“Uni seems like a big scary next step, but the support is there.” LJMU Ambassador Manisha on stepping out of your comfort zone, being the ‘counsellor friend’ and taking every opportunity as it comes

Starting university can be difficult - making new friends, being away from your family, and getting settled somewhere new. Manisha gives her take and offers some top tips to help students make the most of their time at University.

By Ruby Wrankmore

Name: Manisha

Hometown: Stockport

University: Liverpool John Moores University

Course: 3rd Year Psychology

Choosing the right university

“I initially had my eye on a different university, but I was looking through my prospectuses and noticed LJMU’s. I visited my first choice and really didn’t like it, so I decided to take a look around the LJMU campus and I fell in love! It felt very student friendly, with lots of support and a good Psychology course. Liverpool is a great city - there’s something for everyone and it feels like a big community.”

“As for my course, at school I was always the ‘counsellor friend.’ People gravitated towards me for advice and I have a lot of patience so it suits me well. I thought I should look into it further and found Psychology as a degree. You can be really good at Maths, or really good at English - but I don’t fit into just one. Psychology lets me be an all-rounder!”

Stepping out of your comfort zone

“My favourite memory is going to my first dance class. I always used online tutorials, but in 2016 me and a friend decided to go to a proper class. It was in one of the biggest studios in the North West. It was awful, we did so badly! But I remember feeling so good afterwards because I learned so much. It gave me the push I needed. Now if I’m scared to do something I just think back to that class!”

“Since then, I have become a Hip Hop teacher for the LJMU Dance team. I teach non-competitive Hip Hop and have also competed against other Universities. I’m involved in lots of volunteer work, too. I’m a Student Advocate for LJMU, so I help with open days, mentoring and calling applicants to see how they’re finding things. Most recently I did a placement in Liverpool where I organised activities for people with Parkinson’s Disease. It was great to explore career options, but I’ve also received a bursary for academic research. Everyone says they don’t know how I do it!”

Group chats and long lasting friendships

“There’s two types of people in group chats: those who just like to read the conversation and those that are chatty! It’s nice to be able to facilitate that, I know my advice can reach a lot of people. Sometimes if group chats are quiet I’ll start off by saying ‘Lots of people have been asking me…’, since people can be nervous to start a conversation. That encourages them to get involved.”

“Group chats on the app let applicants figure out the personalities of people they want to be friends with, and lets them take that further. CampusConnect can seem like a formal approach to making friends, but people going on to connect elsewhere shows that they are making real friends!”

What’s on the horizon?

“It keeps changing! Before I had an interest in Dance Psychotherapy, but now I want to go into Sport Psychology. I want to keep working with dancers! I have a conditional offer to study a Masters in Sports Psychology at LJMU, and I’ve started an Instagram account to share my knowledge. My current plan is to do the Masters, get my training and become qualified.”

A final top tip!

“If you’re unsure whether to use the CampusConnect app, don’t be! Everyone’s always looking for a friend. If you’re going to university alone, there will always be someone in the same boat. Us Ambassadors are here to help you, too.”

“Uni seems like a big scary next step but the support is there. There’s so many ways to get involved and the best way to use your time at uni is to take every opportunity you can. People worry about life after graduation, but even a couple hours of volunteering a week gives you some skills, helps with your confidence and you can meet new people. Step out of your comfort zone!”