Starting University

Starting University

1. Experiences

   • Volunteering
     • Care Home
       • One-to-ones with residents
       • Assisting in events and fundraising
     • Nursery
       • Looking after children
       • Helping out with the smaller sessions which met the needs of children with behavioural problems
   • Babysitting
     • Disabled cousin who has extra chromosomes and epilepsy
     • My 6 nieces and nephews who are all under 10 years old

2. Education

   • A Levels
     • Biology - B - learning about different diseases, immunity, control and prevention etc.
       • Increased my interest in the health sector
     • Maths - B - Increasing mathematical skills and knowledge
       • Benefit me when having to calculate medication dosages
     • Geography - A* -
   • Basic and essential first aid course

3. Worries

   • Placement
     • Far from plymouth
       • Expensive travel costs - will I afford it?
       • Trying to find accommodation - I don't have any family living nearby
     • Long hours
       • Will I cope?
     • Criticism
   • Finances
     • Budgeting
     • Have I got enough money?
     • Don't want to create added stress for parents
   • Looking after myself
     • Keeping healthy
       • Physically
         • Eating well
         • Exercise
       • Mentally
         • Manage stress well
         • Take time to relax
     • Keeping a good balance
       • Family
       • Social life
       • Studying

4. Expectations

   • Gaining knowledge and skills
     • Essay Writing
     • Maths
     • Presentations
       • Gaining confidence
       • Communication
     • Clinical Skills
   • Becoming a qualified nurse
     • Masters?
   • Making life-long friends
   • Full-on course
     • Challenging but rewarding
       • Rollercoaster
     • Gain enough experience before completing the course
     • Shorter summers
     • Emotional
       • Good
         • Helping patients
         • Sense of achievement
       • Sad
         • Homesick
         • Dealing with criticism
         • Patients unable to recover? (Terminal illness etc)

5. Why Plymouth?

   • Loved the campus and atmosphere on the open day
     • Not the same with other universities
     • Could imagine living here
     • Liked the lecturers
     • Clean, modern, welcoming
   • Highly ranked in the league tables
   • Know many people who've studied here
     • All had a postive experience
   • Location - weather, near the sea, nice area