My experience at the University of Chester so far has been great. We stay at Thornton Science Park all day so it's easy to meet people and as the course sizes are relatively small, I've found a good group of friends. The small sizes have also meant that in lectures, people are more able to ask questions and the lecturers get to know you on a more personal level.
So far my course has recapped some A-level topics but also introduced quite a few new ones which set up good foundations to be built upon in the next two years. A module that the university offers focuses on computational skills and employability, I've really enjoyed this as it's quite different compared to the other content we do and allows us to develop our skills so that we are more confident when job-seeking in the future.
I study at Thornton Science Park but most people are housed by the main campus on Parkgate Road. The university offers buses that run students to and from the park for free so the majority get these buses, but some do drive in. I'm at the science park most days as I have 19 hours of lectures a week, but there are no lectures on Wednesdays for students which helps split up the week and gives chance to catch up on work. Because we are there so much we tend to stay on that campus for the full day and either bring our own lunch or buy it at the canteen. There is also a Starbucks on site for light lunches and snacks.
Chester as a city to live in is amazing, everything is within walking distance from the main campus. Everything is very central so the city is quite small compared to others, but is still big enough to have a range of things to do. There are a lot of places to get food and in the warmer months it's been really nice to walk in to Grosvenor Park or on the city walls. The student life is pretty good; there are quite a few pubs, cocktail bars and nightclubs as well as the SU on a Friday night. There's also a lot of things to do during the day; Cheshire Oaks and Chester Zoo are the big things people think of. There is also Storyhouse; a mix of a cinema, theatre, library, and coffee shop, and lots of cafes and shops to go round.
So far I've really enjoyed my time at Chester. I've met great people through my course and through my societies, and I feel that the social side is equally as important as the academic, so I've really appreciated how much effort the Students' Union puts in to make sure your university experience is as good as it can be.