I'm Chloe, I have just finished my degree and it has been a fantastic journey here at Chester!

I chose to study International Tourism Management as I studied Travel and Tourism at college and loved every minute of it, which made me want to learn more about it! I also chose to study this course because I love to travel and always wanted to have a career within the travel and tourism sector.

I really do believe that coming to university has been the best decision I ever made. Being the first generation from my family to make the choice to go into Higher Education was scary. I spoke to my college teachers about it all and they said ‘go for it’ and that ‘I’d be so amazing’, so I just went for it. My college teachers guided me through the process of UCAS applications, and my amazing auntie helped me write my personal statement. I applied to five universities and got offers from them all! I was so delighted. I then had to make the decision on which one I wanted to choose, so I went to open days. My family and I instantly fell in love with the University of Chester! The open day felt so welcoming and warm. 

I feel like my degree has given me many skills for life, from being independent to gaining practical skills for the future. Study Skills and the Careers and Employability team have been amazingly helpful during my time at university; they’ve always supported me and given me good advice.

The most amazing memory from my degree was in first year when we went on a tourism trip to Edinburgh. It was such a good experience and that trip definitely gave everyone many great memories and created friendships for life! We also visited many other tourist attractions, local hotels and others, which was also so fun. I am hoping that my degree will lead me towards a travel and tourism career path. I am currently in the recruitment process for a few graduate schemes, so fingers crossed! 

Some advice for Year 12’s regarding making their university choices would be to give it proper thought, and don’t just rush into it. I would also say speaking to someone who has been to university would be a good idea, such as college teachers (that’s what I did). It’s so important that you choose the right degree to study, so take the time to really research the courses you're interested in.

I would 100% recommend studying at Chester. I find it such a cute city and during my time at University it felt like it was my second home. It’s not too big, which means that everywhere is walkable and it’s easier to get settled in, but also Chester has so many different options for bars, retail and restaurants, with Cheshire Oaks and Chester Zoo very nearby. I am so happy I choose to study at the University of Chester.