Charlotte Deans is a student on the BA (Hons) Psychology and Sociology course at Queen Margaret University.
QMU community
If someone was to ask me to describe the QMU community, I would tell them that it provides a welcoming and supportive safe space where students have the freedom to express themselves without judgement, whilst allowing them to work and learn to their full potential.
I have loved every second of my time here at QMU so far and couldn’t have asked for better colleagues, friends, lecturers or student support staff to have working with me throughout my time here. They have enabled me to grow in confidence and make the most out of what my university experience has had to offer.
University life
I feel it should be recognised that everyone’s experience of what ‘university life’ is will look different to them – there’s no one size fits all when it comes to navigating the ins and outs of what QMU has to offer. I’ve never really been into the traditional ideas of what university life is known for, such as the partying and drinking side of things, so it was important for me to integrate with others by putting myself out there and making the most of the extracurricular opportunities given to me.
Throughout my time at university so far, I have been involved in paid opportunities which include supporting the open days and college induction days at QMU. as well as becoming a Widening Participation Ambassador which involves the team working to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to gain an understanding of the positive influence university could have on their lives.
From my experience, university can be quite overwhelming and pressurising at times, so I feel that all of these roles helped me to build confidence, socialise and encourage me to create a balance between completing my university work, doing things I’m passionate about, and allowing me to prioritise myself when I need to.
Support services for students
There are several different student support services on offer at QMU including the:
- Disability Service;
- Effective Learning Service (ELS);
- Peer Assisted Learning Scheme (PALS);
- Careers and Employability, and
- Wellbeing and Counselling Services.
Appointments and information on these services can be accessed through the QMU student portal, which all QMU students have access to.
As a wheelchair user, utilising the disability service is of particular importance to me as it means that I can advocate for my accessibility needs through my disability advisor without any apprehension. A disability advisor can support students with many things including providing strategies or tools to help with coursework or exams. The aim of the service is to ensure that students with additional support needs can reach their full potential by removing the barriers that might have an impact on their learning and overall university experience.
The careers and employability department is also a good place to start for anyone who is thinking about:
- writing up or improving their CVs;
- applying for a part-time, full-time or graduate job;
- preparing themselves for a job interview; or
- looking for some work experience or volunteer opportunities, as well as much more.
The team would be more than happy to help assist students with these types of things through an appointment with a careers advisor, as they have done with me over the past year or so.
The Effective Learning Service (ELS) and Peer Assisted Learning Scheme (PALS) can both be used as a tool to offer guidance when it comes to developing their study skills within their academics. Within ELS, there are a number of workshops that run throughout the academic year which encourage students to enhance their writing skills and in turn, this can improve their overall grade. There are also individual appointments available for students to ask specific questions that they may have on a particular piece of work or assignment.
The PALS service takes on a different approach in terms of the fact that it is facilitated by students who run informal seminar sessions based on the modules that they have previously completed. This is a great learning opportunity for everyone involved, as it breaks down the information that students have gained from lectures and seminars in a way that is easier for them to understand, which therefore means that they can consolidate their knowledge.
Every student at QMU is also assigned to a personal academic tutor (PAT) throughout the duration of their studies. Students can set up meetings with their PAT to discuss and ask for guidance on things that may be affecting their learning in any capacity.
I’ve found that having these types of services available at QMU has been valuable in terms of helping me to reach my full academic potential and achieve what I’ve wanted to achieve in my time here so far.
Student accommodation
Throughout the duration of my course, I have lived in accessible student accommodation. There are two variations of non-accessible and accessible accommodation on campus which are premium and standard. All of these room options, along with the prices of each, are available to view in the accommodation portal on the QMU website.
In terms of the layout in my accessible room, I have:
- a roll-under desk at both manual and electric wheelchair height for studying;
- emergency pull cords on one side of my bed and in the bathroom that send an alert to the security team in the event of an emergency;
- grab rails on either side of the toilet for transferring;
- a bed which is at wheelchair to bed transferring height;
- adapted kitchen to suit accessibility needs;
- lowered counter tops which allow me to reach the kettle, toaster, microwave and sinks; and
- lower level ovens and cookers for accessibility.
I have enjoyed staying in QMU’s student accommodation over the years. I find it efficient in terms of location to and from the university as it’s only an approximate 5-minute walk/wheel to and from the campus – that extra hour in bed is vital, trust me! The environment is calming, and it gives me my own space and time to study, be independent, reflect and spend time with my friends and flatmates.
Creating Networks – societies and volunteer groups
In the beginning, it can be challenging and daunting for students to integrate with others. I have found that being part of societies and volunteer groups such as the psychology and sociology society, and also the Toybox Diversity Research Group, has helped me to build networks by meeting like-minded people who can bond with me over similar interests and passions. Memberships for these types of groups are open to all students who might be interested.
Student recommendations for uni
If I was to recommend anything to prospective students, it would be to: go at your own pace – try not to put too much pressure on yourself! Make the most of the opportunities given to you, join a society or volunteer group to help with meeting like-minded people, utilise the support systems that are on offer to enhance you’re learning experience, and most importantly, enjoy yourself!
