Open days

Ok, so all universities have open days, just like schools. What I want to know is this: why does the University of Lincoln have so many?


It seems like every few weeks we have new "potential students" looking around.


As an average student, I'll establish right now that I have had no contact with next year's intake. But, bearing this in mind, surely I should still have some contact with future students?


You can only get a real feeling for the university you're going to if you actually have some experience of living there. That's why I decided to come to Lincoln - I stayed with a friend here and experienced how it really is to live as a student here, if only for a weekend.


But, really, that's what university is all about - living away from home and learning about how to live on your own. Fair enough if you want to live close to home, but in my opinion it's better to learn how to stand on your own two feet.


I feel that living four hours away from my parents has really benefited me, and I've learnt more about myself as a person (as well as learning how to cook for myself!)


For a start, I've become more independent. Then of course, there's making new friends - I know that I can completely rely on my closest friends here, because I live with them and know everything about them.


This is something that open day students don't completely understand. Living at university is completely different from living at home - living in close conditions with other people you don't know (at least to start with) and gradually learning about each other. It's part of the whole experience.


In summary: come to uni for an open day, yes. But talk to real students, not the reps. Talking to real students gives you a real idea of living at your uni. Fact.