Fantastic and life-changing! I've not just gone to a university to study a four year language degree. I've travelled more of the world than I thought I might ever do a few years ago, made amazingly close friends, developed myself in terms of my professional life so much more than I would've anywhere else. The course is something that excites me so much. Being just about to go abroad for my year abroad is thrilling knowing I'll be able to use everything I've learnt here. All of a sudden being studying Chinese in China having not spoken a word three years ago and working as a translator in a German publishing house having started learning the language in a woman's kitchen after school. This place has made me.

For a university I hadn't heard of before searching for my chosen course, I was very pleasantly surprised. The university has fantastic student halls and great gym facilities, free for those living in halls. It's one of the only universities I'm aware of with its own sea-going research vessel. Something my Ocean Science studying house mate loves. The libraries being beautiful and open 24/7 during exam time is also amazing. The classrooms in the main building are sometimes a little on the smaller side and a little older. Having said that they're always fit for purpose and never lacking anything you need. It's also simply an older building which is lovely to be studying in.

Very good. I always have the feeling I could knock on one of my lecturers' doors and ask for help. Other support staff like the employability team have always been very accommodating when it comes to asking for help with my professional development. I can't comment on counselling services and the like I'm afraid having never used them.

The students' union here really try their very best and it shows. I know when friends of mine here have had issues and approached the students' union they've tried their upmost to help. They also offer a wide range of events and what not to make student like here as exciting as it can be, to offer opportunities to the student body and to recognise those who go above and beyond, be they students or staff.

Absolutely. Bangor is the type of town where if you can't walk to something in 15 minutes, you're either crawling or it isn't in Bangor anymore. Both student villages are convenient in terms of their location to both the university and rest of the town. The only downside for some might be those living in St. Mary's village, where they have a bit of a hill to contend with.

Second to none. Unlike universities where some of my friends are studying, societies and sports clubs here and free. Along with this there's a fantastic variety. I really have the chance here to do amazing activities from boating to mounting walking to playing underwater hockey that I wouldn't really have expected before coming to university.

Perhaps the fact that, as someone who studied German at A-level and is very strong in German, the classes are mixed from the second year with post-beginners. I find myself sometimes not really being pushed as hard as I could be. Having said that, it's still useful being able to reinforce the knowledge for yourself by helping others where they're struggling.

13

Tremendously! During my last year I took a sabbatical year interning in the university's international office. An opportunity that was available to all students provided they apply. During this year I developed my professional skills in our office, recruiting international students for Bangor, giving tours, meeting international visitors and supporting current exchange and international students. I ended up on Vietnamese TV giving an interview discussing the university which not many random 20 year olds end up doing. I travelled to Hong Kong and China to for approximately 4 weeks going from meeting to meeting with partners giving presentations and the like, experience money couldn't buy. Prior to that I had a small internship here through the German department guiding the efforts of a German language learning promotion network, something which was very much a springboard for my following professional work. During my first summer here, thanks to the German department again I secured a grant to travel to Leipzig, Germany and learn to teach German to second language learners (as a 19 year old, wouldn't happen anywhere else!) Thanks to efforts from support staff here I was made aware of and encouraged to apply for an internship in Shenzhen, China through the British council for two months. Advice I then followed up on and have been successful in applying for. Something which surely will be a crown jewel in my CV for years to come. The employability team here work fantastically hard providing amazing workshops to help students with everything from CV's to entrepreneurship. I could really go on, there's certainly parts I'm missing but the university does amazingly here.

The housing is in a great location. Close to the University proper, supermarkets and the train station. The accommodation is slightly more expensive than other options in Bangor but this is something we were aware of before choosing it. From a safety standpoint, I feel very comfortable and confident with my house. The house is relatively new and therefore in excellent condition. Any maintenance issues are normally resolved quite quickly.