Ami's story
For many, Hope is a home away from home and that’s certainly been the case for History student Am Fowler, who feels the University’s supportive and welcoming environment has allowed her to flourish.
Instant attraction
Despite growing up 190 miles away in Cambridge, Hope was somewhere Ami was familiar with thanks to her childhood trips to Liverpool to visit her grandparents.
Indeed, by choosing to study here, she delivered on a promise made to her grandmother and it was a case of ‘love at first sight’ when she finally got to step foot on our Hope Park campus.
“My dad is from Liverpool and my grandad lives just up the road from Hope, so I’ve sort of grown up in the area,” Ami explains.
“I remember being on the bus with my grandad when I was little and he would always point out Hope and I can remember saying to my gran that I was going to go here for university.
“When I came here for an open day I fell in love with the campus. All the green spaces, the library - it’s all so beautiful.
“I loved the course, too. It hit what I wanted to study so I was sold straight away.”
Help at Hope
Being so far from home, it was important to Ami that help was available should she need it.
Having been diagnosed with Dyslexia, there are times when she requires academic support and the help she’s received has been one of the highlights of her university experience.
“I’ve absolutely loved it,” Ami adds when asked about her time at Hope.
“The people I’ve met, the friends I’ve made and even just the course itself, I think I’ve learned so much.
“It’s a really friendly place. Everyone is so willing to help you and the support is great.
“I have a Learning Support Plan (LSP) which is so helpful and the Student Development and Wellbeing team are always there if you need extra tutoring or someone to talk to.
“With my LSP, sometimes I’ll meet with my tutor to go over any feedback I’ve had and anything that I’m just a bit unsure of. I can email them and I’ll get a reply within 10 minutes.”
Ami’s advice
Although she was familiar with Liverpool, moving north was a big life decision for Ami.
She appreciates it may be the same from other students based in the south, but feels the new experience is something to be embraced and something she found easy to do because of the friendly environment she encountered at Hope.
“My advice would be to just get involved. Everyone is in the same boat because everyone’s nervous, so just get involved.
“Don’t be nervous about moving so far from home. Even though it can feel scary and like an alien environment, people in the north are so nice. It’s just such a nice environment. Everyone’s just so willing to help and so friendly.
“Sometimes you can get homesick, but you’ve got the Student Development and Wellbeing team and if you ever need support they’re always there for you.”