to get you started:
This is not an extensive list by far and is only meant to provide you with ideas of the basics which you will need.
The first thing to say when discussing homesickness is that you are not alone in this. Most people who go to University will experience homesickness at some point, so discussing this with friends is key! Additionally, bringing items to University that remind you of home (such as photos of friends and family) can really help. Just remember there are a lot of support networks at University whether it is friends or staff members, so please utilise this. Finally, your family are only a phone call away if you need them. Keep yourself busy and distracted with friends and activities and you will start to feel at home in no time!
In your first week we would definitely recommend looking around the University and familiarising yourself with campus. There is nothing more stressful than getting lost and being late to your first lecture! (trust me, I know).
There are also so many beautiful areas of Newcastle to explore. Check out the restaurants and bars on Grey Street, marvel at the view of the Monument and take in the breeze at the Quayside! There is also gorgeous beaches only 25 minutes on the Metro from the town centre (I would recommend Tynemouth – that is my favourite!)
Most of all – don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Moving to University can be exhausting so if you need a night to yourself to relax then do it! Everything will still be there for you the next day. Good luck and have the best time!
By: Elayna Hugh-Jones
Graphics: Elysia Marrs
This blog post is the hardest I’ve ever had to write…narrowing down my favourite Newcastle food spots to just 7 is a task and a half. However, I have managed to just about do it, with a sprinkling of extra tips of course. I know most of us are living on a student budget so eating out isn’t always a regular occurrence BUT isn’t good food just the solution to everything?! I personally think so. Since living in Newcastle, my friend and I have collated an Honours list of our favourite restaurants and food spots, rated by food, atmosphere, and value for money. I’m sharing our top 7 with you!
Continue reading “Newcastle’s Must-Try Food Spots!”
By: Caroline Elaine
There are approximately 6500 languages in the world, each with its own distinct characteristics that distinguish it apart from the others. Most international students at Newcastle University come from all over the world, from Asia, Europe, and so on. They grew up speaking a language other than English and only began learning English in school. Some people will become really fluent at it, while others will not. Therefore, the language barrier is one of the reasons why studying in a foreign country can be difficult.
Continue reading “Language Barrier- English as Second/Third Languange?”
Interviewed and edited by Elayna Hugh-Jones
What do you study here at Newcastle University?
So I’m in my 2nd year of Biomedical science, and I’m doing a placement year in September so it’ll be a 4 year degree for me. Then I’m thinking about further study, such as a Master’s or post-grad medicine.
What does a typical day look like for you?
So I’m an early bird, I get up around 6:30 and I take some time to wake up and have breakfast. Then if we have any 9am or 10am lectures I like to go to the Uni gym beforehand to start my day on a good note, which means I leave my house in Jesmond at about 7:30. We typically have 2 or 3 lectures a day and I’ll head to the Walton Library in between if we have any breaks. But if we have no lectures, Wednesdays are usually our days off, I still head to the library and set myself up for a day there. I’ll usually take my packed lunch and stay for the majority of the day and then head home for dinner. I and my housemates tend to all eat together which is a nice part of the day to look forward to.
Continue reading “A day in the life with Amelia Guest”
By Ulrica BSc Biomedical Sciences
Hello! I am Ulrica, a third-year BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences student from Malaysia. I would like to share my 8-week summer project experience during my summer break at Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) with Dr. Roshan Mascarenhas.
Continue reading “Ulrica’s Summer Internship Experience in NUMed + UKM”
By Amelia Guest, BSc Biomedical Sciences
Hi! My name is Amelia, and I am a third-year Biomedical Sciences student. I am currently on a year of placement at AstraZeneca, and I wanted to share some top tips for anyone who is applying for their placement year!
LinkedIn for networking
LinkedIn is a great tool to use for networking. This platform allows you to contact current placement students and ask for their experience and assistance, as well as connecting with potential placement providers! In fact, I got my first interview through LinkedIn.
Prioritise
Put all of your focus on a few providers which you are really interested in – it will be more beneficial than applying to loads of providers halfheartedly. When interviews start, they take a lot of time so if you are not too interested in a certain provider it will probably be best to utilise this time elsewhere.
Gather information
Make sure you research the website or social media platforms of the placement provider so you can be really specific in your application and interview. It may even be worth using LinkedIn to contact someone internal to get some extra information! During the interviews they often ask about company values, so it will really help your case if you can discuss these.
Rejections
It is easier said than done, but try not to let rejections put you down! Each interview is a learning curve and you can learn new things that you can do better next time. The more people you talk with and interview with – the more networking! All of the students that I am currently working with at AstraZeneca received rejections from other companies, so it just goes to show that perseverance can go a long way!
Careers Service
Use the Careers Service to help with your application – the Careers Service are there to help you with CV advice and practice interviews, so utilise them! It may be the difference between getting your dream job or not.
Good luck! Try your best and have a great placement year.
