Middlesex University plays host to an incredibly diverse student population, which I believe is one of its most unique traits. Having it be visible to you day by day on campus, how there are students of all nationalities and ages attending the university, really fosters your sense of belonging. On the other hand, one aspect of Middlesex University that could stand to be improved is their very own MDX app, which logs you out every couple of days without giving a reason.

The Creative Writing and Journalism course is incredibly engaging and flexible. Currently, as a first year, we have two days of in-class lectures, for our four modules, a week, and are assigned writing tasks to complete in our own time across the rest of the week. The course, as clear from its name, focuses on developing your journalistic writing skills, as well as improving your storytelling capabilities, which was the exact balance I was looking to study. I have no negative comments to make.

Usher Hall offers exclusively ensuite rooms, so it's very nice to have your own bathroom. They also have Resident Assistants and a 24/7 security office you can visit at any time, as well as a management team that is there most days until 17:00. Located across the road from and literally facing Middlesex University, it could not be in a more convenient area. Some drawbacks that make me think that you're not completely getting the best value for your money include the fact that a kitchen cleanup team only comes once a week to lightly sweep the kitchen floor and leave, which is shocking to me as I know others who pay less for their university accommodation have a cleanup team come in at least once a day. Another thing is their boasted on-site launderettes are in fact only two tiny rooms with one washing machine and dryer each, that all of the hall has to share. Additionally, these same launderettes stop operating every day at 23:00 for no clear reason, further restricting the amount of time people have to manage their clothes washing. In a similar light, common rooms also have a curfew of 00:00, or 2:00 on some days, which is enforced by the security guard coming to kick you out. Overall, whether or not there are good reasons for these decisions is overshadowed by the fact that it costs £202 a week to live here, at least when I paid upfront. But who knows, maybe that's all standard for London and I'm just not used to it.

The best part about Middlesex University is undoubtedly the campus. Many students who have attended Middlesex will say this, and they truly have almost everything a student needs on their campus. Not only is it aesthetically beautiful, but the amenities available are great. We have a Greggs, Starbucks, Costa, and more. The gym on campus has awesome equipment and the prices are unbeatable. The library is 24 hours which is amazing when it comes to getting things done before assessments are due. There is also a bar on campus which is great for socializing and meeting people! Another thing that I love about Middlesex is the support available to international students. As an international student, coming from the United States, I can comfortably say the support that they give is truly incredible. They have a great group of staff dedicated to helping international students and because the international rate is so high, student have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world! The only thing that I would say could use some approvement is honestly the teaching style. I have heard this from a plethora of students on campus, and the responses do differ between courses. I have found that many people say that tutors will over-explain topics that are easy to understand, then 'under-explain' topics that can be harder to grasp. This has been the source of many complaints I have heard about the university: students don't feel like they are learning much. In my course, which is Journalism and Creative Writing, I felt like I did not learn any new information that I didn't know before coming to university until the second year of my course. I have also heard that some of the courses are rather dated as far as materials and topics are concerned. I do not experience this is my course, however I have heard it in the business courses, IT/software courses, and others. Overall, Middlesex University is a great place to meet new people, learn, and develop as a person. The people and staff at Middlesex work really hard to make sure that everyone is having the best experience possible, and there is an amazing amount of support on campus to ensure this. The community is incredible and there are events and chances to meet people all the time. I highly recommend MDX!

The Journalism and Creative writing course at Middlesex offer students a modern look into the writing field. The duality of doing both Journalism and Creative Writing gives students a unique and all-encompassing set of skills. I would argue that this is one of the most transferrable degrees at Middlesex-- meaning that the skills you learn in this course can be transferred to a large number of different occupations and subjects. To illustrate this, I was able to advance at an unprecedented rate in my summer job selling solar panels. Because of my understanding of language, and how I can use language to articulate, I was able to advance at a much faster rate than anyone before or around me. I never expected that this degree would make me a great saleswoman, but it truly did. The head of the program, Ariel Kahn, is absolutely incredible. I have never seen someone so dedicated to education and to making sure students are getting the most out of the degree. The rest of the teaching staff is also superb, with professors that have achieved magnificent things in their respective fields. For journalism, you will be taught by some of the best journalists in the UK, and it is clear that you are working with some of the 'top dogs' of the industry. You will learn some of the most surprising things and will leave the degree with a well-rounded understanding of what journalism is in the modern-day context. For creative writing, the professors work really hard to give you as much creative freedom as possible, and the growth that you will experience in your writing is incredible to watch. The teaching style is enthusiastic and creatively driven. You will find that you will not only learn more about the subjects at hand but you will also learn more about yourself through this course. It is such am amazing, and accepting environment to be in. The academics put acceptance at the forefront of all conversations, so you never feel as if you are being judged. Truly, everyone working on this course is magnificent!

My top tip for accommodation, particularly for females, is to be careful of your surroundings. I have heard (and seen) on multiple occasions that the security teams at Usher Hall will enter your room without permission. One instance, which happened to my neighbor, was when a security officer came into her room at 3 in the morning, while she was sleeping (only in undergarments). The next day, when she asked why they came into her room at 3am they told her that something was wrong with her fire alarm (for context, she knew that it was a security officer because she recognized them). She did not know this because her fire alarm was not going off, and there was not a concern for a fire being in her room. They tried knocking, but her obviously being freaked out by someone knocking (very loudly-- I should note that the knocking woke me up), did not answer the door. They ended up entering, and leaving almost immediately, without actually checking the fire alarm. I understand why they would want to go in and check, but here is the issue: they never said that they were security. Rather than stating that they were security and why they were there (I should also point out that the doors are thin enough for this to be heard of they did decide to state who they were) they knocked with such intensity that it sounded like a police force trying to raid her accommodation. Again, they never stated who they were or why they were there at 3 in the morning. Aside from that, I loved the location, and the ammonites were alright. The common rooms are great for socializing and the kitchens have a good amount of space. The bathroom and rooms are standard for UK accommodations and have a decent amount of space. Out of all the halls I personally believe that User is the best!