Last month I worked at an Online Open Day with other students and staff, answering questions and giving support regarding courses, university life or living in Leeds generally. It was a great alternative that provided students with the information about starting university, that they have been looking for. If you are wondering what an Online Open Day entails, what you may need to prepare or how to get the most out of the experience, I am here to tell you exactly what to expect.

Exciting/useful things you’ll find on your Online Open Day:

Virtual campus tours

On the Online Open Day, you will find virtual campus tours for both City and Headingly campus. Both tours are in depth tours as if you were there. In the City campus virtual tour, you have options to visit all the buildings: Rose Bowl, Broadcasting Place, Portland/Caverley, social spaces, the library and any wider parts of the campus around Leeds city centre. In the Headingly campus tour, you have options to visit: all the specialist teaching facilities, sport facilities and the gym, social spaces, student support and the library. When you click on any of the places you want to visit, it takes you to a 360° virtual display on the various places or rooms inside that facility/building, giving you that real life experience of the university. Perfect for if you’ve never seen our campuses before.

Online chats with students and staff

With the online chat rooms, you have a fantastic opportunity to ask any questions or get answers to any worries you may have. Staff and students will be available which gives you the chance to get facts and information but also real-life experiences, situations and opinions from the students themselves, just like you would at any of the Open Days on site. You can also message a student or member of staff privately in a direct message if you think they would be the suitable one for your questions. For example, at the last event, I received a few questions about my course such as what the assessments involved, what campus my course was based at and what to bring to seminars and practicals.

Videos and extra information

On the supporting website pages, you will also find a wide range of videos and information on a range of topics including: Accommodation, culture, life in Leeds, student life and student support.

The accommodation section gives you videos on moving into halls, 360° tours, advice on the costs and choosing the right place for you. The student life section provides you with what it’s like to live in Leeds as a student, why you might want to pick Leeds based on your interests, for example, if you love food, going out, sport, winter, art, music, outdoors and so much more. It also gives you current students perspectives and student vlogs on why they enjoy living in Leeds. You can also head to the international student section where you can find any information you will need as an international student from cost, to accommodation, to qualifications. If you are needing to know about any student support this section gives you the chance to learn about our student wellbeing team, studying with a mental illness, money issues and disability support.

Ways you can prepare and get the most out of the Online Open Day:

Prepare the questions you want to ask

Come prepared with what you may want to find out. This way you can head into the right section of the open day and find the relevant information. If you are in one of our live chats with students and staff, you will also know what to ask or be able to message someone separately if you think they have the suitable answer. You may also want to jot down any of the answers or information you find so you don’t forget it!

Talk to Staff and Students

Make the most out of talking to the staff and students. Find out about the course you are currently interested in, ask about assessments, what you may need to bring with you, what the first week is like or what you might need to prepare for. Ask students about their own experiences while at university or maybe what they have found they struggled with to begin with and overcame. A lot of students and staff go through and see similar struggles so it might help you.

Find out where you course is based

Find out whether your course is at City or Headingly campus. This way you know whether which virtual tour to head to and which accommodations to look at. You can focus on one campus and get familiar and comfortable with it. You can also focus any questions you may have about the campus with students or staff.

The Online Open Day is a great way for you to experience what being a Leeds Beckett student is like and to give you all the information you may need. I would personally attend the event as it’s a great alternative still giving you the visual aids, chance to speak to staff and students and view the campus just like you would on any other Open Day!

Hollie

Hi I’m Hollie, a fitness instructor, blogger and Sport Therapy student. I have a passion for all things fitness, wellbeing and mental health. I am a massive advocate of self love and spreading kindness in everything you do! I believe together we can make ourselves and the world a better place.

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