Hey! I’m Najae and I’m a finalist Management Student. After the Foundation Year I went on to study Accounting and Finance but changed to Management in my second year.

How did the Foundation Year help you transition from school into university life?

What some people may not realise is that university is so much more than just your degree. You have a social life to balance, potentially work, and other things to consider. The Foundation Year allowed me to figure out many of the difficult balances that students face during university, whilst also providing a reasonable work balance. By my second year, and the first year of the undergraduate programme, I had less to figure out and could focus so much more on my work.

The Foundation Year allowed me to ask a million and one questions on what makes a great essay. The feedback was even better! At the beginning of the Foundation Year I got 48% in my essays. Now my average essay mark is 70% – this is definitely thanks to the help I received during the Foundation Year.

Which societies were you involved in?

I signed up to many societies including Basketball, ACS, entrepreneurs, Hip-Hop, Finance, Trading and others, but found myself heavily involved with ACS throughout my time at Warwick. I have also been part of ‘Flow’, a new music-based society which my friends and I created in second year. In our first year we had over 100 members. We did many events, from open mic nights to freestyle sessions and parties. I learnt a lot from being the treasurer of this society, such as having to budget, request funds, plan for mishaps, and arrange pricing. Overall, the experience was amazing and I’d definitely do it again.

What piece of advice would you give to an incoming Foundation Year student?

My top tip is to visit your lecturers during the Foundation Year as much as possible – you won’t get this chance again! They really want to help you prove any doubters wrong and set you up for the best opportunities out there. They can’t do that if they don’t know you!

My other top tip would be enjoy the uni experience. The Foundation Year allows you to explore the University social life more than any other course. Take advantage of it but remember to find the balance.

What do you value most from your experience?

The thing I value most about my whole uni experience is the life-long bonds and friendships that were formed. I was lucky and being able to share the highs as well as the lows – because the lows are just as important, if not more important – with great people made my time here unforgettable.