My name is Marton Szederkenyi, though the majority of people will know me simply as ‘Sam’. I am 19 years old and am approaching the end of my first year studying Children & Young People’s Nursing at the University of Bedfordshire.

I absolutely adore working with children and their families and – having spent regular time in hospitals as a child myself – I understand the challenges they bear. When faced with the course options presented by Clearing, I was inspired by the kind conduct of the nurses who had previously looked after me, so I decided that a career in nursing would be the best combination of the things I was passionate about. I applied in the hope that I’d be able to give back to children the compassion I was shown when I was younger.

The University of Bedfordshire was one of the few universities offering the course I was interested in and it was an inviting compromise between course, location and league table position.

Quite stressed if I’m honest. I had spent the previous two years completing my A levels with a rigid idea of where and what I was going to do, and the reality of that changing in just one day was rather destabilising. I was working at the time and was spending shifts desperately researching alternatives wherever time allowed!

However, when it came to contacting the University of Bedfordshire’s Clearing team, the process was smooth and the operators were very reassuring, which helped round the experience off in a positive light.

As a newer university, Bedfordshire has been especially great at seeking and acting on feedback, which is super beneficial for the student experience. I’ve also enjoyed my stay in on-campus student accommodation, where I’ve made friends from my class, flat and various societies, so I’d certainly recommend looking into the latter, even for the less social among you. There are some great student events too, held by Beds SU, which have made for a good laugh and I’ve made some fond memories.

Set time aside to do the research. There will usually be a lot of options – both regarding universities as well as potential courses – so it’s crucial to be confident in your choice when you make it and once you have decided…call, call, call!

Phone calls can be stressful, and I personally found this the most nerve-wrecking part of the process because of how far it was from my comfort zone. Nonetheless, it’s important to bite the bullet as places can run out very fast especially with universities in popular locations and with popular courses.

Knowing your strengths and how you work best is one of the most helpful things you can know before starting any university course, because you can build on it to hit the ground running. I’ve been especially thankful that my lecturers have been kind enough to actively acquire me additional learning opportunities and experiences to round out my skill repertoire.

If you’re planning on staying at campus accommodation, I would also recommend looking into study spaces a little more removed – the five minute walk between the student residences and the University’s library makes popping home for a ‘little break’ dangerously enticing!