If you love the outdoors and all it has to offer, Bangor University is for you. With spectacular mountains and a neighbouring national park to explore, as well as a whole host of completely free societies and clubs to sign up to, I can say I've never been bored at Bangor. As well as this, as a disabled student on a course which relies on many outdoor field elements, I've always felt incredibly supported throughout my three years. As an improvement, some lecturers could do with a little more training in online support - understandably at the beginning of the pandemic, most were unused to an online environment, however after nearly two years of it you'd assume they'd get used to it. Also, a few buildings (such as some of the accommodations) are old and need renovating, but aren't unusable. Overall, a very good university and one I'm glad to have attended!

On the geological oceanography course, I had expected more direct, hard geology, however this is definitely not the case. If you prefer things such as sediments then this is the right course for you, however for petrology, mining, crystallography, etc, you're better off looking elsewhere. Furthermore, whilst the majority of lecturers are a delight to have and obviously love teaching just as much as they do their own research, a few are quite obviously only there for the tenure and nothing more. This is a slight shame, but doesn't dampen the course too much. Multiple careers fairs and talks are held over the length of the course, and they've all been really well organised! The only downside is that the majority of speakers/representatives from companies are of the same demographic (white, older, male), which isn't entirely very inspiring. Finally, work placement opportunities/internships are offered within the university three times a year, and they are all paid, however the variety can be a little lacking.

Cost of living in Bangor is one of the lowest in the UK, with average weekly house rent at about £90 - £100; there's also plenty of low-budget supermarkets nearby, such as a Lidl and Aldi. Safety is about what is expected for a small city, with the university pushing for further safety measures throughout, and public transport is generally very good, especially between university facilities (e.g. between Bangor and Menai Bridge). Part-time work opportunities are harder to come by, with a large amount of students all looking for jobs and a very small market; I only know one person with a part-time job currently.

Bangor student accommodation is one of the cheapest in the UK. I stayed in a newer building, with an en suite in my room and a kitchen shared with 7 other people, and rent was only £130 a week. The process to apply for halls is easy and lain out fairly well, and the main 'fresher' site (Ffriddoed Village) is at the top of a decent hill, only about a 15 minute walk from the majority of uni buildings.

Sitting on the beach to do studying, or on the main university terrace overlooking the city, keeping me fresh and focused with the gentle breeze. That's what Bangor has allowed me to do. The campus life trips, that are on throughout the year also allow me to get a real feel for the place and surrounding towns, traveling to places such as church island, that overall makes me feel more comfortable and at home here. The strength of community at the University is, in my opinion, unprecedented. Everyone knows each other and you don't feel lonely walking to and from class because of the amount of people you bump into on the way. The lectures are also all very friendly and it's clear that they are passionate about what they teach, making the lectures and practicals as well as fieldwork days far more exciting and interesting than in lower education. The university could improve slightly with the student union holding more events and the sports societies being promoted more, giving the students more pride and acknowledgment in their university. Student facilities could also be improved with the older buildings on the Ffriddoedd accommodation site being refurbished as they are very dated.

Physical Geography and Oceanography is an extremely rewarding course to be on, especially with researchers as lecturers, allowing us students to have up to date knowledge of the ever evolving science. The course is taught mostly in person with very few lectures held online, however that is not to say that online lectures aren't available for those who cannot attend in person, with every lecture being live streamed and recorded allowing for flexiblity with learning styles and making it easier to review a lecture by just re-watching it. Each student in the course also has a personal tutor who they can go to if they have any issues with deadlines or a module, as well as every module having drop in sessions allowing you to check your understanding with what has being taught before the end of module assessment.

The views and surroundings are breathtaking and with Snowdonia National park on your doorstep there is so much room to adventure. This and Bangor itself being a small city but with far more to offer than it first seems. The beach is within walking distance from the University and so is angelsey that has a great October fair and loads of picturesque walks. The main high street is also the longest in Wales and has a variety of shops along it.

Ffraw is one of the many new builds on the Ffriddoedd site, however this building is central to the Ffriddoedd site and therfore the local sites shop and bar are right on your doorstep. The site is calm and feels safe with security on hand 24/7 and the sizes of the accommodation blocks differ, so whether you want to meet loads of people during freshers or have a quieter start then the option of a smaller or bigger block is there for you. Bangor allows you to pre-book a room before you come and you get a range of options with this so that you'll be better suited to your flatmates. Each room has its own on-suite bathroom that is a decent size and there's a cleaner that comes to clean the kitchen every week as well as your bins being taken out for you so a messy environment is never a worry. However that being said some flatmates can still create quite a mess but there's no worries with that as any issues with flatmates or neighbouring flats can be taken to the whole blocks mentor who will help sort out any issues.