RGU — Solo budget traveller

Hello! My name is Marisa and I just graduated from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland with a BA (Hons) degree in International Tourism Management. I’ve been getting tons of messages on Instagram about this so I thought I’d share with you my experience as an RGU student.

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First, I just want to clarify that I am not sponsored by the university. I am just a super happy graduate who had the best 4 years as a student there. Not only have I had the best experiences on campus in beautiful Aberdeen, I have also had the opportunity to study abroad in Finland for one semester and do my 1-year internship in California. I will try and cover as much as possible in this blog post from my first year staying in student accommodation to my final year writing my dissertation including part time jobs, classes and lectures, the campus, making friends, the actual city and so much more. Let’s start with the campus…

Campus - facilities, library, food cafes, etc

The campus is definitely one of the prettiest ones I’ve seen. Surrounded by trees, modern buildings with stunning architecture stand on the grass, right next to the river.

Each building is equipped with studying facilities such as computers, printers/scanners, wi-fi, sofas and desks, which makes studying a lot easier and more accessible for everyone. There is also the Learning Centre, which is located in the Business School and it has all the study facilities mentioned above plus study pods and round tables, seminar rooms, and large study areas for group work and collaborative projects. This is where I spent most of my fourth year studying with my friends and taking lunch breaks. There is also an IT help desk where you can take your laptop or phone if you’re having trouble connecting to the internet, downloading a file, etc.
The library is in the green glass tower (I’m sure you’ve seen photos), and has 4 floors full of books, journals, workstations, wi-fi, computers, power sockets and of course, the welcoming staff that are always happy to help you with any questions. I spent many hours here studying and it’s a great place for individual quiet space. And the best part, you get an incredible view from the top floors. In my fourth year, I was lucky enough to get to work as a student ambassador here, and got to spend more time helping other students find their way around the facilities.

There is also a sports building which has a swimming pool, climbing wall, three gyms, and loads of fitness classes. I will talk more about the sports further down.

The campus has many cafes and food courts in each building and has a huge variety to choose from such as Starbucks, Costa, Jamie Oliver’s, Subway, Superbox buffets, Plant Market and many more. Some of the food available is baguettes, soup, breakfast options, fruit, curries, salad bars, pastries, baked potatoes, pizzas, burritos, and most of it is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. I usually took food from home with me in a plastic box but if I was there all day, I got a second lunch from one of the cafes which aren’t too expensive and the food was super tasty. One of my favourite ones was the Superbox in the Business School which had a hot and cold buffet as well as delicious vegetarian soup.

RGU is not only great academically but it also has a great support system when it comes to the students’ wellbeing. Wether you’re struggling with your course or with personal problems, the staff really care and will always try and help you. There’s counselling available on campus as well as phone appointments. The lecturers also care about their students, not only about their academic achievements but about their wellbeing.

Course, lecturers and assignments

My lecturers were super nice and helpful, and were very passionate about what they teach which made everything even more enjoyable and interesting. I absolutely loved what I studied and looked forward to going to class every day. Don’t get me wrong, I still had to study very hard and struggled a bit on some days but because I loved my subject, it made it easier to want to study for it. There were a variety of different assignments from reports and essays to group projects and presentations. Obviously, your course may be different as it might be a more practical one.

When it came to my dissertation in fourth year, I made a video documentary about “stepping outside one’s comfort zone by being a solo tourist and the possible impacts on self-confidence” (plus a written part too). Here’s the link to the video if you want to watch it.

Yes the assignments and studying were hard and I did spend lots of time on them (including many all-nighters), however I did still have time for other things such as work, hobbies and going out with friends.

Clubs and societies

When it comes to free time and fitness, (apart from all the things listed above) RGU has tons of sports clubs and societies. From kickboxing and cheerleading to Harry Potter and languages, there’s something for everyone. I would definitely recommend going to a few in the beginning or go to the taster sessions to try them out and see which ones you like. This is a great way to meet other students and of course to have fun and learn something new.

Student accommodation

For my first year of uni I stayed in Woolmanhill which is a student accommodation right in the city centre. I had my own room and shared the kitchen, living room and bathroom with 7 other girls. I would definitely recommend staying in student accommodation for your first year. This will save you from having to search for flats in neighborhoods that you don’t know, and you don’t have to worry about electricity bills, internet, security, etc. It will also give you the chance to meet fellow students easier, especially the first few days when you are trying to find your way around. My first few weeks there, I got to explore the city with my new flatmates as well as go with them to the shop for the first time, register at the doctor’s and just have someone that is in the same boat with me. Flat parties are quite common in student accommodation so this is also a great way to meet new people.

The rooms have a bed, a wardrobe, a desk and chair, a notice board, and a mirror. The rooms in Woolmanhill also have a sink in them but this will depend on what type of room you choose as some may also have your own bathroom. Depending which accommodation you will be staying in, the rooms may seem quite small. But I promise you that will not matter, as it will have all the necessities such as a bed and desk as I mentioned previously and you will spend a lot of time at uni and hanging out with your new friends in the common areas anyway.

Making friends

A lot of people have messaged me, saying that they are worried they won’t make friends or if it’s easy to make. I promise you, you will make friends. It’s difficult not to! Like I mentioned earlier, you will meet people from your accommodation, either your flatmates or other students at flat parties and events.

Me and some of my course mates on a day trip to Edinburgh

You will also meet people on your course. On the first day of your classes, you will sit next to someone. And trust me, they will also be in the same position with you. Just remember to smile, be friendly and start a conversation with the person next to you. The lecturers usually do some ice-breaker activities on your first day of uni, so you will start talking with your fellow students then too. If you are getting a part-time job while you are studying, you will also make friends there. Like I said, everyone is in the same boat with you. They are nervous and maybe shy, and they are also looking to make friends.

Getting to university - public transport

Because I was staying in the centre, I had to take the bus to campus. It is about a 45 minute walk from the centre and on nice days I did walk.

There are buses from the centre every few minutes and it takes around 25 minutes. There are different types of bus tickets available such as single, day return, monthly, semester, and academic year. The academic year one costs £338 (may change depending when you are reading this post). For me it was worth getting the year one as I went to campus almost every day for either class, work, or just to study. If you think that you won’t be going in to uni that often, maybe get the semester one instead which costs £192 or the month one £54. You can find the student bus ticket prices here.

Study abroad in Finland

Depending what you are studying, you may get the chance to study abroad for a semester or even a whole year. I went to Finland for a semester in my second year.

It was an incredible opportunity and if you are given the chance to study abroad somewhere, do it! I got to meet people from all over the world who I now call my friends, experience -30° weather in snow, learn about a whole new culture, go on a roadtrip through Finland all the way up to the North Cape in Norway, see the northern lights, go to Santa Claus village in Lapland and so much more. Any destination you are given, you will have the best time! I was lucky enough to get an Erasmus grant which paid for my student accommodation while there. The classes were taught in English but I also had the chance to learn some Finnish as well which was a great skill to add to my CV later. It also helped me become more social, learn new skills, and by stepping outside my comfort zone I gained more courage to then do my internship in the US for a whole year. All the credits you earn from the modules abroad count towards your final degree at RGU.

Some other study abroad destinations are Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, Canada, USA and many more.

Internship in California

As I mentioned above, going to study abroad made moving to California for a whole year a lot less daunting as I was kind of used to the feeling of going to a new place on my own. I’m not going to go into too much detail but wow..it was amazing. I did have to save up a lot of money as the visa, flights, etc were super expensive but it was worth it.

I did my internship in my third year of uni for a whole year at a resort called Indian Springs in Napa Valley, California. I got to learn so much about the business and just got so much work experience and new skills to add to my CV and I absolutely loved my job there. And of course, I got to travel on my days off all over the US, including New York City at Christmas time and Hawaii for my 21st birthday. At the end of internship, when my visa ended, I was allowed to stay in the States for a whole month to travel. So I went on my own around 11 states and had the time of my life. Check out this video about a week in my life as an intern in California.

Skydiving in San Francisco on my day off work

Part-time jobs

Lastly, I just wanted to talk about working while studying. In first year I got a part time job at Burger King and worked on the weekends. I also picked up some bar shifts at a local nightclub. When I came back from study abroad, I continued working there and then went to the US. In fourth year, I got a job at the library at RGU for a few hours a week and then also worked as a private bartender for events in the evenings. Furthermore, I did some photoshoots throughout the semester as well. If you’re wondering if you will be able to handle a part-time job whilst studying, you definitely can.

From restaurants and bars to retail jobs, there are many part-time jobs available in Aberdeen as it’s a student city. Working at any part-time job whilst a student, apart from the obvious (money!), it has soo many benefits such as new skills and work experience for your CV. Even if it doesn't have anything to do with your course, it will still give you the opportunity to obtain communication, people, organisational skills, time-management, and will just make you stand out even more to future employers. Plus you get to meet more people while working there.

Aberdeen - things to do in the city

So the city. What is it like living in Aberdeen as a student. I will write a separate blog post about life in Aberdeen in more detail but for now here’s some of the reasons why it’s a great place to be:

Tons of restaurants and cafes with food from all over the world, including great vegan cafes
Loads of local independent businesses such as coffee shops and zero-waste refillery shops
Plenty of retails shops for clothes, etc. and 3 big shopping centres
Museums and art galleries
Cinemas and theatres
Great nightlife scene with a huge number of clubs and bars
Festivals and events all year round, e.g. comedy, lights show, Christmas market, food week
Stunning architecture wherever you look, including Marischal College, the world’s second largest granite building
A beautiful beach where you can also see dolphins and seals
A number of parks with grass, trees, rivers
Loads of walking trails, from forests to coastal paths, with amazing views
20 minutes away on the train from one of Scotland’s most breathtaking castles, Dunnottar
Easy access on public transport to the rest of Scotland