Jacqui Chemical Engineering BEng Honours
Your Course
My course has been challenging and interesting. It was difficult to get used to the different style of teaching on this side of the Atlantic. Now that I am used to it, I enjoy my course and the subject that we are taught. The practicals that we take part in are relevant to our course material and enhance learning. Due to the size of my course I know my coursemates well.
International Welcome Week
I found International Welcome week really useful. It helped me to set up my UK bank account, without this help I would have not known where to even begin.
Making Friends
I have found it very easy to make friends. The majority of my friends I have either met through halls in first year or through my course. Everyone is really nice and you meet loads of people through freshers week and halls.
Cost of Living
The cost of living is quite cheap for the UK. Compared to London it is very reasonable city to live in. Nights out are some of the cheapest in the country, and if you don't mind not living in Jesmond, accommodation is very reasonable.
Living in Newcastle
I like the range of activities to do during the night. You could go out every night of the week for a month to a different night out and have a great time as long as you don't have picky tastes in music.
Advice for Students from the USA
Don't think that because you have the same native language that the cultures and even the language will be the same. It took me nearly a year to be able to understand Geordies when they speak. Also, even through culturally the US and the UK are probably closer than UK and EU, they are very different in certain aspects.
Accommodation
I live in Spital Tongues. It's really close to the University which is nice. I live in a terraced house with three friends.
Accommodation Tips
Make an effort to get to know your flatmates in the beginning of the year. Learn to live a little less cleanly unless you want to be doing all the washing up.
Spare time
I participate in various societies from yoga to the Chemical Engineering Society. I also play basketball on the University team. Basketball takes up the majority of my free time between training and going to and from matches. When I am not playing sport I am either hanging out with friends or studying.
Best Thing
Newcastle University has allowed me to have a balance between work and play. The academic side of university is challenging and interesting. There are many societies and clubs to get involved in. All the students that go here are nice and friendly.
