Why I chose YSJ
Jas Rook
Choosing a university can be a scary and difficult decision, as you never truly know what you are in for. However, when choosing York St John, I immediately felt confident in my decision to come to this uni and selected it as my first choice in my ucas application.
I am a third-year student studying English Language and Linguistics at York St John and chose YSJ for many reasons. I knew I always wanted to study in York, as it is full of history and is such a beautiful city, and when I found YSJ I was so happy to find a university that offered everything I was looking for.
When first choosing my course, I went through many different options before I settled on studying English Language and Linguistics, and the course YSJ offered was very appealing to me. I liked how varied it was and the freedom I had to choose my own modules in the second and third years. Furthermore, this course is very different to what I had considered before, and choosing it was a bit nerve-racking, as I didn’t know what to expect. However, when I came for an open day, the lecturer running the introductory talk was very nice and incredibly enthusiastic, which made me feel more secure and confident in my choice of coming to YSJ. I got a very positive vibe on my open day, and sometimes trusting intuition is very important. I also looked into previous students’ experiences, and they were all positive and spoke of how much they loved it.
Another big factor that persuaded my choice to study here was how close the university is to the centre. The university is possibly a 5-minute walk into the centre of town, and all surrounding uni accommodation is no more than a 20-minute walk away and close to many amenities and other student accommodation. Therefore, I really liked being closer to the centre of York and getting the full experience of the city. Furthermore, the university itself is very beautiful, with the old buildings still being part of the campus. Therefore, I really liked the historic side to the university, especially as the campus is situated just outside the York walls, which I would walk along to get home in my first year.
The campus itself is smaller than most; however, when viewing it on the open day it feels homely and is definitely easier to navigate. I liked the cosy feel of the university, which is very inclusive of others’ beliefs, disabilities, and backgrounds, which is something they advocate a lot for, and are very supportive of.
Picking a university can be very difficult, as for most there is more to consider than just the course, but also the fees, the accommodation, societies and location. For me, I have felt that York St John has offered many opportunities for me and has been a great university experience from the course to social life. I think it is important to trust your gut and choose the place you really love, and for me that was YSJ, and I hope it is for you too.
For more information about English Language and Linguistics at York St John, visit the dedicated webpage here.
