How I swapped universities a year after starting my degree
Holly Holt Ramsay
Screenwriting BA(Hons)
Hi, I'm Holly and I transferred to study at Huddersfield after completing the first year of my degree at another university.
My name is Holly and I study Screenwriting here at the University of Huddersfield.
However, I spent my first year studying Film and Screenwriting at a different university. In this blog, I’ll share what it was like to transfer to Huddersfield - the challenges and triumphs as well as assuring those who are thinking about doing the same, that it’s worth it!
Realising I chose the wrong uni for me
I spent my first year studying Film and Screenwriting at a city-based university. Although at the time it seemed a perfect fit for me, I soon came to realise it wasn’t.
I found living in a city very tiring and was struggling to make good friends as well as being disappointed in the lectures I had there.
It wasn’t the university experience I had dreamed of, and I was sad that I wasn’t experiencing it as it was meant to be. After a few months I was becoming very unhappy living there, and around Christmas time I spoke with my parents about it, and they suggested transferring universities.
Choosing a new university
I was apprehensive at first, as I had no idea where to start looking or how the process worked. I decided to browse the UCAS website to look for courses that suited me. I liked the more rural aspect of Huddersfield and so it seemed like the perfect fit. I decided to finish my first year of university where I was, then would transfer in the summer to start my second year in Huddersfield.
The transfer process was a lot easier than I had expected, and the admin staff and my course leaders were incredibly helpful with helping me through every stage.
I submitted my application through UCAS and had lots of email exchanges with my new course leaders and other faculty members. There was a lot of admin work to do and forms to fill out, but the process was made extremely accessible and easy for anyone. Overall, my transfer experience was very positive, and I am pleased I chose to come here.
Starting all over again
When I started in September, it was a little nerve-wracking as I was starting all over again and was worried everyone would already have established friendship groups and so I might have the same problems as first year. I was very wrong about this, as I have made some really great friends here that I will have for the rest of my life.
There were of course a few technical issues with joining a course late, for example being put on the computer systems to access my timetable/module details, however those were sorted very quickly and by the second week of term I felt like I was fully fitted in.
As I am now starting my third year here, I can say with absolute confidence that I made the right decision to transfer. I much prefer my modules here and the lectures are taught in a more engaging way. I also prefer the atmosphere and peacefulness of living in a town. Huddersfield felt like a lifetime away from all the noise and chaos of a city.
Another advantage, which I hadn’t considered at the time, was the difference in the cost of living between here and a city. Your money goes so much further here and so you can spend it on more leisure activities rather than just the essentials.
Transferring suited me very well and I am much happier here. It was scary at first to make such a big change a whole year into my degree, and I was worried I would have the same problems as I did in my first year. However, in my experience, it was completely worth it, and I would urge anyone who is thinking about transferring to do so.
University should be a good experience and if you’re unhappy in your current situation, transferring is a fresh start and great opportunity to better your university experience
Holly Holt Ramsay -
My advice if you're thinking of changing unis
My advice would be to weigh-up all of your options and consider the move from a very realistic sense. For example checking that the modules on your course suit your interests and looking into accommodation options before you make it official. I would also suggest starting the process as soon as possible. It took a few months to get the entire transfer sorted and so I would allow that amount of time for anyone else looking to move.
I would also assure you that it is worth it in the end. While it might seem like an overwhelming task there are always people on hand to help you and answer any questions - in my experience I got help very quickly when I asked for it.
My experience of transferring has been very positive and if you’re also thinking of transferring, I would heavily encourage you to do so. University should be a good experience and if you’re unhappy in your current situation, transferring is a fresh start and great opportunity to better your university experience.
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