“Once I had received my invite to study at GCU I knew in my head and heart this was the university I wanted to study at.”

Fourth year BSc Occupational Therapy student Rachel Hendrie shares her insight into life at GCU and her hopes for the future.

I chose to study at GCU because…

Glasgow Caledonian University was my first choice for my BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy due to its great reputation for allied healthcare professions. I had applied and was accepted to the three universities that offered my course in Scotland, however, once I had received my invite to study at GCU I knew in my head and heart this was the university I wanted to study at. Being born and raised just on the outskirts of Glasgow the transport was always accessible to me and I have loved the Glasgow student experience. Now being in my fourth year of my honours degree, I have never regretted my decision in choosing GCU and will continue to highly recommend to anyone who is unsure on where to study to choose GCU!

The most important aspect of my university experience has been…

Joining the university when I was only 17, I have grown up and matured hugely during my university experience. My course has allowed the opportunities to greatly develop my skills and knowledge in practice. Additionally, enduring 5 practical placements working with real people in real communities have grew my empathy and passion to help people through occupational therapy. The support my cohort and myself have received from the occupational therapy lecturers has been endless! Fiona, Chris, Catriona, Katie and Emma to name a few have been with me throughout my degree and I would not of achieved my level of success without their guidance. In addition, I have made such amazing friendships with so many students on my course. Amie, Beth, Lauren and Rachel are the friends I have shared my best and most challenging times with and we have been each other’s biggest supporters throughout this experience and I know I have made friends for life.

My biggest lesson learned so far is…

My biggest lesson would be having to change and adapt my learning to online once the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our physical learning. It meant I always had to be more organised and tech savvy, whilst working alongside the lecturers to ensure our learning had minimal impact. Although these times were challenging it was a learning experience for all and this made me determined to work even harder! Reflecting back on my time, I would say to always reach out to your peers or lecturers for help if you are ever struggling because everyone wants you to succeed in your degree.

I’m proud to be part of the University for the Common Good because…

As a first-year student I was really overwhelmed in the beginning and I never knew how I would make it to this point. Every year I have accomplished so much and my confidence and performance in my course has flourished. I have built resilience and matured emotionally through taking part in learning and working in practical placements during COVID-19. By having the focus and dedication to succeed I was able to build upon and overcome these challenges and it has made me believe in my abilities.

I get my inspiration from…

My family with a special shout-out to my mum have gave me a life that I am very grateful for. They have raised me to be a confident, empathetic and ambitious young woman with a strong work ethic so I always knew I wanted to study a degree in order to help people live independent and fulfilling lives.

My next steps look like…

I am now 21 years old so I have decided I want to give myself as many opportunities as possible. I have applied for a post-graduate degree but once graduated I aim to apply for roles in mental health OT positions as this is where my passion lies and can implement all my skills and practice. I want to gain a wider knowledge of what career options is out there and once my graduation arrives I will then make my decisions for my future.

You are most likely to bump into me…

My favourite place on campus is the Sir Alex Ferguson library as this is where my friends and I meet up prior to classes and to study together. They have also just got a Starbucks in the cafe which always helps if you’re needing a caffeine boost.

Thank you to Rachel for sharing her GCU experience, if you would like to share your #GCUStory visit: https://bit.ly/3C4zNqY 

For more information on how to apply to GCU visit: Undergraduate | GCU