Roksana
Paziak

Why NTU…

Why did you choose NTU and your course?

I chose NTU because it is a city with lots of character and is very student-based city and the campus for my course is in the city which is a bonus. Since being a little child, I always wanted to study architecture hence why I chose the course. NTU has also a great sports facilities and access to sport activities like the Play for Fun programme. Another reason why I chose NTU is also because is it not too far form my home town so I can travel to and form Home easily.

What do you think about the course staff? How do they support your learning and university experience?

The course staff are extremely helpful. They offer 1:1 support meetings that can help you navigate through the course if as a student you are feeling overwhelmed.

Have you been involved in any live projects of briefs on your course and if so, can you talk a bit about one you really enjoyed?

As the first project of Year 2, we have been put in groups with the Year 1 on live project of Gedling Park boundary markers. This was a fun project to work on as it was very creative and allows us to work within a park near to Nottingham.

Does the “real” NTU match what you’d imagined? How does it compare with your friends’ experience at other universities?

The real NTU does indeed match what I have imagined. They provide so much support inside the course but also outside the course there are a lot of resources that you have access to which is very important as a university student. Some universities that my friends go to don’t have access to help through their course meaning they have to go to people in university which they don’t know which discourages them as they don’t feel comfortable speaking to staff they do not know. This is where NTU excels for.

How would you promote NTU to potential students in 10 words or fewer?

Great support network, Great social interaction, great range of courses

Outside of the Lecture Theatre…

Did you find it easy to make friends and settle in at NTU?

Due to the architecture being a course where you always work in studio, it has allowed me to make friends really easily, but also NTU creates a lot of social events for all students which also allowed me to broaden my friendship group. Along with that the Sport at NTU is also really good and with the NTU sports membership you can have access to loads of Play for Fun sports which is also a great way of making friends if you’re a sport person. Additionally, NTU allows you to make friends before even coming to NTU, as they connect students through creating links to groups on social media which is very useful as you get to talk to others about to embark on the same journey as you.

The Next Steps…

What’s next for you after NTU?

After completing my Part 1 BArch degree, I would like to gain some work experience in the industry, which will hopefully allow me to get a apprenticeship to do my Part 2 of architecture.

Has the employability team helped you plan for life beyond NTU?

At NTU the employability team is very helpful when thinking about a job while studying but also helping with securing placement and life after NTU. Due to being a second year student I haven’t started looking and securing my placement after NTU but when I do I am sure NTU will able to help me on the journey.

How is NTU helping you to achieve your career goals?

While studying Architecture at NTU, the university and the course has allowed me to have a variety of workshops to broaden my skills that are not offered at other universities. Also, NTU runs a lot of talks for ADBE in order to interact with working in practice architects which allows me to start on creating contacts. Also, along with that NTU hosts women’s in ADBE talks as well which allows me to feel more comfortable entering the world of Architecture.

Advice...

What top tips would you give anyone thinking about studying your course at NTU?

It is important to research the course that you are thinking of doing, so you know what to expect. Also, when you come make sure to come to the talks and make friends with people on the course people that who you will be spending most of your time with.