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Welcome banner at BCU. Original photo by Kate Owen
Jay Dave started his university career in 2018, late, missing out on the first week of activities. Now, he is the Vice President of Student Voice at Birmingham City University, and he credits some of it to the experience he had during the Fresher’s Weeks he attended.
Coming from India as a first-year mechanical engineering student to the UK’s second-largest city, due to a late visa, Jay had to sit out of the uni’s Fresher’s Week that year. But, as he assured any future student that might be in the same position as him, “just because you miss something once, doesn’t mean you’ve missed it forever”.
Fresher’s Week is where Jay said he made his “friends for life.” The university’s week-long calendar of events and activities not only cater to students from the UK but ensures that any student is included and accepted.
Welcoming students from around 100 countries, the BCU community is built around connecting with others.
Although no planned Fresher’s Weeks went ahead in 2020, the second missed one didn’t mar the experiences at the university that Jay shared.
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Birmingham city centre. Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash
“In 2021, we were coming out of Covid, and that was the time when restrictions were down and when we could go…it was the best ever”.
“It was the place where I met some of like, the friends I have had for life. I am very happy that I am friends with them still and everything like that.”
Fresher’s Week gave Jay the opportunity to be welcomed into the BCU community, including the Student Union. He shared, “The best thing is to engage, make friends, which you’re going to make in the first week of university, probably, they will be your friends forever.
“You all start your journey together. So, especially, like, if I mentioned about my own experience, people whom I met in my first year of university, I’m still in very good contact with them. We have seen each other since the first day and we know how we can help each other. It is something which a student at university needs. It will also keep your mental health stable.
“Let’s say you are new to a country, if you are an international student, and you’re new to Birmingham, you’ll be like, ‘how will I survive here, have a life?’ So, with something like Freshers Week, as well as Fresher’s month, make the most of it.”
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A university party. Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash
Now VP of Student Voice, Jay is able to make sure future Fresher’s Weeks are as positive for other students, both local and International, as they were for him.
“It was really, really nice to experience a Fresher’s Week because I got to know a lot about the Student’s Union here. That’s how I came across the Union actually… So that is why we need a union as well... It tries to take the lead on it and help students."
BCU is home to around 24000 students, and Jay had first-hand experience of how welcoming the uni is to them all.
He said, “if you going to come here as an international student for example, and you don’t have your bank account sorted, and you might be thinking ‘I want to go to this event, but I don’t have money, because my bank account is not sorted, or I just have cash.’ So, the university has started taking cash.
“I mean, there’s always an alternative for students, and how we can make sure that every student is included, and they do not feel left out because of some other circumstances.”
Coming from a slow start at BCU to progressing to making sure all students have positive memories of their time in Birmingham, experiences like Jay’s show that the university will always welcome students and do their best to include everyone in the enjoyment of university.
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