{"id":35196,"date":"2026-04-22T10:25:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T09:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.york.ac.uk\/student-voices\/?p=35196"},"modified":"2026-04-22T10:31:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T09:31:11","slug":"my-experience-as-a-yorjourney-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.york.ac.uk\/student-voices\/2026\/04\/22\/my-experience-as-a-yorjourney-student\/","title":{"rendered":"My experience as a YorJourney student"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As I navigate my fourth year as a student at the University of York, it is striking to look back and realise that my journey at York actually began as a Year 12 on the York Experience Summer School (YESS-O). This programme, which was run online due to COVID-19, served as my introduction to the university and ultimately led me to the YorJourney module. In this blog post, I will write about my experience on YorJourney, how my experiences on Access &amp; Outreach programmes continue to support me at university, and the overall benefits of taking part in these initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why I Completed YorJourney<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At 16, the prospect of university felt like a complex system that I, as a first-generation student, didn\u2019t yet have the tools to understand. Having completed YESS-O, YorJourney promised a final bridge into Higher Education. I was particularly motivated by the opportunity to unlock a <strong>reduced offer<\/strong> for the University of York &#8211; a tangible benefit for students who successfully complete eligible widening access programmes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond the offer itself, I was seeking clarity on what university life actually entailed. YorJourney is specifically designed to support the transition from sixth form or college to university, promoting the \u2018myth-busting&#8217; of common misconceptions and providing a safe space to talk about worries. This sounded perfect to me, and I knew it would allow me to feel significantly less stressed about progressing to Higher Education than I otherwise would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My Experience of YorJourney<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">YorJourney was a well-structured, three-week online collection of modules that moved from initial orientation to the more self-directed tasks of university life. One of the key components was the <strong>myth-busting<\/strong> sessions, where current students shared their honest experiences about freshers, academic workload, and the realities of university life. This was invaluable for addressing the burning questions I had at the time, like \u201cWhat can I expect to experience in university accommodation?\u201d, and \u201cWhat is the workload like compared to my previous experiences of GCSEs and post-16 study?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>wellbeing<\/strong> strand was equally important, focusing on how to look after your mental health while balancing studies, socialising, and completing essential household tasks. We also took part in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.york.ac.uk\/study\/moocs\/next-steps-university\/\"><strong>Next Steps MOOC<\/strong><\/a>, a free online course designed to guide us through practicalities like living independently and budgeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For me, the most impactful parts were the academic components. The <strong>Academic Skills<\/strong> strand gave me a first look at university-style study through academic seminars and small-group discussions with peers and tutors. This led directly into the <strong>Academic Assignment<\/strong> &#8211; set by a university academic. Being matched with a postgraduate tutor in a not-too-distant field for support on research, structure, and referencing mirrored exactly how my time is now spent as a student &#8211; balancing lectures and seminars against self-directed study and practical sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Highlight<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The single most rewarding aspect of my experience was undoubtedly the completion of my 1500-word academic essay. As part of the Academic Assignment module, this project provided a huge &#8216;click&#8217; in my brain, allowing me to see myself as a York student for the first time. Having the support of a postgraduate tutor and seeing my research take a proper, real shape gave me a profound sense of belonging that remained throughout my undergraduate degree and into my current MA studies. YorJourney\u2019s academic assignment might, understandably, not be for everyone, but it certainly had a profound impact on me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lasting Impact: Supporting My Studies and Future<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The research, conversational, and time management skills that I built during those early workshops and modules are still in my toolkit for managing my MA studies. They will also likely hold significant value in my future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond the immediate academic benefits, the confidence and resourcefulness I gained through YorJourney have been essential to enjoying university life. It taught me how to navigate the university system and prioritize my wellbeing before I even stepped foot on campus as an official student. <strong>That sense of belonging is perhaps the most lasting gift of the programme.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion: The Benefits for Students<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, YorJourney and the wider collection of Access &amp; Outreach programmes are about demystifying university and building a network of support. Whether it\u2019s through the practical advice or the academic rigour of the final assignment, these programmes provide students with the tools to thrive in a new environment. If you are a Year 12 student considering university, I cannot recommend these programmes enough. <strong>They don\u2019t just help you get into university; they help you <em>belong<\/em> there.<\/strong> Taking that next step with YorJourney was arguably one of the best decisions I have ever made for my academic future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As I navigate my fourth year as a student at the University of York, it is striking to look back and realise that my journey at York actually began as a Year 12 on the York Experience Summer School (YESS-O). This programme, which was run online due to COVID-19, served as my introduction to the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":264,"featured_media":35204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[979,1249,8,1031,745],"tags":[1479,258,1433],"class_list":["post-35196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-choosing-a-university","category-preparing-for-uni","category-study","category-ug","category-why-york","tag-access-and-outreach","tag-student-support","tag-widening-participation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - 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