Every Monday, firstpoint publishes five points about a topic related to life at university. This week, it’s Progress Week, and we welcome our new Spring intake to the University…
POINT ONE: MAKING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR PROGRESS WEEK…
Remember this week marks Progress Week for most students at the university! Progress Weeks are points during the academic year which used to be referred to as ‘Reading Week’. This is an ideal time to reflect on your progress and achievements to date and focus on your strengths, and areas for ongoing support and development.
Academic staff are available to meet with, either in person or online, to chat about your progress to date, provide advice and guidance to areas of focus for improvement and look at getting the very best out of your studies. In most cases, this is a break from usual teaching and a chance to invest in your self-study and tutorials.
Why not reach out to your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) to set some personal targets for the semester. If you’re not sure who is your PAT, you can contact your academic school or come and see us in firstpoint. You may also want to find out more about the fantastic Study Skills support available to you, either from our Writers in Residence, our helpful Academic Liaison Librarians, or the Centre for Academic Skills and English. We’re all here to help!
We are also excited to be holding our March Graduation Ceremonies this week – Congratulations to our new Graduates, we wish you every success with your next steps!
POINT TWO: WELCOME TO OUR NEW INTAKES!
We’re delighted to have welcomed many new students this Semester! We hope you are starting to feel at home at the University of Worcester and the next few sections will provide you with some more information to help you understand the services available to you during your studies. If you are in your second semester, you may also find this a helpful reminder of the support available to you!
firstpoint can provide you with a map of the campus if you would like help finding your way around, and you may meet some of our friendly Student Ambassadors who can offer support and answer questions you may have.
You’ll find more information about who can help and how to speak to university support teams on our Who Can Help webpages, but if you’re not too sure where to start or who to ask, come and have a chat with us at firstpoint and we’ll help you work it out.
The university has lots of computers that are free to use across the campuses and also at the library which is called the Hive. If you have your own laptop, tablet or smartphone, follow the IT guide for quick and easy access to the Wi-Fi. The university also offers short and longer term (up to 2 weeks) laptop loans. You can find more information on the IT webpages here.
Finally, why not also visit our Students Union on the St Johns campus, home to the variety of clubs and societies which students can get involved in and offering a range of advice and support. There is an A-Z of all current societies on the SU website. If you can’t see one that you like – and you have a few friends who share similar interests – why not set up your own?
POINT THREE: MEET firstpoint….
At firstpoint, we’re here to help you access information and support during your studies. If you’ve got a question, whatever it might be, we’re a good place to start. You can visit us on the St John’s Campus, in the Peirson Study and Guidance Centre, phone us on 01905 542551 or email firstpoint@worc.ac.uk.
You’ll also find lots of helpful information (including our opening hours) on the firstpoint webpages. If you are looking for something specific, check out our A-Z webpages to help you navigate our site.
Sometimes you might have a question which you are not sure whether, or who to ask… Don’t worry, we’re here to listen. If we can’t answer your question ourselves, we’ll do our best to find the correct department for you.
firstpoint are also the front desk for Student Services, a department made up of specialist teams available to offer advice, guidance and extra support to help you make the most of your time at university. You can access these teams and Advisers through firstpoint, but if you know which team you want to speak with you can also contact them directly.
POINT FOUR: SETTLING INTO UNIVERSITY LIFE…
Starting university can sometimes feel a little daunting at first. Don’t worry as many people feel the same! Missing family, friends and your familiar surroundings can make you feel homesick, even if you’ve been looking forward to coming to university. Find out more about your new surroundings – getting used to things can make it easier as it helps you to feel more at home. For an informal way to meet other students and members of support staff, why not pop along to the weekly Fancy a Cuppa events?
If you need to find out about travelling to or around campus, borrowing a bike, getting a rail card, student bus travel or collecting a parking permit, we have lots of information. To find out more, just get in touch or look at the Accommodation and Transport section of our webpage.
The Accommodation Team can give advice and information on all practical matters with regards to living on or off campus. This small and friendly team aims to help you enjoy your time at University by providing you with help on any queries you might have about your accommodation.
Don’t forget that our Security team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can contact them on 01905 855000 or email securityteam@worc.ac.uk.
Why not subscribe to this blog so that you can keep up-to-date and stay informed throughout the academic year?
POINT FIVE: SUPPORT FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS…
We know moving to a new country can be an exciting but challenging experience. If you need some support settling in, we’re here to help.
The International Experience team are here to support you and organise trips and interesting events throughout the year to help you make the most of your time at university. Make sure you check your university emails, join the International Experience Instagram page and check the international student pages for further information regarding these.
You can normally open a free UK bank account if you are going to be in the UK for more than six months. Some banks will offer various incentives like 0% interest on an overdraft, an Amazon gift card, store vouchers or a railcard. It’s best to shop around and investigate which one is the best for you; don’t just choose the first one you find.
To open a bank account, you will need your passport and a letter confirming you are a student. You can download the bank status letter from your SOLE page after you have registered, under the ‘Living’ tab. More guidance is available on the firstpoint webpages.
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