Transition Tuesdays: My Unipal

It's time for a new segment in my blog called Transition Tuesday. Every Tuesday from now until September, I am going to highlight a different element of DMU and DSU to helps with transitioning new students to the University. Consider it as ways that we help the young blood, because let's face it, we were all them at one stage. Today we are looking at My Unipal.

 What is it?

My Unipal is  a peer to peer mentoring scheme ran as part of the DSU that has new students matched with somebody who has been at the University for at least a year. You will be invited to exclusive events where you can meet other new students and will be able to ask you mentor for advice, whether it's what society to join or how to go about getting an extension. The service is free of charge and available to all new students, regardless of whether they are a undergraduate, postgrad, full time, part time, mature, under 21, living at home, living away from home, UK or International.

This sounds amazing, how do I sign up?

Signing up is very easy. You just need to do the following steps:

1. Go on DeMontfort SU (you can click  this link). 
2. Hover over the support section (see below) and click My Unipal. 

 3. You will now be taken to the My Unipal page. You now need to click the 1st year sign up link.

4. You will now need to fill in an application form. You will asked about everything from your name and course to your interest and hobbies. This is to ensure that the mentor you are matched with is appropriate and has experienced similar issues. 

5. Once you've filled in the form, click apply now. You will then be sent an email in the near future explaining to you about your mentor and what happens next. 

How does it help with the transition process?

My Unipal helps with the transition process because you are getting advice from people who have gone through what you are going through. All the mentors were a new student at some point during their time at DMU and thus can understand exactly what you are feeling. Not only that but there's loads of different options when it comes to your mentor.

Let's say, you just want somebody to give you some grounding during Fresher's week. My Unipal caters for that. Prehaps, you want somebody whilst you're going through that first assignment/phase test/sports trial/etc. My Unipal caters for that too. Maybe you want someone for the whole year so that you have a friendly face, despite what trials you may face, My Unipal can cater for that too. 

Not only that but your mentor is matched to you based on what you put in your form and what's important to you so you know that you're going to have some common ground to start from. 

As somebody who mentored for 2 years in a row, I highly reccomend this scheme to all new starters and I also encourage as many 2nd/3rd/4th years to get involved with the mentoring aspect. As I send yesterday on Twitter, My Unipal is a godsend and innovative with how it works. 

So that was my little piece on My Unipal. Hope you enjoyed it and more importantly, sign up and take advantage of it.

Until my next entry...

toodle pips,

Kelly