Olie Linguistics with Japanese

Choosing Newcastle

I chose Newcastle University because it was away from home but not too far away for someone who was unsure about living away from home for the first time. It is also a Russell Group university so I could be assured that the degree would be rigorous and research based. I also choose Newcastle University because it allowed me to take linguistics with no English language A-level and Japanese with no previous language A-level or GCSE needed.

Course So Far

I think the pace of the course is fast but fair, allowing you to be continually challenged but not too overstretched either. It has also allowed me to develop my knowledge of areas in linguistics which I had no previous knowledge of, as well basic skills in Japanese which is very fulfilling due to its perceived difficulty. It's hard work learning a language from scratch at university pace without any previous experience but not impossible!

Surprises

I was surprised about the size of Japanese classes been so small but this allowed me to make close friends with other people on my course. I was also surprised by the induction events that SELL has on Fresher's Week as I didn't expect there to be any events where we could socialise with people in our school until the semester started.

Facilities at Newcastle

The facilities in the School of Modern Languages are up to date. The language labs have up to date software and whiteboards so we practice and talk about the language we are studying. The Language Resource Centre also has copies of our textbooks and supplementary materials so we can practice Japanese outside of class. It also has materials for all sorts of other languages so you can self study a language in your own time, as well as a tandem scheme so you can find a native speaker and practice with them. The English school has seminar rooms which are the right size and there are places to pick up a quick coffee or hot chocolate before or after a lecture. There are also places to sit down and chat with other people on your course about work or other things.

Field Trips/Projects

So far this year I have visited The Teikyo Festival, a Japanese culture festival held at Teikyo University in Durham and The Oriental Museum which is also at Teikyo University in Durham with the Anglo-Japanese society. It's a good way of making friends with people from other years on your course as well as Japanese natives.

Living in Newcastle

I would describe the city as lively and homely. There's lots of shops especially in Eldon Square and transport links are good so you can easily travel to different places. Everyone is also friendly which makes moving to a new city easier.

Accommodation Tips

Try to talk to people who are living in the dorms to get an idea of what the reputation of where you might live is. Also try looking at the 'Alternative Prospectus' as this also has reviews of the accommodation and gives tips for the type of person who might like each accommodation place. Also going to visit the accommodation is a must - it saves you a lot of hassle transferring in the long run.

Spare time

I usually meet up with friends and go to a bar or go to an event in Newcastle which we planned to attend beforehand. I also like to go out for meals at all sorts of places and these vary from Chinese meals to Indian meals.

Best Thing

The friendly atmosphere: it means that everyone treats you with your best interests in mind and also means that the lecturers try to make their subject as interesting as possible.