Blog: Waterside – the student’s view

Lauretta Ofulue is studying Learning Disability Nursing at University of Northampton, beginning her studies at the University’s former home on Boughton Green Road. Here, she blogs about the move to the new, £350m Waterside campus and what the first week was like.

With the start of the new academic year came the long awaited move to Waterside.

It was meant to meet all of our learning expectations, from state of the art teaching solutions, new training facilities and even the atmosphere and ambience. It also promised to be a grand site in terms of space…and it has delivered on those promises!

Lauretta Ofulue, during her first year at the former Boughton Green Road/Park Campus.

At the start of the first day, I made my way to the new parking facility in town. I could not help but notice the ease of transferring from my vehicle into the park and ride bus. It’s actually a well thought out arrangement and reduced the bus-catching anxiety I had been experiencing during the summer holidays!

Once at the Uni, the WiFi initially seemed to have a mind of its own – new-build teething troubles that have been quickly ironed out.

I felt like I was part of new University history that was unfolding. It was nice to witness my lecturer tearing the plastic from the brand new Whiteboards. We all sat in silence like children waiting for lollies to be distributed!

And, of course, we have state-of-the-art training facilities in our new nursing suite that will massively help with our simulation exercises. I can’t wait to have a go at using the Virtual Reality goggles!

The lecturers appeared curious about how to weigh our expectations because they kept asking us what we thought about the new campus?

So here is my answer…it’s breath-taking.

I still find it difficult to believe we are just next door to the bustling town centre with all of its attractions, after a year studying at the old campus on Boughton Green Road.

I decided to explore Waterside and ventured out on foot. Surrounded by greenery, the marina and the River Nene, it was like being lost in nature.

The buildings have a classy, business like feel that reminded me of their rightful place within the campus, as learning hubs that would warehouse lots of faculties and departments. University of Northampton is no longer a place of many campuses, because finally the faculties coexist alongside each other.

There were also shops, a post office, coffee bars and little pockets of relaxation spaces spread around the buildings to keep students refreshed in different ways.

Each floor in our building, The Learning Hub, belongs to various Faculties and all the floors have their own teaching rooms and section of the library – the library comes to us! It’s such a clever and more convenient way to borrowing books.

At the end of my walk, I reconsidered my initial reservations about the omission of the car park from the new campus. What my walk revealed to me was the wisdom in that decision. Within my first week, I had walked more than I had managed to do in the past couple of months. This is great for my health!

I have now seen the town of Northampton, with its history and culture, in a new light, through the prism of our fantastic, ultra-modern Waterside.

Find out more about Learning Disability Nursing at University of Northampton.