What’s it really like at HSDC? Students share their top ten things about student life:
There are so many awesome things about being a student at HSDC; things that, after a few weeks (or after a year!) you tend to take for granted. College is such a great experience, regardless of the course you are on – so here are the ten best things about being enrolled here.
– Previous student, Kate Whetton
Not only do they have all the knowledge you’ll need to get through your course, they are also engaging, helpful, and willing to go the extra mile to help you succeed. From helping you apply to UCAS to just explaining something to you again, your lecturers will honestly be the most academically valuable people you will encounter at College.
There are so many facilities for you to use at all three campuses. Dance studios, science labs, recording studios, a fully equipped gym and 4G Astro-pitch, art studios, study centres, learning hubs – the list is endless. Make the most of an early start by going for a run in the gym before your first lesson, or use a long break to get your work done in a computer room. Whatever you choose to do with your time at HSDC, the facilities you need will be provided for you.
At HSDC, you will have the best support network. From lecturers to friends and the Health & Wellbeing teams available at all three campuses. Further Education can be stressful sometimes, but any support you need will be given to you, which is just great!
Lessons are arguably the best thing about being at HSDC because it is your opportunity to gain insight into the subjects you have chosen to study. Lecturers genuinely do their utmost to make lessons engaging and interesting, using several different methods to help get the main points across.
You may think that starting College is a scary experience; you may even worry that you won’t make friends – but this is far from the truth. If anything, the friends you make at College and the bonds you form are so much stronger than the ones you develop at school. You meet people who you have so much more in common with, either because they have a similar work ethic to you, because you have a related career goal, or just because you have the same interests. Spending time with your friends at College honestly makes your time there so much more worthwhile and enjoyable.
You can get the most out of your studies thanks to the continuous investment in modern, state-of-the-art IT resources throughout HSDC. You’ll never be without access to IT; with a choice of PCs, laptops and Chromebooks throughout all campuses on which to enjoy access to the latest software, digital resources and virtual learning environments. Of course, in this connected world, you may prefer to bring your own device; there’s free wireless connectivity and you’ll find plenty of places to charge your device. Our partnerships with both Google and Microsoft means we can provide the “best of both worlds” to our staff and students and cements HSDC at the forefront of digital learning.
The great thing about the three campuses is that students studying at any campus can still access the facilities at the other campuses. If you study at South Downs, but you have a friend that studies at Havant, why not organise a get-together during a break? The campuses are just a short bus ride between each other, and so long as you aren’t late for lessons, there’s no reason not to take advantage of your ability to utilise all these additional resources. If you’re an Alton Campus student you are able to make use of the facilities at Havant or South Downs campuses if you wish and vice versa!
Believe it or not, you won’t spend 100% of your time at College in lessons and there is so much you can do between lessons. It isn’t mandatory to stay on site all day. If you first lesson doesn’t start until 11am, you don’t need to be there until then. Likewise, if your last lesson finishes at 1pm, you are free to go home, or get involved with an extra-curricular activity, or complete assignments/homework. Our Havant Campus is very close to the town centre of shops and fast food places. Similarly, the South Downs Campus is less than a mile from a McDonalds, KFC and Asda. Our Alton Campus is very close to local shops and cafes including Costa and Cafe Nero. Students very often take advantage of these places during long breaks.
Breaks are a great thing about student life at HSDC. Not only does it give you more than enough time to meet up with friends and head to the shops, you also have the time to study. You can get all your College work done at College, so that you have more free time at home to do what you want.
If good food and drink is important to you, then you would be in luck as a HSDC student. As well as all three campuses being close to fast food places and other shops, but additionally, food on campus is awesome too! Grab a breakfast wrap if you get to College early, or head to Starbucks for a coffee during your break. Food and drink is reasonably priced and absolutely delicious, so if you come to College, be sure to take advantage of these places.