Feeling part of the Leeds Beckett community

The Leeds Beckett community is one that looks after each other, from the staff members who smile at me as I enter the Headingley library, to the students who I crack jokes with as we wait for the lecturer in the online seminar room. Feeling part of a community is important, especially during the current situation with Covid-19 and lockdowns. Here at Beckett it’s been welcoming and friendly since my first experience on my interview day, which was one of the reasons why I chose LBU.

Personalised approach

During the application process I felt fully involved in the LBU community, from the group chat my interview group made on the day of the interview, to the handwritten postcard I received after my interview. On the interview day we were welcomed by lecturers, took part in some group exercises and then we were interviewed individually. The interview was very interactive and was well suited for Primary Ed students. While we sat in the corridor waiting to be interviewed, we all sat and joked our nerves away and from there we decided to make a group chat because we all clicked. I consider everyone on the group chat my friends, and we still talk to this day. 

Making friends on my course

One of my favourite LBU communities that I’m a part of is my course community. Although many of us haven’t met in person due to Covid-19, we have bonded through our induction activities and through our group chats. Although university is about education, it’s also about making memories, having fun and making friends. We get up to all sorts of fun while waiting in the online meeting rooms for our lecturers to arrive and  I’m surprised to say that I have genuinely made so many friends with people at university during online learning.

The Primary Ed community is made up of more than just the students, the tutors are great too. Without fail, my maths tutor Gaynor, can recognise my voice in an online chat room of 150 students despite having never met any of us in person. This is all thanks to our tutors being very invested in their students and being extremely caring. They definitely make the course community special and I’m glad to be a part of it.

Diverse, friendly and multicultural

The university is friendly, multicultural and welcoming. I’ve met the friendliest staff members who always seem to have a smile on their face regardless of the time of day. We have a blend of cultures which makes this university so interesting to me. So far, I have come across many new ethnic friends and experienced cultures I wouldn’t have known about had I not come to LBU. I’ve also made friends outside my course just by sitting in the library and having conversations during my break and everyone seems open to just chat. I’ve also integrated myself further into the wider LBU community by getting my first job here at Leeds Beckett working as a student ambassador which is enabling me to branch out further by voicing my thoughts and allowing me to share my stories.

Welcoming city

The general vibe here in Leeds is great. Although I live at home and travel into Leeds to use the library and facilities, I still get to experience the sense of belonging due to the welcoming nature of the people here. To me it’s the open and friendly nature of the people of Leeds that really makes this city perfect for students.

Feeling comfortable and part of a community is essential, especially when you’re new to a city or university. Everything in this community holds value to me, from the small things like smiles from members of staff to the care and commitment our tutors show us and the fun we have has students. Beckett is full of different people from different walks of life, but everyone seems to fit together perfectly.