Students
Past and Present
Below
we have a view from a student who has
attended the university in question.
NAME: Marianne
Kavanagh
OCCUPATION: Teacher
Graduated
from Bangor in 1997 with BA hons in
French.
The Day I went to Bangor...
Or rather the three years. I chose Bangor
University, North Wales because I had
already once visited some friends there
and found myself charmed with its friendly
atmosphere and surrounding natural beauty.
Bangor is set amongst beautiful Welsh
mountains and beside the sea. It is a
city because it has a cathedral but don't
be fooled by this, it is to all intents
and purposes a medium sized town. Obviously,
there aren't zillions of clubs and bars
to choose from but then again the nightlife
isn't at all bad. Being a student town
there are always plenty of pubs and parties
to choose from and the Union puts on
as good a night as any you'll find in
London or Manchester (Mr Scruff is a
regular). There are a lot of musicians
and DJs all keen to exhibit their talents
and there are opportunities for you to
do the same, so there is never a lack
of variety in music styles. A big bonus
is that you can keep the friends that
you make very easily because in a small
place like Bangor you are likely to see
them every day. Day trips to Dublin are
also a good weekend option. You can usually
get cheap deals. Of course there are
opportunities abound to do any of the
hobbies you may already have or want
to try out…. drama, dance, writing,
sailing, climbing, canoeing, hockey,
rugby, football, walking, martial arts,
yoga etc
I didn't stay in halls myself, I opted
to live for my first year in a cottage
at the foot of Snowdon but this soon
became a problem and I would recommend
it only for its beauty merits…it
was quite impractical. Most of the halls
in Bangor are new and warm and comfortable,
some even have stunning views out to
the sea and mountains…there are
some less attractive older style halls
of residence, however, if you like your
creature comforts it is best to make
it clear to the accommodations office.
Finding student houses in town isn't
too difficult and most are of a good
standard though many of the houses in
the valley part of the town are subject
to damp, so be aware when looking.
The course itself (French) was well
constructed with a good range of modules
to choose from and excellent language
lab facilities. What I most appreciated
was the small and friendly nature of
the modern languages department. I never
felt like many people feel, that their
tutor just doesn't have enough time for
them. I spent a year as part of my course
in Lyons, France, which allowed me to
get a taste for the big city life. When
it came to my final year and researching
career prospects, there was plenty of
advice available and career fairs to
attend. I was already quite sure of what
I wanted to do (teach). Many of my friends
have ended up making a career out of
something quite different from their
degree, one friend who did French now
works in finance for the university of
Bangor! Another who studied agriculture
runs the entertainment at the Union!
One thing most people
who have lived in Bangor agree upon is
that it has some kind of Welsh magic…its
hard to explain, there's something a
bit fairy tale like about the place…with
the back drop of snow-capped mountains
and views out to the Irish sea…This
is starting to sound like a holiday editorial...
though perhaps your three years of study
are a kind of working holiday? Then again
I always believe it isn't the destination
that counts but your attitude to the
journey. If you like a fast and frantic
pace of life then Bangor isn't the place
for you, however if you like to feel
a part of a community and enjoy a sing
along with home grown talents then it
just might be!
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Established
1884 Bangor University is situated
in North Wales with a backdrop of mountains,
lakes and forest of Snowdonia National
Park, as well as a beautiful coastline.
But scenery alone is not the reason
for selecting a university - academic
merit is also an important governing
factor. Bangor university offers 350
courses across its 20 academic departments.
It continuously offers new courses
to meet the constant developments and
demands made by society and industry.
