Graduate Story

Benjamin Toye, BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing, Class of 2021

There is so much I enjoy about the course, it is hard to say what I enjoy the most. During theory blocks I really enjoy being around like-minded people. Before I started the course I was worried about how I was going to get on in a completely different environment to what I had been used to for the last 6 years, I was more nervous starting this degree at the age of 28 than my first degree when I was 18. My anxiety was quickly calmed though, I can honestly say that there is something special about everyone on this course. In fact, seeing people do well on this course is one thing that has inspired me along the way. I am now in my final year and I see fellow students on placement who have grown and developed so much, people who sat in silence during lectures in the first year are now handing over patients with confidence to senior members of staff or even groups of staff. Everyone has achieved so much and we have all worked so hard to get where we are today.

Without doubt the most enjoyable element of the University of Suffolk for me is the whole atmosphere. If you want to be in a crazy busy city that never sleeps and take overcrowded public transport to an overcrowded university then University of Suffolk is not for you! There is a real sense of community and calm. The facilities available to nursing students are perfect. For academic studies, the lecture halls and smaller seminar rooms are great and facilitate both central lectures and smaller group-based tasks. The library has plenty of space for individual study and group work. Also, the amount of online resources available is incredible and very user friendly. As part of our studies we have had a lot of sessions in the James Heir building which is a specialist clinical simulation suite that have lots of rooms for smaller group work to really get hands on practice with clinical skills such as CPR and medicines management.