About You
Full name: Babawale Adeyemi
Country of origin: Nigeria
Course studied & year of graduation: MA Health and Social Care Leadership
What inspired you to study in the UK, and why did you choose BGU? Quality of Education, Prospect of networking and making new friends, prospect of desired course and affordability of Tuition fee and city where University is located.
Your Current Situation
If you have employment, what job do you do, and where do you work? Or, if you are undertaking further studies, what new course are you studying?
After graduation, I worked as a Band 4 Occupational Therapy assistant in Watford General Hospital for 7 months, after which I transitioned into a Band 5 Occupational Therapy Developmental/Trainee role in Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Kent.
What do you most enjoy about your job/your new course?
The opportunity to positively impact the lives of patients in the hospital by providing patient-centred interventions to rehabilitate and support them in living a quality and independent life.
How has your university course helped shape your career or further studies since graduating? How have you applied what you learnt at university to your job/further studies?
My course in Health and Social Care at BGU equipped me with the requisite skills and knowledge to transition smoothly into the NHS/Healthcare Sector. The theoretical knowledge I gained in the field of Health and Social Care at BGU is helping me thrive seamlessly in my role as an Occupational Therapy Trainee in the NHS.
Life at University
What are your favourite memories from student life at University?
I thoroughly enjoyed my role as a Student Ambassador in BGU. The team was very supportive and I had the opportunity to meet new people as well as provide orientation about the benefits of studying in BGU, drawing from my experience as a student and ultimately inspiring them to choose BGU as their preferred study destination.
How did your time at University influence you personally or professionally?
BGU has taught me to be kind, caring, and compassionate. Kindness, Care and Compassion are key qualities of healthcare professionals. The holistic support I enjoyed at BGU has inspired Kindness, Care and Compassion in my Career and Personal life.
What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
The major challenge I faced as an International student studying in BGU was Acculturation/Cultural shock. I initially had difficulties with adjusting to the new cultural and academic environment in the UK/BGU.
I overcame this challenge through resilience and the holistic support provided by various support mechanisms/teams in BGU.
Life in Lincoln
What were your first impressions of Lincoln?
Lincoln is Calm, Peaceful and relatively Affordable.
How did you find living and settling in the city as an international student?
I found it quite easy with the support of BGU International Student Support and my Local Church; Methodist Church in Burton Road, Lincoln.
What did you enjoy most about living in Lincoln?
The affordability, the peace and calmness of the city. I also enjoyed the kind countenance of the people.
Your Current Location
Where do you currently live (the name of the town/city)?
Kent
Do you enjoy living there?
No really, I miss Lincoln!
What do you enjoy most about where you live?
Transportation network and closeness to London
Advice for Future Students
What advice would you give to international students considering studying at BGU?
Ask questions! Plan ahead! Be resilient! Don’t lose focus!
Seek support when you need it, don’t be timid. Have realistic expectations and anticipate unprecedented occurrences. Have a contingency plan for your mental health, finance and realistic/unrealistic expectations which may not be met. Lastly, make a lot of friends and open up to them, they most likely have the solution to most of the problems you may come across.
Final Thoughts
Anything else you’d like to share about your experience at BGU/your experience post-BGU?
My experience in BGU was pleasant due to the kind support provided by the University. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in BGU.
My experience post BGU was a little rough at the beginning; Settling down in a completely new town far away from Lincoln where I have established myself in terms of relationship/social network was quite challenging at first but I gradually re-established my self and adjusted to life in the new city where I now work. Additionally, transitioning from the regular/"easy" part-time jobs I did as a student to a Full-time professional job was initially challenging as the workload and work hours increased significantly. It took my body and mental health a while to adjusted to the new reality.