As I look ahead to my third and final year on the undergraduate Broadcast Journalism degree at Leeds Trinity, I have found myself reflecting on my time at the University so far.

When I think back to my very first week, I remember producing a news bulletin in the TV studio and feeling completely out of my depth as I stood in front of big industry-standard cameras and facilities. My lecturers assured me it would be a fun project, and the best way for us all to learn and get to know each other; and they weren’t wrong. That assignment sticks with me the most, not just because it was my first ever university assignment, but because I had the best time while doing it.

I’ve enjoyed how practical so much of the course has been since then. In my first year alone, I had opportunities to interview people working in the industry, attend election counts, shadow court reporters and work at Deer Shed Festival – a music and creative arts festival held in North Yorkshire – as part of their Press and Production team, filming content for social media and creating podcasts about the spoken word events that were part of the programme.

I also had articles published in the Yorkshire Evening Post, a daily regional newspaper, during my 30-hour placement with them. It was a surreal experience walking into their offices every morning to shadow their meetings and learn how such a successful media outlet operates. The placement really took me out of my comfort zone, I experienced nerves to begin with, but I grew to love it. I learnt so much and my confidence grew more than I ever thought possible.

Due to an illness in my family, my second year looked very different to the average student’s. I missed a lot of classes due to my personal circumstances, but my lecturers were ever so supportive and went above and beyond to make sure I could continue to progress. Thanks to them, I was able to attend trips to Media City and take part in interview, podcast and filming opportunities despite the challenges I was experiencing. Their efforts to help never went unnoticed and I’m so grateful for all they did.

In fact, whenever I’ve had a personal or academic query, my lecturers have always been quick to assist — nothing is ever too much for them and it makes student life so much easier. I’d also like to give a shout-out to the Media Services team. They’re a key part in a lot of what goes on at the University from helping in classes and dealing with our tech issues, to contributing to the smooth running of events like Journalism and Media Week and the Graduation ceremonies. They really are unsung heroes and deserve so much recognition for everything they do.

I can honestly say that I am delighted that I chose Leeds Trinity University to study. I have learnt so much both in and out of the classroom in my two years here so far, I have made some incredible friends and have had wonderful experiences. I’m looking forward to all that my third year has to offer and I’ve no doubt I’ll continue to develop along the way.

Lucy-Jade Atterbury is a Broadcast Journalism student at Leeds Trinity University.