A quick summary of my first year as an SLT student

A lot of the time, students treat the first year of their degree as a settling in period and often come out of it happy just to have got through it. First year Speech and Language Therapy student Freya Mulderrig, on the other hand, has dived head first into her first year and has loved every minute of it. Here, she gives us a quick run through of why she’s enjoyed it so much and why she’s already counting down the days until she can do it all again in September…

I’m Freya and I have just finished my first year of studying Speech and Language Therapy at The University of Manchester. I’ve had an absolutely fantastic year and couldn’t have wished for a more wonderful group of people to study with, both tutors and fellow students.

I have made some of the best friends and met some really like-minded, kind and caring people, who have really interesting experiences and reasons why they are on the course!

The tutors at Manchester are some of the most supportive, passionate and motivational people I have ever met. They make lectures really engaging and are eager to share their experiences and knowledge with you, which I found really exciting as a first year student! I am really looking forward to returning in September to continue studying a subject which is very close to my heart.

Throughout first year, we have had plenty of opportunities to share our experiences, opinions and thoughts on various topics, and it is so nice to be surrounded by people who are genuinely interested in what you have to say. It is also really enjoyable to hear what others have to say and how their experiences may be different, or similar, to yours.

We are also really lucky here at Manchester, as we take part in a 4-week block placement in our first semester, which means you are straight into the working world, gaining valuable experience and really getting a feel for the career of a Speech and Language Therapist!

Having a block placement was especially beneficial as it allowed you to feel part of a team and meant that you really got to know your clinical educators and clients. Overall, as a year group, we had such a positive placement experience and we are very grateful for the opportunity we had.

I can honestly say that deciding to study at Manchester is one of the best decision I have ever made! I feel really lucky to be part of a passionate and driven Speech and Language Therapy cohort. I am confident that my experience over the next two years will be equally as fantastic and that anybody who decides to study here with us will have a really positive experience that they can share with future first years next summer!