I am on my third and final year currently studying BSc (Hons) Forensic Science with Criminology. I decided to go for this course because I really enjoyed both the forensic science part and the criminology part from what I had heard and read other places. I also have to say that I am really glad I choose this course not only because it is an amazing degree and you learn so much that you never even knew about. It also made me gain friends that I will have for the rest if my life. You will never forget the people you got to know during your university years and it will be an experience that you will never forget. It also makes you go out of your comfort zone a little bit, a new country and new people to get to know which have been so much fun. 

I actually applied for the university through Across the Pond, which honestly was a great experience. I don’t think I ever have had that much help ever. They are so welcoming and helpful in every way possible. They make sure that they find something that you will enjoy and that is within your reach. It is possible for anyone to apply when getting help from Across the Pond. I always recommend it to anyone who wants to study abroad. 

I always wanted to study in the UK in general and it seemed like a great opportunity when doing a bachelor or any other degree that you might want to get. I chose University of South Wales in Treforest because it was a small and cosy town, not to busy and if you want there is a possiblity to go into cardiff with just a short trainride of 23 minutes. You kind of have the best of both worlds. It was also the only university that had the course I wanted to study so it was perfect. Trains and buses are easy to figure out and you can pretty much go wherever cause the distance between places arent that far. I study at Glyntaff Campus where you have the bio, chemistry, forensic science and criminology courses, and it has 3 buildings on that campus where you might have lectures. The campus consists of two parts, upper and lower Glytaff. The upper part is a little bit more old school, it has a crime scene house, laboratories and a little café. The lower part is where it is a little bit newer, and it has a cafeteria and other classrooms. 

Then there is the accommodations. When you first try to figure out the accommodation it is said that it is best to live at the student accommodations your first year and then the second year students move into houses that is close to the campus. I was very happy with living at the student accommodation cause that is where you meet a lot of new people and it is an experience in itself. I am glad that I did move into a house in my second year at university because it is a little bit more your own. I moved in with a friend of mine from Norway and two other girls that I lived with during my first year who are from England.

The student life is pretty much the same it is just in a different country and a lot of new and fun places to visit. A lot of partying the first year which was a lot of fun and you get a totally new experience. 

In my spare time I study a lot, but we as a house also do a lot of stuff. We do a pub quiz evey Wednesday night which I really fun and you get to do something other than studying. I also go into Cardiff to go to a café or just make a day of it and go to dinner or take a picnic day in the gardens in Cardiff. There is so much to see and great places to hang out. I also like to go into Pontypridd where they have an arcade where they have a market full of stores that you can go into and they also have bookstores and bakeries in the arcade. Then there is also a big park where you can go, and there is usually a lot of cute dogs that usually wants to say hi. 

My first language is originally Norwegian, but I feel like the transition was pretty good except for some new phrases that I did not understand at first. There might be times where it can go a little bit too fast but other than that it was a pretty easy transition.

- Hedda Marie