My name is Kadejah. I am a student from Ghana here in the UK to study BA (Hons) International Business. I experienced mixed emotions coming to the University of Northampton and I was much more nervous than I was excited. Luckily I had read lots of the information before arriving to prepare myself for what to expect as much as possible. I would definitely recommend new students to read the mini departure guides on the UNIC website as you can get lots of useful information before you arrive and they help you to feel more prepared. Click here to view them now.

I must say, that I was pleasantly surprised at the warm and decent manner of the Reception staff given to myself and all the new students. It was as if they had known us for years. Within just a couple of minutes of arriving at UNIC I was given a chance to mingle with people from all different counties and cultures and that was great - we instantly became like a family. The UNIC student ambassadors were very helpful and were reassuring to me as a new student as they kept telling us how they had been in our position before. They were easily identified by their red T.shirts and more than happy to answer any questions we had.

During my first week at UNIC we were given the chance to do a campus tour. When I first arrived I thought the campus seemed massive and really scary but the tour allowed me to quickly adjust to the new setting and feel at home. The tour was very thorough and we explored everywhere from the Students’ Union to the gym and sports facilities to the library and restaurant. It was essential as I now feel much more relaxed walking around the campus without the ambassadors.

In my first week I also got to visit the town centre, which was led by the student ambassadors themselves. This was a really worth-while activity as I knew it was important to familarise myself with the town early on to help me feel confident living here independent from my friends and family back at home.

Northampton is one of the most beautifully rural and convenient places I’ve ever been to. It has beautiful open spaces but the town has everything you need and is full of shops and restaurants to suit every taste. As part of the tour we were also given the chance to shop for our necessary essentials, take pictures, discuss general affairs over coffee and refreshments. It was definitely worth it the experience and made me feel much more comfortable and excited about being in a whole new environment.

Coming to UNIC at the University of Northampton has honestly been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I deem it a privilege to attend this university and proud to make it known to anyone who is also thinking about it. Students are being given all the necessary solid platforms to ensure they reach their highest potential, the staff play a huge role, and I can confidently say I feel delighted and happy to be here. The opportunities are endless. I’m thrilled to be a a member of this big family. I’m definitely ready to live up too the University’s motto and “transform lives and inspire change.”