I completed the Foundation Year with Law and Business; the name speaks for itself in many ways. Foundation year truly is a foundation rock towards gaining a fulfilled and insightful start to your university journey.

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My journey on the law programme foundation year at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) was nothing short of penetrating and enjoyable, but also challenging in the right way.

As an international student from Nigeria, I felt that the Foundation Year Programme was designed for me in mind. As the thought of coming into the U.K daunted me, I was fearful of what the university experience would be for an international student. However, when I joined the programme, the programme team assured me that I am academically capable, and this motivated me to maximise my potential. Moreover, I was able to adapt to the university Style and Level of Teaching. I was also able to adapt to the university lifestyle in general, including expected behaviours in the lecture theatre, halls and seminars. I found the programme extremely brilliant, as it goes beyond equipping you with the expectations of University; each module aims at providing you with transferable skills needed for any career. The most significant thing for me was the fact that I am guaranteed a place on the main programme having passed my modules on the Foundation Year with Law. This assured me that I would have learnt the rudiments of Law.

My guide to getting through the Foundation Year Law Programme is just as great as joining it. Here are a few tips on surviving your Foundation Year.

1.  First and foremost, study well! Allocate time for yourself to read and learn, go through your lecture notes and make use of the Library Resources available to you. 
2. Do not leave assignments to the last minute; have a plan that factors in each day so that you are not overwhelmed by the workload. 
3. To help with your studies, CCCU have Personal Academic Tutors (PAT) who can guide you on how to go about having better studying skills. Make the most of your Personal Academic Tutor.
4. Another bonus you get towards helping you with foundation work are peer mentors; students who were just in your shoes once. They are a form of great support as they can relate to how you can improve on your work and give you first-hand tips on what they used during their own time. 
5. Another significant venture to join is societies. CCCU boasts of up to 100 societies for you to join. Be it sports, cultural or even gaming, there is a society out there for your picking. A great tip is also to pick a society closely related to your course and where you are from just as how I am a black law student; I am a representative of the Law and African society. 
6. More so, join in on the social life. We don’t only work hard, but we also play hard; especially at the student union games and parties that are hosted almost every week at the St. Georges centre. It is an excellent opportunity to make friends, unwind and catch some fun. 
7. Visit the town area and the city centre to get a view of where you are. CCCU is placed in the best place to sight see the historical monuments still paced up and beautiful cafes that line up the city. Indulge in the culture of Canterbury. 

Join the social media family and link up with many other freshers coming in just like you are! Then you would see that Foundation year at Canterbury Christ Church is just a ball in the park and adventure for you to see.  

Omobolanle Okubena