When joining the RVC I found that there were prayer rooms available on both campuses, and non-alcoholic Freshers’ events, like a theatre trip to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and bowling in central London. I felt supported by friends, and everyone was friendly and willing to accommodate my religious requirements.

I was worried about finding halal food but due to the diversity of London I found many halal places to eat – the university offered some halal options as well. I’ve found the RVC and employers are making more and more active efforts to facilitate the needs of Muslim students and other diverse groups.

My family and friends were very proud of me applying to RVC, but also worried because they didn’t know much about vet schools or the veterinary profession. After I’d started they fell in love with RVC just as much as I did. They’re very happy about where I am, they do worry about me falling behind but I haven’t failed an exam yet so fingers crossed! 

I originally got into RVC on the Gateway programme in 2016, but I missed my grades – after resitting my A Levels I got in! The staff and the students made me feel so welcome when I started. This, combined with the fact I was in love with RVC as a whole, made the transition into university life very easy! I still pinch myself daily because of how much I enjoy it.

When I accepted my offer to study MSci Biological Sciences at RVC, as a British Pakistani Muslim from east London who had never owned a pet, let alone gone to a vet, before starting my course, I wasn’t sure I’d meet people with similar backgrounds to myself! However, I discovered all the societies I could join (we had a Bollywood movie night run by RVC’s South Asian Society recently), a designated prayer facility and wash space to be able to read namāz, and Andy the Chaplin has been really instrumental in supporting the needs of Muslim students like myself – we even celebrated Ramadan together with staff and students, which was amazing.

When I started university, I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Through the support of the Learning and Development team, I was assigned a personal tutor who could help me to understand my learning difference and enable strategies that would help me to manage my work.

Adapting to university life can be stressful as it is but it can be even more difficult when you also have issues at home. I found the counselling service at the RVC to be efficient and reliable – I was able to meet with the counsellor regularly around my studies and found the service helpful and supportive.  As I don’t come from a wealthy background and neither of my parents have any kind of higher education, I have been financially supporting myself during my studies. Through working as an RVC Ambassador not only am I more financially secure, but it has also given me confidence and independence. I am now in the final year of my studies, and the most important thing I have learnt is that everybody’s journey is different, and that it is okay to ask for help when you need to. I am certain that my time at the RVC has made me more prepared for life beyond university.