How to pick the right University for you

Firstly, congratulations on deciding that you want to attend University - It's not an easy choice to make for everyone but you've already taken the first step! I have put together a step by step guide to help you find the right University and right course for you:

1. Select a subject area (e.g. Sport)
2. Decide whether it is important to you if you stay near home or can move away. (If you are staying near home your choices can become narrow very quickly).
3. Try looking at some league tables, for example The Guardian or The Complete University Guide. Note that different University's will rank better for different subjects and under different headings (e.g. student satisfaction, graduate prospects, entry standards etc.)
4. Use the UCAS Website to Find a Course - look at lots of different courses and different Universities (even if you are planning to stay near home).
5. Print off some courses and highlight things you like/dislike in different colours. You will start to notice a pattern, for example course content (more science/sociology) or method of examination (essays/exams/practicals).
6. Find a course that has the most of what you like - it is unlikely that you will love everything about one course but you can like most of it.
7. Research that particular course and the Universities that offer it.
   
8. Narrow down the Universities by checking out their websites, googling news stories, going to open days and chatting to people who have done that course or have studied something else there.
9. Sometimes courses appear more or less the same, so think about their geographical location - would you like to live by the sea, or in a big city, or in a rural area?
10. Make your choices on your UCAS application.

This can be quite an emotional time and the process can be quite stressful - be prepared for that. I try to deal with any emotional decision by looking at it logically at first, so following the process above can help with that. Here is another guide from The Complete University Guide.

Most importantly though is that you talk to people about it all - your friends and family can provide a support network and can be great to bounce ideas off of. Don't set your heart on one course at one institution - be aware that things may not develop in the way you intended them to, for example budgets can be cut and thus less places offered. 

Once you have an idea of the course and Universities that you are interested in, BOOK AN OPEN DAY! These are great opportunities to work out whether you like the University, the course and the local area - remember you will live there for at least 3 years!

Any questions please leave a comment below - otherwise, happy searching!

Get into Sport

Get into Sport is a programme set up by the University of Bedfordshire to encourage more students and staff to be physically active. All you have to do is sign up for FREE and you can attend any and as many as the sessions on the timetable as you want. 

Wheelchair Basketball

The sessions are mostly non-competitive and fun, and can be a great introduction into sports you haven't tried before. There are qualified coaches at the sessions to provide hints, tips and coaching. Some of the more traditional sports offered at the Bedford campus include cricket, badminton, tennis, football, dodgeball, table tennis and futsal. However there are sessions for sports that you may not have had an opportunity to try out - ultimate frisbee, canoeing/kayaking, rowing, handball and wheelchair basketball. 


Another good thing about Get into Sport is that if you have a coaching qualification, you can apply to be a Coach, or an Activator if you don't have coaching qualifications, meaning you can be paid to run the sessions! 

I have attended a few sessions and they are great fun! After a while you tend to get the same people turning up each week, meaning you get to know them. Being on a sports course means I meet lots of other people from sports courses, but through Get into Sport I have met and made friends with people from other courses too.

Human Table Football

FitBit Fan!

I have fairly recently bought a FitBit - and I love it so much that I bought one for my Mum and one for my Partner! There are other brands available such as the Garmin VivoFit, the Jawbone UP, Nike Fuel Band, Polar Loop etc. but I chose to invest in the FitBit. 

FitBits are activity trackers that monitor various things throughout the day. There have been adverts on the TV recently that you may have seen. Now, when I heard that this technology was going to be commercially available, the Sport Scientist in me couldn't wait to get my hands on one! They can track your steps, heart rate, sleep, floors climbed, exercise and more! Our family are now in competition with each other to be top of the leader board at the end of the week for most number of steps taken. You can input what you eat and drink and it can aid with weight loss/stability/gain and is a great motivation tool whether you appreciate the science behind it or not! (Note: I know they are not 100% accurate or reliable, this isn't a blog arguing for or against them - it's just my experiences).

I like the fact that I can set it up to record my stats (and map my activity) when I'm training. I play a lot of badminton, cycle and have recently started running again and it's been fascinating to analyse the stats once the workout is done, and over time. Being on a sports course means that I am often pulled into the labs to do some sort of exercise training test, which is great fun, but being able to access that sort of information outside of a lab really excites me! (I know...)



It excites me so much that my dissertation is looking into the potential for the use of activity tracking technology in PE. I thought I would write a blog on here in the hope that people could share their experiences and thoughts on using this type of technology in the classroom. Please leave feedback in the comments section below - I'd love to read your thoughts! The thought of bringing Sports Science into Schools with such a simple device could really enhance the pedagogies employed by teachers and could bring PE into the 21st Century!

PAL

Peer Assisted Learning is a peer mentoring scheme at Beds. I was a PAL leader this year and we had PAL leaders in first Year, so I am going to give you an insight from both perspectives. You can find out more about PAL by clicking this link: http://www.beds.ac.uk/pal 

As a first year student, induction week can be quite overwhelming in terms of meeting lots of new people and being bombarded with information, most of which you won't remember! PAL leaders are with you in induction week to answer questions you may have, give you an insight into University life and to 'show you the ropes'. You will then have weekly group PAL meetings until Easter. 

As a first year it was great to speak to people who had been there and done that the year before, so they were great at answering questions - especially when it came to assignments and studying. We had sessions on assignments, the best places to go for a good night out, thinking about careers - all sorts! After the first few weeks we were asked to suggest things to talk about in PAL so the sessions were tailored towards us. Plus when you are wandering around campus for the first few weeks not knowing many people it's great to recognise a face and say 'Hi' as you walk past each other - it makes you feel more at home.

As a PAL leader it's good to make contact with the new first years. I have spent a lot of time this year developing sessions to help my first years and I made sure it was all tailored towards them and what they wanted. For example, my group were particularly struggling with a Physiology module so we spent some time working together to understand concepts, finding helpful resources to use if they got stuck again and getting to know how each person learns best. This was a really memorable session for me as I felt like I had really made an impact on their learning - they left the session understanding things they previously hadn't and had the knowledge of where to look if they got stuck again.

Being a PAL leader is not only great for your CV but it helps you develop you confidence, planning and time management skills but also the ability to think on your feet. Some weeks I had planned a session and all the group could talk about was something else, so thinking on my feet I ran a session on that so the group felt more comfortable and at ease by the time they left. 

Coaching Qualifications...

Coaching Qualifications are a great thing to have when you're interested in a career in Sport! They can help advance your own knowledge of a sport, help you develop as a performer and as a coach. I originally got mine because I needed them to work as a sports coach but since coming to Uni they have found me countless jobs and opportunities!

Lots of people at Uni say to me that they are interested in doing them but they cost a lot of money and/or they can't find a course... Well, yes they will cost some money but see it as an investment, and there are plenty of schemes about to help with the cost. For example a few years ago the FA ran women only coaching courses for FREE to train more women to become football coaches as part of their 'getting women/girls playing football' campaign. The 'This Girl Can' Campaign by Sport England may also have funding to help some into coaching. Consider less traditional sports too - archery, canoeing, fencing, goalball are just the beginning!

Finding a course, on the other hand is something I can help with!

Sports Coach UK and 1st 4 Sport are a great place to start, as well as your governing body for your own sport. There are plenty of courses running for a wide variety of sports so have a look, even at sports you've never tried, and see what you think. Each sport will have their own ranking system of qualifications for coaches but a general rule is that a Level 1 course is for those who are looking to be an assistant coach, are just getting into a sport or are still Juniors; Level 2 courses are for coaches who want to run their own sessions. Most sports require that you complete a Level 1 before a Level 2 so consider that when you are thinking about booking courses - don't book on to a Level 2 before completing your Level 1! National Governing Bodies of sports are also a good place to look - for example the FA, British Gymnastics, England Athletics, Badminton England etc...

Once you are qualified, advertise that you are! Contact your local council, they might have some work for you, and if not they can point you in the direction of places to advertise your services. With a coaching qualification usually comes a DBS Check (CRB), a first aid qualification and a safeguarding certificate (you have to get these in order to pass the coaching qualification - you will be advised as to how to obtain these) which are all useful in helping you to get placements or work in a variety of settings. They also look great on Uni applications!

Please leave a comment if you have any specific questions about coaching or specific sports and I will do my best to answer them!

One Trick Pony...

This weeks blog is about not being a one trick pony when it comes to applying for Uni. If all you can talk about in your personal statement and at interview is how much you love sport, you'll be at the bottom of the pile! Now if you're applying for a sports course that may seem strange, but Universities want people who are willing to try different things, who have a breadth of experiences not just within sport but outside of it too!

One of my lectures this year actually told us in an employability lecture that if she is reading personal statements/job applications/conducting interviews and all the person can talk about is football then they 'get filed under rubbish'. So from the horses mouth you need to be getting different experiences within sport and outside it. 

This weekend I'm in Wales with my Choir for a weekend of performances and 'socialising'. When I was applying for Uni I made sure that I spoke about my choir, my voluntary work and a range of sports that I was involved in. These TRANSFERABLE SKILLS are what make you stand out from the crowd!

This Summer is a great opportunity to get some experiences! You can do things voluntarily (people are always looking for volunteers!) or even get paid to do it! Coaching companies such as Sports Xtra or Premier Sport (others are available) often run holiday clubs/camps for kids and are looking for people to work for them during the summer holidays. I found it really good fun to work with the kids, I went rock climbing, swimming, canoeing and loads of other things with them - and I got paid to do it! Have a look for jobs like these to broaden your horizons within sport - especially if you want to become a teacher!


Outside of sport is more tricky for some - I've always been a musician too so for me it wasn't difficult. If you don't know where to start try googling hobbies and seeing what comes up. Wood work? Drama? Art? Photography? Gardening? Music? Vintage Cars? Bird Watching? You don't know until you try it!

Make the most of your summer and get lots of experiences - you need to start applying for jobs now ready for the summer, especially for the coaching/kids camp ones!

Exams...

This time of year sucks! It's really sunny... but you have to revise for exam season! I have written previously about revision, but now I'm going to focus on the exam! This is from my previous experiences and this seems to work for me.

Revision stops for me at dinner time on the night before - I just chill out after dinner and take my mind away from the exam. I get an early-ish night and make sure that I have packed everything I need for my exam in the morning.

In the morning I wake up with plenty of time to shower, wash and dry my hair and have breakfast at a leisurely pace. It takes me a while to fully wake up and so I want to make sure I am awake by exam time! Then I leave the house allowing plenty of travel time.

Once I get to school/uni for my exam I have a quick last look over anything I'm particularly worried about or want to get into my head. I make sure that on the outside I'm looking fairly chilled and relaxed because it seems to convince my mind that it feels the same!

When it comes to opening the paper I always get that little heart flutter of 'this is it'. My mum gave me a piece of advice when I was doing my GCSEs that has helped with exams ever since - take three long and deep breaths and then remind yourself that you are going to do your best because that's all anyone can ask for!

Here are a few things that I do to help calm my nerves under exam conditions:

1. Set out my table how I want it - Pens at the top right, pencils top left with a rubber and pencil sharpener in the corner, ruler underneath, everything in line with the table edges. I adjust my chair so that I am comfortable. This is my way of owning the space and making my self feel less like it's a big scary exam hall.
2. Deep, slow breathing - always a good one! If you tend to work yourself up try a quick breathing exercise whilst waiting for everyone to be seated. Its called the 4-7-8 breathing technique (4 seconds breathing in, hold for 7 seconds, 8 seconds breathing out). Some people say it makes them feel sleepy but if you are feeling anxious or stress, doing this a couple of times really helps focus you - plus the physiological benefits.
3. When you leave the exam don't talk about it! It's in the past there is nothing you can do! Dissecting it question by question is not going to help your stress levels so move on and do something different. If you have other exams take a bit of time to chill before getting back into revision, even an hour or two will help!

             Good luck to everyone taking exams! Just remember it's a small part of you life and who you are!

Halls...

This week it's all about Halls! I personally have never lived in halls (you can read my commuter blog from earlier in the year if you are thinking about Commuting) but many of my friends have - so I thought I would give you an insiders view of living in halls...

You can find lots more information about Living at Beds or specifically about Liberty living by clicking the hyper links. I would recommend attending an open day and taking a tour of the different accommodation that is available, plus you can then ask any questions you may have. 

Stress!

This time of year for most students can be pretty stressful, what with exams, assignments, finding summer jobs and wanting to be outside in the sunshine instead! I thought I would write this weeks blog from my own struggles with stress and what I have learned to do to deal with it.

So here goes:

1. It's ok to feel stressed! Sometimes stress is a good thing (for example if you were being chased by dinosaurs and didn't bat an eyelid, you would probably get eaten very quickly!) but more often than not - it's normal! You are not weak if you are stressed or show signs of being stressed - it's just part of life.
2. Know the signs of your stress. I personally get very physical signs, like heart palpitations, fidgety or restlessness, but others don't. I know some people get very insular and don't really fancy doing anything, even going down the pub for a catch up and I know others who will do anything and everything apart from face what's stressing them out. It's different for everyone but knowing your own symptoms will help you cope with it.
   
   
3. Talk to someone about it. I know people say this a lot but it really does help. I would never speak to someone I knew about things like that but I could speak to a stranger about it - so I did. Having had that experience I now feel more comfortable talking to my friends and family. The people you have around you will support you, so don't be afraid to talk. If you genuinely feel you can't then write it down. Just getting thoughts out of your head will help you make sense of it all.
4. Work out how to alleviate your stress. For some people walking away from what is stressing them out and coming back to it works. For others they need to face it head on, deal with it and power forward. I found that I was different in different situations, which makes things more tricky to work out in the first instance, but once you get to grips with it you'll know what to do quite quickly. 
5. Some ways I reduce stress my levels are to make sure I get enough sleep, exercise and being outdoors if it's nice weather, listening to music, watching films and drinking a cup of hot, sweet tea. Never underestimate the healing powers of a cuppa!

This is just from my own experiences and everyone is different. Hopefully by writing about it people will feel able to deal with stress in a positive way.

There are counselling services available all over the country, through schools, universities and charities, so if you want to talk to someone but feel you have no where to go, have a look for these services. 

Lab Sessions!

On Sport and PE (and other Sports courses) we study subjects that require time in the laboratories to conduct testing and help develop our knowledge and understanding of concepts.

This was my last Lab session as a Second Year student - I've put together a short video for you to get an insight into what we get up to in Labs.

This particular lab was looking at nutrition and the use of fats and carbohydrates in different types of exercise. I have done sessions in the enviornmental chamber, which is really good fun!  

The lab sessions are a part of my course that I really enjoy! UoB has even been awarded funds by FIFA to conduct research for them, with regards to the upcoming World Cups! See more here: UoB FIFA. The facilities here are incredible and really help with learning the theory. 

Open Days!

Open days are a great way to get to know a University, whether you have already selected your choices or you are still looking at different possibilities, they give you
an insight into life at that Uni.



What is an Open Day? 

This is a day where people are welcome to attend to familiarise themselves, friends and family with the Uni. It provides advice with regards to the course you are interested in, what the accommodation and facilities are like and about services provided by the Uni.



What happens at an Open Day?

I have attended several open days and they tend to follow a similar format. At some point during the day there will be a campus tour, a visit to the accommodation, a visit to the sports facilities, a visit to the library,  a chance to speak to staff and potentially students who are specific to your course, a chance to discuss student finance and maybe a few talks on various subjects. Some faculty specific open days provide 'introductory lectures' so you can get a feel of how lectures work at the Uni. 

What do I need to do?

Firstly check to see if you need to book onto an open day, and if so do it.

Then turn up with a list of questions you would like answering - this may be through various talks, visits or by asking staff/students directly.

Make a note of the answers to your questions somewhere because you are bombarded with so much information that you won't remember everything!




What questions do I need answering?

Here are a few to get you started, but they are individual to you:

• What do you look for in a personal statement (Course Specific)?
• What is the UCAS tariff for this course?
• What have previous students gone on to do after graduating?
• Am I guaranteed a place in Halls if I apply for one?
• Do most students stay or go home over the weekend?
• How much do Halls cost? What does this include?
• What's the town/city like?
• (To students) How has the course been so far? What has the teaching/support/facilities been like?
• (To students) What is the best and worst thing about Uni?
• (To students) How do you manage money?
• What sports teams and societies do you have?
• What bursaries/scholarships are there available and how do I apply for one?

Want more information?

Visit the Universities webpage, search for them on twitter and facebook. 

There is some really useful information on UoB here: 
http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/oe/ug/visit which may answer some of your questions. 

Varsity!

Varsity is an annual sporting competition traditionally held between two 'rival' Universities in the same local area; for example between Leeds and Leeds Met, Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam, and Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. It is a day to look forward to in the calendar, great atmosphere, great social and some great sport! 

Beds and Herts compete in a wide variety of sports from traditional games like football, rugby and netball to ultimate frisbee, dodgeball and futsal. I managed to go around and get some photos of the day to give you an idea of the atmosphere and what goes on, but as I was playing myself most of my time was taken up playing Badminton. The two Universities take turns to host the event and this year it was UoBs turn! Check out some news articles here: http://www.bedssu.co.uk/articles and here is a BullsTV video on Varsity 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fSfegP4LAw 

#BedsvsHerts #varsity

(Music - David Guetta - Toy Story)

Next week I will be interviewing a few first year Sport and PE students in my PAL session to see how their first year has been!

BUCS Wednesdays!

Warming up and checking out
 the competition

Wednesday afternoons are traditionally kept free for University sport. BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sports) is the national governing body for Higher Education sport and have a league in which Universities enter teams for numerous sports. Universities can enter more than one team for each sport and you can find more information about BUCS on there website here: http://www.bucs.org.uk/.

Team Talk Tactics

Most Wednesdays I have a badminton match for the University. We play in the Midlands 2B league and compete against other Universities, playing each twice in the season, once at home and once away. You can search for teams at all institutions and can narrow the search down by gender and sport here: http://m.bucs.org.uk/mSearch.aspx.  

Action Shot!

University is a good time to try new things and joining a sports team could be one of those things! Try some new sports, Ultimate Frisbee, Canoeing and Korfball are among a few I can think of that most people will not have have the opportunity to experience at school. One of my best friends at Uni is a Basketball player who tried Korfball for the first time at Uni and was scouted at an event to go and train with the GB Korfball team! So you may just find the sport for you by trying new things!

Another Action Shot!

Our team has a tradition that we all meet for ‘Brunch’ in town before a home game on a Wednesday. It’s a great opportunity to get to know people, socialise and eat some good food! ‘Away Days’ are notorious for being full of banter, bus games and generally a good laugh. We often have to leave in the morning for afternoon games and will share a coach with another Uni team going to the same venue/nearby venue. Last week we travelled to De Montfort in Leicester with the Men’s Football 3^rd and 4^th teams. There was music, silly games and competitions all the way there and all the way back! It was awesome, the journey went really quickly and we got to meet some new people who I otherwise would probably have never met.

Next Wednesday is VARSITY so I shall be blogging about that! I’ll do my best to get lots of photos from different sports to show you and possibly some video footage! 

Tips for Sport Degree related interviews!

Lots of people will be coming up for interviews as part of the UCAS process. There are lots of sports related courses out there so here are a few tips for University interviews generally and then for a couple of specific sport course types:

Interviews:

1. Be Early - This ensures you have time to familiarise yourself with the environment and reduces stress, so hopefully you will perform better
2. Dress smart - even if there is a practical element, take your kit in a bag to change into (unless you have been specifically told otherwise)
3. Smile - Be positive, happy and look interested. In the first 6 seconds of meeting someone they will have an idea about whether they are going to offer you a place or not. This is unfortunate but use it to your advantage. 
4. Practice - Draft a list of questions you think they may ask and write down answers for each one, with examples. Get someone to do a mock interview with you. This way you will feel more prepared and comfortable in the actual interview.
5. Don't be afraid to ask questions (on a tour of the University Campus or when invited to ask questions at the end of your interview are good times). Make them relevant but most of all LISTEN to their answers! They could provide insider information that you could use later on!

PE/Coaching:

• Know what the difference between 'PE' and 'Sport' is - they are not the same thing! "Pedagogy" is a good buzz word - look it up and see if you can incorporate it. 
• Know the National Curriculum - What it is now and how it has changed from the previous edition
• Get (or plan to get) experience working in a variety of schools/coaching contexts with a range of ages and activities. This will provide you with lots of examples and will show you are proactive.
• Don't talk about one specific sport - incorporate a range of sports, physical activities and other hobbies to show that you are not a 'one-trick pony' and can transfer skills. 

Sport and Exercise Science:

• Find out what facilities the university has - environmental chamber, cell lab?
• Know some types of performance testing and what they are used for (e.g. VO2 max, Wingate)
• Find out about what areas the Lecturers at the University are researching (Check the University website under staff)
• Know what types of jobs you could do with a Sport and Exercise Science type degree

There is lots of information out there about interview techniques but these are a few 'insider' tips that I don't think you'll be told elsewhere! If you have any specific questions please don't hesitate to comment and I will do my best to answer them!