Hello, and welcome back to our Alumni blog!
My name is Hayley; I am a University of Chester alumna and currently the editorial assistant for Alumni and PR. Having studied both my undergraduate and Master’s degree here at the University of Chester, I am excited to have the opportunity to keep fellow alumni of all ages up to date with the latest events and news here at the University, as well as sharing memories from the past.
My Chester story began in 2012 when I arrived at the University to study English Literature. Arriving aged 21, I was surprised to learn I was classed as a ‘mature student’, but was relieved to be put into University accommodation with similar students where ages ranged from 19 to 24 – just how mature we all were though, I’m not so sure!
Home was a large Victorian house, just off Liverpool Road, where myself and the nine other students quickly became great friends. Particular highlights included summer barbecues in our huge back garden and staying up until unearthly hours of the morning, chatting away – the lack of a living room meant we would have to congregate on the stairs! Nights out always seemed to end up in Rosie’s – I am sure any recent alumni will be familiar with the sticky floors and cheesy pop dance floor… The night would end with chicken nuggets in hand, ready for the arduous journey back to Liverpool Road (which took all of ten minutes!).
In between socialising, my time at University was also spent juggling part-time jobs and my studies. Through UniJob (a scheme run by Careers and Employability to help students find part-time work at the University while they study), I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with many wonderful staff members who play such a vital part in making the students’ University experience enjoyable. My jobs have ranged from working in the library, Careers and Employability, the Business School and Corporate Communications.
When it came to the end of my undergraduate degree, I was just not ready to leave Chester yet and decided to apply for an MSc in Management with Marketing. I was also fortunate enough to be one of the first cohorts to study at the brand new Queen’s Park campus. It was a tough year that flew by, but worth every second.
As can be expected, my years spent at University have come with many highs and a few lows, but I would love to be able to go back and do it all over again! I count myself extremely lucky to have made such great friends and in years to come, I would love to be able to sit down with them all and look back on these fond memories.
We love hearing stories from our alumni, so whether you graduated last year or fifty years ago, get in touch and share your experiences. What are some of your favourite memories from your time at the University of Chester? Leave a comment or contact us on our Facebook/Twitter.
