I came straight from school. I felt like an experienced student, but the doubt I had about the relevance of my experience was that family and friends already in university had told me that University life is very different. I did not know if what I had learnt in my A Levels would apply to my courses at university or if my sixth form experience had given me the skills for the University study style which (I was told) was based mainly on private and independent study.

Since I started as a university student, I have been able to sort out things for myself and have become more independent. I have had to make my own decisions about things like programme planning, the time that I come in a use the university computer, and how and when to seek help and guidance from tutors. I have had to sort out and manage my own time, balancing it so that I have the right time for my academic and social life.

I considered myself to be quite an experienced student as I had not had a break from education. I thought that I was in charge of my own studies, but after the first semester I have realised that I was expecting to have more guidance.

My sixth form teachers tended to be very pessimistic and this lowered my confidence, especially on essay writing. Now I feel more confident because I got a good grade. I think I have improved in my organisational skills and learning by myself because I had to. I have also realised that I am an extremely impatient person especially with computers (computer rage). In sixth form I had to do a lot of computer work and I was quite enthusiastic about computers and their advantages. Now I have taken a big dislike to them because I have experienced so many problems with the system, the programs and the Internet. But I have just kept plodding a long.

When I came to Middlesex University I was returning to study after working, but I had continued study with The Open University, which made me a little less worried to work under my own steam. I did not have a clear idea of what I should expect from study at University. I think I was open to any kind of learning. I thought of myself as someone needing to further my education and taking my last chance as circumstances may not allow me to do it in the future.

My opinion of myself and my abilities has changed during my first year at University. I used to give up whenever a challenge arose. Now I am able to take a step back and carry on. I realised that I am probably more able than I thought.

I found it discouraging trying to get to know people and forcing myself to do things myself rather than someone already doing it for me. But I think this has had a positive effect. I now know I can do things on my own. In addition to these new feelings of confidence, good points of my University experience are that I have discovered different ways of thinking and that it has opened up opportunities. Bad points are lack of sleep, trying to organise study around a family, and finding time to myself.

I returned to study after five years. I knew I would not have problems with study because I like to study. I was more worried about my academic standard of writing. I was nervous about using the computers, but I soon got over that. When I started university, I was very proud of myself for coming back to education. I love a challenge and I always give something I start my very best shot before I give up.

I never understood philosophy and I never thought I could cope with a conversation in this topic, but now I have the confidence to join in on any discussion. Overall, my first semester modules have given me confidence in my abilities.

I was apprehensive about coming back into education after a long period. I was unprepared for the way the University leaves students to accumulate the required knowledge on their own. The amount of information thrown at me in the first semester was too much, and I was definitely not prepared for the amount of Information Technology which was (somewhat) dumped on me. Although I do not feel I have yet had enough time to evaluate myself, I feel I have the ability to do well here. I hope that the University can encourage me to develop and learn to the required level. Good points include meeting people who are interested in pursuing a similar career to myself. Bad points include not having enough support which I feel is important when entering University. My experience has shown me that I have patience, and I have developed the ability to communicate using a computer. One course introduced me to the way history plays a very important part in the how we live today. I have the ability to work on my own, although I can work with others when required.

A mature student in my mid twenties, I was married with a two year old child when I came to University. The previous year I spent juggling A level courses with full time care for my daughter. I felt very able to cope with managing my own studies after that intense training course. I was extremely enthusiastic about combining computer skills with my studies. It has made me feel less out of touch with the way technology has progressed since I left school.

During my first semester I gained confidence in my own skills. My essay writing skills improved and (at last) I feel I understand what is being asked of me. I think this is largely due to a sense of belonging within the university. Studying A Levels felt very isolated, as I did not belong to a class and had no peers to talk to. In the university I have met many like minded people who are supportive and understanding.

Before I started University I embarked on an access course to refamiliarise myself with formal learning. Prior to this I had not been in full time education for nine years. As a result of the Access course I was prepared for University study. My understanding of university was that a lot of the work I would have to do myself and within groups. I was very enthusiastic for new technologies, as I felt I did not want to go into the year 2000 computer illiterate. I was confident and prepared for a challenge.

I must admit my ideas about myself and abilities have changed and I am becoming very aware that my abilities depend on how hard I work and how far I want to push myself. I think my ideas have changed, largely, because with interacting with others I realise how little I know. One of the good points about my experience is that I have learnt how to share with others through discussion and group work. Working to strict deadlines is beginning to discipline my time management. A bad point is having less tutor contact than I got accustomed to in college.

The good impact the university had on me is that I now see myself as an autonomous person. It is a big change in myself. Something that helped the development of my independent thinking was mixing with different people and being aware of different cultures and backgrounds. I have learnt to respect diversity in people and work together in one environment. The bad side of this is stress as I struggle to combine my studies and my family life, with no time for a separate social life. A student centred university is good in that it develops autonomous learning and changes the student life style for the better. Encouraging self reliance and initiative means students tend to reach their potential. But it is hard work and stressful.

Many times I had the opportunity to improve my autonomous learning skills by asking other students or friends about issues related to my studies. For example, I took advise about my draft essay and this way I learnt what I had to do in to write a good essay.

University has made me aware that lot of determination can provide a great deal of opportunity.

University has made me see that I am a very determined person as I handed my work in time and met the deadlines. I have realised I am a hard worker and that I work best under pressure.

The friends I made have all been very supportive to my learning, especially my flat mate who helped me through the computer stale-mates that I faced.

Living on my own for the first time I have developed in character as I have had to make new friends and look after myself. I do miss home and having not been home for about three months it sometimes gets me a bit down. However, when I am home I am sure I will miss University.

I live in halls and there are a number of people who I am friendly with who are doing the same modules. If anybody had a problem we worked on it together. I do think that this is a good idea because it is almost impossible to work on your own when you come across problems and knowing someone else with the same problem was a great help. We were encouraged to form self-help groups that met regularly, but I found it difficult to form a group able to meet at the same time as people had classes at different times.

I found the self-help group we formed on one module very useful in enabling me to make more friends and feel more at home in a new situation. It helped me to settle in to my new environment. However, I regret that (on a modular course) we will not be in the same classes throughout our three years. It would be good to be able to build life-long networks of friends one could turn to.

In my self-help group I made friends with people from 11different cultures and backgrounds, which then allowed me to use their different opinions and perspectives in my work.

I really did not think I was academically capable of going to university. When I was at school I was at the bottom of everything. I had no confidence because I always felt like the Class Dunce. After passing an Access course my confidence in myself rose dramatically. I still have doubts about being capable of the work that is expected of me. The tutors seem to think I am capable of the work - so maybe I need to pay a bit more attention to them. I have the determination and motivation to stick at it and I think that is half the battle.

I regularly correspond by email and always use the web to complement my information from the library.

I have had easy access to the Web from a home computer. The Web has been very positive as it has kept me abreast and I can go to the site pages from home and not wait for the University computers which are constantly busy. I do not think that having easy access to the Web has deterred me from reading. If anything it guided me where to go for reading material. Using the Web and email has been an active experience, directing me to further reading and bringing up ideas which I have gone on to share with others. It has been a forum for discussion.