Good SU, bad pay for lecturers leading to strikes

Tutorial frequency

Decor

I feel as though I have managed to have a good first year at university. It has, however, been very challenging at times - for example, there was a significant impact on studying and learning as it is not the same to be taught virtually. It was a shame to miss out on a normal year at university. I was very lucky with the friends I made in my flat as being at university can often be isolating - which I would often find, especially during lockdown. I liked my accommodation and am starting to appreciate the access we have to other facilities at the university now that things are beginning to open up. Uni of Leicester is not classified as a Russell Group uni, which, when I was applying, I thought was a drawback. Being here has shown me that these labels do not matter and that a university can make you feel comfortable and supported without being part of an elite system. Regardless of how we have made the most of a bad situation, this year has still not been worth the money. Tuition fees are especially extreme considering the difficulty to provide the same level of education online. There should be serious consideration for the quality of education, the impact of our wellbeing and the general experience we have had and whether that is worth the money we are paying.

This year has been very different to how it would usually be considering I’ve barely stepped on campus. Online teaching was a challenge but was made a lot easier through the organisation by lecturers via the Blackboard site, in which we can access all of our work. The sparse times at the beginning of the year in which we were allowed to attend socially-distanced seminars were great! The lecturers kept us engaged in discussions and debates. My tutor has regularly kept in contact with me, providing a lot of support. The modules were for the most part very interesting. There were times in which tutors were ill and we struggled to keep up but other than that, it was mostly clear where we were up to on the course.

6

No