Read what these students told us about their experience of having a Student Buddy:
Having a buddy when I came to university helped me gain confidence with the little things that you don't really think about before you come. I remember asking my student buddy where to catch the bus to make it easiest to get to and from my accommodation! She was so lovely and was always there to answer my questions. I would really recommend signing up to the buddy scheme if you're coming to university in September, to give yourself the reassurance that there is someone there you can ask all your little questions to without worrying about what they're going to think!
I benefitted enormously from having a student buddy, who was extremely helpful at settling my nerves and answering any daft questions I had. It was particularly assuring to hear that the things I was worried about were both normal and actually not that big of an issue. Having gained so much from having a student buddy made me want to become one myself, offering new students the same support and reassurances that I was so lucky to receive when I started at York.
Having a Student Buddy this year made the transition to university so much easier. It gave me somebody to talk to about things that I was struggling with, and really put into perspective how I was feeling. While my feelings and worries were a huge mountain at the time, my buddy helped to remind me that every second and third year had been where I was and had made it through, and so could I.
Having a student buddy was extremely comforting and it was nice to be able to ask someone with experience about student life. Even when I didn’t have any questions, the fortnightly ‘check ins’ from my student buddy helped me to realise how much I was enjoying university so far, as I could tell her what was going well. Even if a student doesn’t have any issues in their first few weeks at university, it is nice to have the optional support!
One of our former Student Buddies, Yasmin, explains why she thinks all new students should sign up for a Student Buddy: