My name is Charlotte Cliffe, I am 36 and from Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire. I am a first year BSc Adult Nursing student on the Aylesbury Campus.

I had not anticipated on applying to the University through clearing. My plan was to apply through UCAS for September 2021 intake after completing an access to nursing course which I was studying via distanced learning. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, my access course was completed sooner than expected and therefore I was able to apply for September 2020 intake through Clearing.

I started the process in August last year, and soon after making the application I was offered an interview. I attended an online interview with Linda Dean and was delighted to be offered a place to study Adult Nursing at the University’s new Aylesbury campus. The whole process was straightforward, and I was kept informed by the University every step of the way.

The Covid-19 pandemic has really highlighted the work that nurses do on the frontline during times of crisis, and I am extremely proud to say I am a student nurse. If it had not been for the pandemic, I would not have been where I am today – over halfway through my first year as a student nurse. Despite some of the challenges we have all faced, such as getting to grips with online learning, we are fortunate to have a great support from the University and lecturers.

I left school at 16 and had various jobs before starting a family at the age of 26. It has only been in recent years that I started to think about becoming a nurse. I worried I may be too old to go back into education, but I can honestly say it’s the best decision I have made. It’s never too late to learn! I am currently on placement at Wycombe General Hospital in a surgical ward. I originally wanted to go into palliative care, but I am thoroughly enjoying working with post-operative patients, so I am keeping an open mind as to which path to pursue after graduation.