When I arrived at the Department one of the first things I noticed about the University was the friendliness. University is very different to being in school, where you have to fit in with the norm. At Bradford there are so many different types of people, all with their own individual personalities and styles. You are accepted for who you are. Living in Halls in the first year is great. With 25 people living in one block there's always someone you get on with and you never get the chance to be lonely. And it's worth remembering that everyone is in the same position. so, it's worth stopping in halls, at least until you get to know a few people.

The first year on the course is designed to get everyone to the same standard, so the second year does come as a bit of a culture shock. The real work starts then. The lecturers get you more involved in group project work, which will prepare you for your final-year project. The fact that the course takes you through these stages helps give you the skills you need and helps with time management. The course can include a year in industry, which I would recommend to anyone. I worked at Reuters, in London, which was a fantastic experience. It was probably one of the best experiences I have ever had! Reuters is just such a great company to work for and very supportive. I was the only placement student in the department but I was treated like any other employee. Luckily, I had the freedom to develop a role according to my interests. This was very useful in allowing me to develop my career interests and I now have a clear vision of what career I want when I have completed mydegree. I have also been back there since and trained someone else for the job.

I enjoyed coming back to University following the placement because you can work so much better. In industry, it's a nine to five job. You are working every day so returning to University is a doddle. If you do nothing, you feel guilty, so it has motivated me to work harder. Most people say they do better in their final year when they return from placement, so I would definitely advise you to take the plunge. One thing I can say about Bradford is the course prepares you with a great range of skills. I chose Bradford because it was so up-to-date with new technology. At the time I applied, there was only one other university doing Java, which was four years ago. Bradford was right at the cutting-edge and still remains there today. This is one thing I tell people considering coming to Bradford.