FAQ’s

As a student ambassador, there are quite a few questions which I regularly get asked on Open Days and Offer Holder Days.  For potential students of the university who may not have thought of these during their visit, or for those people who have not been able to come and visit the university for one reason or another, I thought I would post some of them here along with my personal answers!  If what you would like to know is not covered here, then please leave a question in the comments, and I will make sure to get back to you!

Where did you live in first year and what did you think of it?

I lived in Oadby Student Village, in Pavilions, which is part of the John Foster Halls.  I absolutely loved it. Some visitors initially think that the student village seems too far away from the university, but I genuinely think that that is what makes our accommodation so unique, and also, there are buses so frequently that really it is not that far out at all!  Having the majority of students within such close proximity of each other really makes it feel like a community, and allows for the village to have the cafeteria, the student hub and the sports centre all so close together.  I ended up with the loveliest flatmates, which was such a relief as not getting along with them was one of my biggest worries before moving to Leicester!

What support is there for you at the halls of residence?

At both City Living and Oadby Student Village, there are 24hr receptions which can be contacted either in person (by visiting) or by telephone.  This service can be used for any queries or concerns.  Furthermore, there are residential advisors at both locations, which put on optional events almost every day for students, but they are also there to make sure that all residents are feeling happy during their time in the accommodation and can voice any concerns to management that may arise.  Some of the events which were put on when I lived in Oadby were:

• Weekly Hub Quiz
• Harry Potter Meal
• Jewellery Making
• Baking Nights
• Mixology Sessions

Do you ever venture into the city or other places in Leicester very much?

Yes! I regularly pop into the city for some shopping as it is not a very long and is also a very pretty walk from university!  If you head down New Walk (the city’s pedestrian zone), it is only about 25 minutes until you are in the centre of town!  There are some great restaurants, cafes, shops (both inside and out of the Highcross shopping centre) and also historical areas to visit – including the Richard III Visitor Centre and Cathedral.  If you’re interested in seeing what Leicester offers aside from the university, check out this video I made when my best friend came to visit me and I showed her around!

What sport is available at the university?

Whatever level of sport you enjoy, whether it is competitive, casual or just for personal pleasure, there is something for you.  We have two university sports centres – Danielle Brown on campus and Roger Bettles in Oadby.  At both of these, there is a gym, a swimming pool, spa and sauna, rooms for classes (including virtual classes), and at Roger Bettles, there are playing fields used for training and matches.  If you want to play competitively, we have Team Leicester, which includes over 30 sports teams.  We also have intramural sports teams (course-teams) and the Lets Do Leicester programme which are there to make sure anyone can get involved no matter what their levels of confidence!

How easy is it to make friends?

This obviously depends on each individual person and their situation, but I found it very easy as I ended up having the best flat and course mates.  A good way we found to make friends in our flat on the first night was to make sure we all introduced ourselves and asked questions to one another, and spent the majority of our time in the kitchen for the first few days so that everything was very social.  Usually as well, courses hold introductory events (for example mine did cake and tea!) so that there is good opportunity for you to mingle and make some friends before going to the lectures which follow.  I still live with and am still very close friends with the people who I met during the first days of university so these events and situations are really good opportunities for you to get to know others!

What is the nightlife like?

The university hold 3 student nights a week:

• MONDAY – Monsta Mondays in Club Republic
• WEDNESDAY – LetsDisko in the O2 (Students Union)
• FRIDAY – Shabang! in the O2 (Students Union)

Remember, if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment and I will get back to you ASAP!

CLC