I might have a morning class down there, but especially in first year, I would have lectures in the Biosciences building which is up on the main campus. Depending on the day, I’d have one or two lectures in the morning which would take me through to lunchtime. Then we (the Sports and Exercise Science class) would descend on one of the college bars for lunch and to play some pool or table tennis before afternoon practicals and laboratory work. Those could last anywhere up to four hours depending on what we were doing.

First year Biosciences classes were really good but they were tough, especially for those of us that hadn’t done A level Biology - but they were really important to get us talking in that scientific language.

In my first year, I typically had six to eight hours a day of contact time, but everything was usually done by five. After that, I might hang out with classmates for a bit but then I’d go home to get some food before heading to American football training. I probably trained three times a week in first year. Training would be done by ten, and that was the day.

I do have some advice to give to incoming first years: You often find out what your coursework will be pretty early on, and so, when you do find out, start it. Even if it’s just writing the intro, or doing some reading around the topic, because time goes faster than you think it will and so just start it as soon as you can.

Also, print off the lecture slides. There’s usually loads of information on the slides and it can be difficult to get it all down in your notes, but if you have them printed off before the lecture then you can just annotate them as you go.

Finally, get involved in a society. For me, it’s been American football but it doesn’t have to be a sport. It just gives you friends and it’s great to be a part of something. I have a friend who goes to the Baking Society, so it can be literally anything!

I gravitated towards ecology and also studied genetics and cell signalling, which I love. That’s what I think is so great about Biology - it broadens your understanding of the world and gives you all the puzzle pieces to life as we know it.

I loved learning about evolutionary biology, from the tiny insides of organelles to the biology that determines animal behaviour. The scale of biology is always changing - you can look at the largest mammals right down to microbiology and having that spectrum is what gives you the answers to the big questions.

That’s one of the reasons I’m now training to become a teacher. University has inspired me to want to share that understanding and instil the passion that I’ve got for science and biology in other young people.

How did you feel about the transition from school to university?

The transition from school to university was scary for me personally, but I think Lancaster made it quite easy. We had introduction talks where we got to know the staff members that we would be seeing a lot, which helped because it gave us those points of contact. The lab work is similarly supported, with the chance to ask any questions beforehand.

Although my lab classes are scheduled from 2-5pm, if I’ve been organised and read the laboratory guide prior to the class then I will most likely finish sooner.

How do you relax?

I will normally either head back to my flat or meet up with some of my friends. We like to wind down by heading to the games room in my accommodation block or having a movie night with a takeout. For me, it’s important to take time out from studying and relax in the evenings – it’s the best part of the day!

How do you manage the other aspects of living away from home?

Whilst studying Biochemistry is a significant part of my university experience, going to university is so much more than just that. You’ll become an independent adult so need to spend time doing day-to-day life admin, like buying groceries. But moreover, you’ll make some amazing friends – people you live with, others in your college and those on the same course as you.

Overall, what has your experience of studying Biochemistry been like?

I’m so glad I chose to study Biochemistry at Lancaster. That’s not to say there hasn’t been challenges and times when the course has been tough. But what’s important is overcoming those and making the most of your university experience - and I know I can look back at my university experience and confidently say it has been amazing.

"Attending Lancaster University has proven to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. From completing my bachelor’s degree in Biomedicine to pursuing a master’s by research in Biomedical Science, Lancaster has provided me with all the right opportunities, support and environment, enabling me to fulfil my academic potential.

Highlights of my undergraduate degree include completing an industrial placement year at GlaxoSmithKline within the Immunology Research Unit, as well as my undergraduate dissertation in cancer biology. These opportunities enabled me to fully immerse myself in the world of scientific research and gain hands on experience that will no doubt make me successful in my future career endeavours.

The support at Lancaster is fantastic. Lecturers go above and beyond to provide help and guidance, and a termly meeting with your academic tutor provides one to one support when needed. As someone who struggles with math, making use of the math and statistics team here at Lancaster really boosted my confidence. The careers and employability team are always there to offer a helping hand across a range of topics, from CV writing through to securing placement and volunteering opportunities.

My advice to anyone thinking of studying at Lancaster is to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and push yourself out of your comfort zone. This will develop you so much as a person. Lastly - enjoy yourself. Time will fly by, so make the most of every second!"

"At the end of term 2 in second year I was fortunate enough to visit the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre (APC) in Austria. Another student and I were able to observe and shadow a wide variety of athlete testing in biomechanics, physiology and strength and conditioning setting within the APC. This helped me to see where the degree can go and how it all impacts sports at the elite level. We were able to see the requirements that needed to be met and the importance of variety in testing to keep elite athletes at their best, even in the post-season of their sports. For me, it helped solidify my desire to work in elite sports environments after getting the opportunity to see the impact first hand. Through this experience I gained a further level of understanding of how important communication is with athletes, which is a skill I have worked on and developed since.

I’ve also had the opportunity to work closely with a nutrition company, OTE, for my dissertation. I’ve been able to use their carbohydrate gel supplements to conduct performance measures through a fatigue and time trial protocol. Working directly with a big company gave me the opportunity to learn how they work and operate. It enabled me to practice skills like communication between both a company and to the athletes involved in testing. I was also able to develop practical skills within in the labs, including creating my own protocol and applying this directly to participants.

After graduation, I aim to work in the elite sports environment. The opportunities I have received here have helped create a pathway towards this goal.

I chose to study Sports and Exercise Science at Lancaster because of the opportunities they offered that other universities didn’t. I’ve been able to work in labs alongside athletes, get my qualifications for personal training and take part in professional development opportunities, all alongside studying, giving me the best opportunity post-degree. I’ve also been able to work in the sports centre on campus and have been able to balance the work and university lifestyle comfortably. Within the course you are usually in lectures 4 times a week (this gets less towards the end of the degree) meaning I have weekends and evenings to work and go out and see my friends. I think because the course is quite a small group of people you connect with people quickly and make good friendships through the whole course. My most memorable part of the course would be visiting Red Bull APC and having the opportunity to take part in VO2 max testing and lactates tests in practical sessions."