Hi, my name is Sherina and I am a final year International Business student at Brunel University London. Today I am going to share my experience of being a dyslexic student and how this is affected my university career.
I was diagnosed with mild dyslexia at the age of 11, over a decade ago. This was due to my inability to concentrate on lessons despite having immaculate handwriting and exceptional spelling. I found it hard to believe that I had this learning difficulty, as it rarely affected my daily life. However, this has been a blessing for me thanks to the support and assistance I have received at Brunel even before I started my degree. I was asked to carry out a means assessment to get my Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) and then received a confirmation letter in the post.
After completing my A-Levels, I decided to take a gap year and go travelling, volunteer, and gain some work experience. Brunel was my first-choice university and is just an hour away from my home in West London, nevertheless, I was still able to live on campus and get the full student experience. I received regular email updates about the enrolment process and the help I would receive to settle into campus. I was assigned a Brunel Buddy, who was able to answer any questions I had and smoothen my transition during my first few weeks.
The support and guidance I have received from my personal tutor, my study skills advisor, and my flatmates have never made me feel as if I am a disabled student and I am extremely grateful and lucky to have received a free laptop and printer to use for exam preparation and essay writing. I also have a printing allowance and can top this up seamlessly thanks to the staff at Student Services. I even had a tonne of support during my placement year and was still able to meet with my mentor on a weekly basis, on campus.
My mentor helped me structure my essays and proofread my work to ensure it is coherent and makes sense. She has also helped me write cover letters and edit my CV when I applied for my placement. I was then awarded the Brunel + Gold award for my commitment to extracurricular and non-academic activities including learning a foreign language, being a student ambassador, and participating in the READY programme.
My experience at Brunel has been a memorable and fulfilling one. Staff members and students are extremely friendly and are always willing to help. The campus is a place I call home and I will be very sad to leave after I graduate. My advice to students would be to never give up, stay positive, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you are struggling.
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