harper adams alternative prospectus

AlternativeProspectus09

welcome toHarper’s Alternative

ProspectusA big hello from ALL the

students at Harper Adams!

Written by students for you, we hope that the

Alternative Prospectus increases your desire

to come to the BEST rural university in the UK!

From the awesome social life here at Harper

to study tips and advice on managing your

cash, it’s all here, so delve in and enjoy!

And maybe we’ll see you here in September.

contentsStudents’ Union welcome 4Meet the team 6What to bring 8Things to do before

coming to university 10Settling in 12First day at Harper 14A typical week 16Students’ Union 17What’s on campus? 18Accommodation 20Here to learn! 22Courses 25Quiz 27James’ story 28

Fiona’s story 29Work experience 30Sports 32Clubs and societies 34Money, dosh, cash 35Health tips 38Shopping 39Food on campus 40Recipes 41Eating off campus 42Pubs and drinkies 44Music scene 46Visit us 47

Welcome to the Alternative Prospectus for the bestuniversity college in the UK… official! You’ve pretty muchdecided that Harper has the course you want to do (oryou’ve skim read the “serious” prospectus and decided youwant to know a bit more about what Harper has to offer,what actually goes on and can you actually get anythingfurther out of uni than just a qualification?). Marvellous,well here goes…

Hello from theStudents’ Union

Alt.prospectus 2009 p5

Well, I’ve graduated; yes, after four years I’ve finallydone it! And now as Harper’s Students’ Union president,with a BSc (Hons) in Agriculture with Animal Sciencebehind my name, it is now part of my job to make surethat you get on as well as I did here (and I don’t want to leave!) So here are some pearls of wisdom…

I’ve always found there are two sides to studying atuniversity – learning about your chosen course, andthose times outside lectures when you start to learnabout life (AKA have fun!).

Well you’ve made the first one easy by consideringcoming to Harper, an excellent teaching facility.However, at most you will spend 40 hours a weekstudying before it becomes mind numbingly boring! Thatleaves precisely 128 hours (75 percent of the WHOLEweek) of spare time … (who said you sleep here?!!!)

Some people find this transition into uni life (andoooodles of spare time) easy, some find it more difficult– which is why the Students’ Union is here.

Run for the students, by the students, we take over theminute you finish lectures – running all the sports clubs(from rugby to ladies football, shooting to archery),societies (the Christian Union to the 4x4 club),

organising nights out (the legendary themed Wednesdaynights in the Main Bar, eventful trips to Stafford andShrewsbury and renowned 7pm-7am Summer Ball), daysout (trips to Alton Towers, point to point races), and notforgetting fundraising (by our awesome RAG team) forboth local and national charities.

The most important message I have foryou is to make the most of life at uni,you only get out of Harper whatyou put in, so lift your head highand get involved – you havenothing to lose! If we don’tcurrently provide what you enjoydoing, speak to one of the StudentExec about it; as a small uni, weare flexible and always willing totry something at least once.

Work hard, play hard and remember,growing old is inevitable, growing upis optional and fancy dress iscompulsory!

SUE x

Meet the team

Mo’men Sinokrot hasjust arrived at Harper

from his home inJerusalem, Palestine. The

17-year-old is taking Harper’sUniversity Access course andwants to go on to take anengineering degree.

“Harper is a good choicefor learning and it is thestarting point for a new lifewith new friends.”

Who better to tell you all about Harper than students? From first day nerves to study tips, we’ve got greatadvice from our own experience to give you the inside track on the best rural university college ever!

Sue Lovatt, fromStaffordshire, is in her

final year studying BSc(Hons) Agri-food with

Marketing and Business Studies.“Get involved in as much as youcan at Harper, the more youput in, the more you will getout! Four years at universityseems a long time but I canhonestly say it flies by andI would do it all over again.I have loved every minute of itand have made some friendsfor life!”

Hannah Marshall, 23,from Doncaster, has

just graduated with aBSc (Hons) Veterinary

Nursing and PracticeManagement, and is wonderingwhere the last four years wentto. “If you ever have thechance of being a Harperstudent and joining the Harperfamily, you should grab it withboth hands! It is difficult tounderstand the Harper Spirituntil you feel it, but once youdo, it will never leave you andyou will be grateful for havingthat chance!”


Marcus Elsmore, 21, comesfrom just over the border,in Staffordshire. He

started off doing Harper’sAccess course. He’s now in his finalyear of his degree course, BSc(Hons) Rural Leisure Management,and doesn’t want to leave!

“Get stuck into everything youcan at Harper, because themore you put into your life asa student, the more you getout of it.”

Abby Blackburn is in herthird year at Harper so she’s enjoying her

placement year right now.The 20-year-old from CountyDurham is studying BSc (Hons)Rural Leisure Management.

“You will never experienceanything like Harper Adams;become a student here, and youbecome Harper! I love beinghere and wouldn’t change it forthe world. You need to comeand see it for yourself tobelieve what you’ve heard!”Fiona Johnson, 46, from

Shropshire, is doing afoundation degree in Animal

Welfare and Management andplans to top-up to a full degree.

“I just love being at Harper! Forany prospective mature studentit has everything you need toachieve success in which evercourse you choose. The bonus isa friendly college in a beautifulpart of the country!”

James Croxford, 20, lives in Shropshire, justa few miles from the campus and is enjoying

studying BEng Off Road Vehicle Design.

“I tried a really big university but found it wasn’t right

for me. At Harper I have found the right course in the

right place.”

Anna Bletcher, 18, has juststarted at Harper, but likemost freshers she’s settled

in really quickly. Originallyfrom North Wales, she’s here

studying BSc (Hons) Agri-FoodMarketing with Business.“I was unsure about coming touniversity, and of course youhave to take time to settle inbut it’s well worth it, to gainexperience and meet new people.Harper staff and students arereally helpful so you never feelalone. And bring old clothesfor the freshers’ challenge…you won’t want them back,believe me!!”

Unless you bring everything you own, it is difficult to remember everything or to know inadvance what you need. Obviously if you are staying in self-catering, you’ll need a fewextra things than if you’re in catered halls. But generally a few things to consider are –

What to bringn Pillow/s and duvet

n Clothes (inccoat/waterproofs)

n Coat hangers

n Wellies and goodfootwear

n Alarm clock

n Kettle and toaster

n Toiletries

n Laundry bag

n Towels

n Lampn DJ/Ball gown

n Stationery

n Camera

n Laptop/ PC

n Doorstop

n Glasses, plates, etc

n TV (and a licence!)

n Musicn Extension lead

n Insurance

n Posters and photos

n Sports kit

n Fancy dress

Think we’ve missed something off the list? Then check out www.realuni.com for a bigger one!


I bought clothes, books (dictionary), laptop, mobilephone, and camera. You need to buy some things fromhere and if you are from overseas the uni gives you someof the things you need like bedding and towels. Mo’men

Don’t bother bringing a TV, it’s not worth thehassle of getting a TV licence and you don’t

have time to watch it anyway. There isalways so much going on in the evenings

on campus e.g. comedy night on aTuesday, Harper Forum on aThursday, quizzes in the loungebar on a Sunday. Photos andposters are great for making your room more homely. You canguarantee there is something for everyone and you will never be bored. Sue

What I brought with me…A lot in TWO cars! Clothes for all occasions, kettle, cups,plates, TV, laptop, radio, lamp, glasses, teddy, sportsequipment, fridge, pens, paper, folders, iron: all theessentials. Abby

I brought a TV but I haven’t even used it so it will probably be going home when I next go! I brought the basics like clothes and fewsnacks for the weekend, loads ofphotographs and not forgettingmy Welsh flag hung on my wall tomake me feel right at home! Anna

I brought clothes (obviously), mylaptop, bedding, toiletries, a rugbyball, all those boring things likepens and stationery, and of coursemy teddy (can’t leave home without him!) Marcus

I brought lots of memories of home with me to Harper – photos,mementos and good luck cards andgifts. I also brought most of myclothes, a TV, a stereo, all my music, a kettle and a toaster. Hannah

Set up a student bank account. Important because: • Interest free overdraft available if needs be• You’ll usually get a freebie• Debit card, cheque book, online banking and

telephone banking all available• You must have one to get your student loan

paid to you!

Room Insurance. Important because:• If you lose your laptop you’ll pay unless you’re

covered• Repeat above for: mobile, bike and other expensive

portable equipment• It covers your room. Your possessions are otherwise

not insured. So if your room (worst case scenario) wasgutted by fire, you would lose everything unless youhad insurance. College has insurance to cover thebuilding only, not your stuff

• It is dirt cheap: £20 – 40 for the YEAR

Budget. Important because:• You know how much you can

spend each week/term• You know what you can and

can’t spend money on• You know when you need to earn

some cash!

Pre-plan what you will have to pay to uni inadvance/start of term:• Your term time rent, includes campus fees, room, food,

water, electricity, washing, etc.• Your Students’ Union Social Surcharge, which goes

towards clubs, societies, bands, sport, and also givesyou a representative voice to the uni. No SU = Nosocial life

• Key deposit• Room deposit• Other hidden costs which are guaranteed to pop up.

They always do• Weekend food?! Budget for that


com

ing

toun

iver

sity

Thin

gsto

dobe

fore What I did before starting uni…

Filling out student loan forms, bank accounts, namingbed sheets and clothes, buying stationery and earlypacking! AbbyBasically sorting out the finance side of things, and then just all the things for my room, bed sheets, kettleetc. AnnaGot a student bank account (so I could have my loanmoney), just bought random stuff, and the usual back toschool rubbish. Got personal possession insurance for allmy stuff I was going to have at uni with me, and filled inall the forms for registering and for switching mymedical records to the doctors in Newport. MarcusI already had a bank account as I had a year outworking in practice before I came to Harper. I had to fill in loads of forms for my student loan and also for ascholarship from Harper. I bought lots of new clothes,new bedding and some stationery. HannahMake sure that you have been accepted and havebooked your accommodation and know what you have init so you will know if you need to bring anything else.Also make sure that you have got a valid visa if you arefrom overseas. Mo’menI had to make myself a laundry bag; having two is ideal.Make sure you’ve got a kettle and plenty of tea bagsespecially for the weekends. Sue

Deep breath, hold your nose, we’re going in!

Arriving at university can be a daunting experience. For many it will be thefirst time they’ve left home, so at first you may feel the added stress of beingaway from everything that’s familiar and having no family or good friendsaround to help you through.

The most important thing to remember is that EVERYONE IS IN THE SAME BOAT.You may feel a little nervous or shy, but so will your neighbour, so say hello! Itmay seem that everyone else is bursting with confidence and have no worriesin the world – they’re just good actors! But these worries soon pass – usuallywithin an hour after you arrive! Remember, uni is all about having fun andmaking lifelong friends. This isn’t going to happen if you lock yourself away inyour room!

Finally, live and love your uni experience. Soon it will be gone and you’ll be 99 ina care home and wishing you were back at uni!!

‘aaaaaaaaaaaargh!’‘aaaaaaaaaaaargh!’


Wedge your door open and walkaround the corridor and talk toeveryone. Abby

Before I came to Harper, I signedup on Facebook on the Internetand joined Harper’s freshersgroup…it was such a brilliantidea as you get to havediscussions with people you will be sharing the same halls orcourses with! Some of my reallygood friends I met on Facebookbefore I arrived. Also relevantinformation was posted on therewhich keep me up to date. Anna

Really basic things like puttingyour name on your door, orleaving you door open whenyou’re in, so people can poptheir head round and say hi, andjust generally get involved withas much as you can! Marcus

The best way to settle in is tomeet your neighbours in hallsand they will probably be on adifferent course to you so thatway you can make friends fromboth your own course andothers; ever increasing yourcircle of friends. I met my bestfriend as we were moving intohalls (she was my neighbour).She was carrying a giantcardboard cut-out of Yoda andI thought “What am I lettingmyself in for?” I laughed at herwhich broke the ice and thenasked if I could go to lunch withher as we didn’t know anyone.We have been best friends eversince! Hannah

I would definitely invest in adoor stop! It’s the best way tomake new friends and get toknow your neighbours. Whenyour door is shut, you miss outon the gossip of your floor andnever seen anyone! Sue

Tips on settling in

first dayfirst day at Harper?What happens on the

Our first days…Such a long time ago, but I canstill remember it. I was on sucha high and met loads of newpeople. A girl on my course liveddown the corridor so we decidedto explore and introduceourselves to others. Abby

My first day was getting to knowmy course and course tutors. Ifound this really helpful. We didsome team building tasks, whichhelped us get to know one another.A really good idea! Anna

Very daunting, I didn’t really knowwhat to expect or where to go, butagain the wardens, freshers crew,staff and everybody made life alot easier as they were so helpfuland supportive Marcus

oneIn no exact order:1. Get in car with all belongings. Drive to Harper. Arrive.2. Follow directions to registration (nice kind people pointing in the right direction)3. Register (cheque book ready) for your course, head for the Students’ Union, and

student services, where you have a photo taken and a card printed. DO NOT LOSE!!

My first day (academically) wasvery exciting and I didn’t knowwhat to expect. I do have a funnystory from the first lecture thatwe vet nurses had – we were allsat quietly in the lecture room aswe were all very nervous. Ourlecturer, Erica Martin, wasexplaining what we would bedoing on the course and what to


one4. Get taken to the doctors. Register. Simple.5. Option to see insurance company and a few banks if you haven’t sorted

these already. Take your ID – it’s necessary to open a bank account.6. You’re taken to your room by a kind current student.7. Welcome to your room. Now, you can start moving in!8. Amongst all of this you would have been told 1,000 things to remember.

You’ve now forgotten 999 of them but it’s OK because everyone else has too! 9. You will have a welcome meeting after dinner (which is at 5pm btw) at around

6 to 6.30pm with your Hall Wardens.10. Cheese & Wine at 8pm. Start meeting people. Disco in the main bar till late!So, there you go – ten simple steps to a successful arrival here at Harper.

expect from it. During her speecha pigeon decided to fly straightinto the window making a hugebang! Everyone looked towardsthe window as the pigeon, withwings spread, slid down thewindow and onto the floor (like acartoon sketch!) Then everyonestarted looking at each other asif to ask what we should do – aswe were a room full of student

vet nurses! The answer was tobreak the ice as everyone burstinto laughter as nobody madeany effort to see if the pigeonwas ok! (We did ensure that thepigeon was not hurt afterwardsand it did fly off!) HannahTiring, but inspiring. Everyone I met was very friendly,encouraging and helpful. Fiona

My first day flew by and so didthe whole first year in fact. Youspend your first day getting lostbut don’t worry you soon get toknow your way around. All thelecturers are really friendly andall your first lectures are forgetting to know each other andwhat the exciting year aheadinvolves. Sue

The rest ofFreshers’ Week

Quite possibly the best time of your

life! Basically the whole ‘week’ (actually

ten days) is completely jam packed with

stuff and you will not have a spare minute

to miss anyone. Throughout Freshers' Week

all the Halls will be competing to win the

Harris Shield. The icing on the cake is the

Freshers’ Ball, which is on the last Friday,

and is an awesome night of live bands,

DJs, drinking, dancing, partying, etc,

etc. We warn you now that you will quite simply have the

time of your life so take advantage

and enjoy!

A typical weekMonday Film night – in the lounge bar involving a big screen,good beer, bring your own popcorn, and have a chilled out nightwith a hearty laugh.

Tuesday Comedy or acoustic night – the best from the comedynetwork and from up and coming acoustic artists.

Wednesday Sports are played mostly on a Wednesdayafternoon, followed by the biggest night of the week. With adifferent fancy dress every week, it’s a GREAT night.

(And then check out the SU website to see if your photo is online –you may have won a prize!)

Thursday Lounge bar socials – a quieter, relaxed evening afterthe previous night's antics...

Friday Varies from week to week, but generally it’s a night onNewport’s tiles or an in-hall party (they are wild!)

Saturday Was normally a day of rest, but every other Saturdayis now a big one, with different bands and DJs. We’ve had visitsfrom the likes of Sara Cox, Edith Bowman and Scott Mills. On therest weekends it might be appropriate to remember thoseassignments...

Sunday Your day to do whatever. Whether it’s shopping,relaxing, work or coming back after going home for the weekend,the RAG Quiz is waiting for you at 8pm. Basically, it’s the week’sgossip, rolled into an entertaining quiz raising money for charity.

Want to know more? Check out www.haucsu.co.uk for theofficial Students’ Union website!


The SU is a group of students whoare elected by other students towork on their behalf and representthem within the university andbeyond. From the bar to the shop, from sports to charity; allentertainments and the socialcalendar are run by the SU so we will be very much involved in yourlife at Harper.

This year’s team started inFebruary, and ends next February,when you will have a chance to runfor the various positions, such asVice President, Secretary, Treasurer,Sports Secretary, Publicity andCommunications Officer, WebsiteOfficer, Bar Manager, TechnicalManager, Shop Manager, AcademicRep, RAG Chairman, RAG Treasurerand RAG Secretary.

The SU President, who is a Harpergraduate working in a paid, full-time position for one year, lives on campus, and heads the team.

Just some of the events the SUorganizes are:

Christmas Ball: Bigger than theFreshers Ball, and organized by theFourth Years.

Club Dinners: Often incorporatedinto the new Club Executivechangeover, the formal dinner will be your club’s night out.

SU AGMs: A general meeting – raiseyour opinions with the SU.

Beer Festival: Erm, beer and morebeers for your tasting.

Sports events, including a big inter-university festival of sports.

Bonfire night: Always a good effortand a praised display.

SU Elections: Two nights on which to elect your new SU. Some finespeeches and campaigns.

Paddy’s Ball: The spirit of the Irish.Get that Guinness down your neck.

Summer Ball: The biggest, mostextravagant, humungous end to theyear. Marquees, fairground rides,awesome bands and the whole thingends at 7am. Can you make it forthe Survivors Photo?

From The Wurzels to Scott Mills, theSU do a fine job in giving you youryear’s entertainment. Excited? Youshould be! Think of something newand exciting that we should bedoing? Suggest it to the SU!

Students’ Union (SU)Students’ Union (SU)

Harper Adams is a fairly small campus, but this has its

advantages. For a start everythingis on campus, and everywhere in

Harper is within five minuteswalking distance (fact!).

All first years, generally, live oncampus, which is great as you canget up at ten to 9 and go to bed...well, whenever, as you don’t need toworry about getting lifts or taxis.

There are two bars on campus.Firstly the lounge bar, which is openevery night, serving all drinks fromcoffee to cognac. Various eventshappen in here such as RAG quizzes,comedy nights, acoustic nights, filmnights and much, much more. It’sideal for a quiet drink any nightwith its modern design and luxuryleather sofas. It also has a pooltable, darts board and huge screen!

Next door is the main bar, which is where all the big functions areheld. It is believed to be the mostprofitable SU bar in the country(yet drinks are still dirt cheap!) It is open every Wednesday, when a band and DJ play, and it is used,along with various marquees, tohost the balls.

What’s onCampus?

Food wise…there arethree main stops for foodon campus, that’s theKaldi café (in the library),the KAK (SU building) andthe canteen (for cateredstudents), all of which offer avariety of snacks, meals, and drinks.

Harper pridesitself on itssports teamsand the hugeinvolvementthat all

students have supporting them.There is an array of facilities on

campus including; anindoor gym, astro-turf,numerous rugby andfootball pitches, squashcourts, tennis courts, off-roading vehicle track,shooting ground, pool tables, dart boards and much more.

Students staying oncampus also benefit froma cleaner every day anda weekly laundry service(yes they do all yourwashing!) but there is also a self-servicelaunderette on campus

and I guess if you wanted to do yourown cleaning we could sort you outwith a vacuum!

Away from partying and ontostudying, the Bamford Library is afantastic facility with everythingfrom books (dur!) to computers,scanners, printers, study rooms,wireless Internet, and very coolwindows (check them out!). Thereare lots of teaching rooms and

workshops – well, wewouldn’t be much of auniversity otherwise!

Harper is really uniqueamongst land-baseduniversity/colleges

because it has its own farm. It isHUGE and is getting even bigger andbetter this year, has all the mainlivestock (cows, pigs, sheep, poultry,etc) and is an amazing resource.

Finally there is the SU shop, which sells all sorts, from Harpermemorabilia, Harper clothing range,sweets, drinks, magazines, etc.


NICE DIGS! First Years get to live on campus– this is great! No driving, a fry up everymorning, cooked lunch and dinner, a dailycleaner (how posh is that?) as well assomeone to do your laundry. You can’tcomplain about that!

BradfordThe only single-sex hall. A boyzone(!) with 60 luscious lads (if you’re lucky, girls!)Nearest to the bar and dining hall. Bradfordnormally forms some great groups of guysand has churned out some legends in thepast. The rooms are fairly large with severalcommunal shower blocks; never an issuebetween blokes. We get on with it.

HarrisHarris is the largest hall. With 100 rooms, this block houses both sexes in thelap of luxury. All rooms are en-suite (for those who can’t dowith sharing showers!) ThisHall is often another goodsource of SU hopefuls andRealmys, and is handilysituated right next to thecar park. Bravo Harris!

Ward Small and intimate, Ward is a mixedhall, and often joins up with Flatt Road forthe Harris Shield competitions. These roomsare similar to Bradford in size and shape,and communal bathrooms are on each floor.It is next to the car park – very handy! A great hall where you will get to knoweveryone living with you very quickly.

Gloucester This is the second largest hall here atHarper. Like Harris, it is three-storey andhas all en-suite rooms. Eighty guys and galsshare this hall, and it has great views of the

1st team rugby pitch when it’s too wet orcold to stand on the sideline (a must for the

girls). What else can be said? A great hall.

BougheyBoughey consists of fiveindividual blocks in one building.This hall is home to any under-18s Harper may have on theAccess Course, and anyone else

who chooses to be there. It’slocated near the Library and

Foulkes-Crowther building, so it’sgreat if you’re lazy when it comes to

getting to lectures! And there are five rooms on each floor so it’s very easy to make friends.

Flatt RoadThese are a group of shared houses alongFlatt Road leading to the B-Block teachingareas and wider farm. Furthest away fromthe main campus, but a bit quieter. But let’sface it, nowhere in Harper is more than afour minute walk away anyway. A greatplace to live especially if you’re too grownup for halls!

Accommodation

Tips on living independentlyAlt.prospectus 2009 p21

Self Catering HallsThese are the newest halls and are the onlyself-catering halls on campus. It overlooksthe astro-turf as well as being near theFoulkes-Crowther teaching block and carpark. An extremely nice set of buildings, set out in four blocks. Kitchens are sharedbetween six to eight students and arespacious. You also get a common room,unlike the other halls.

Off-Campus AccommodationSecond years and up (if not on placement)live in houses in Newport or around. Werecommend you start looking for houses andhousemates just before Christmas in yourfirst term – sounds bonkers but we wouldn’twant you to get left out. Also, sooner done,sooner you can rest your mind. Don’t want to leave campus? If there’s room, you canapply to live in halls (probably selfcatering) in both your second and fourthyears. However, priority goes to first yearsand then fourth years (dissertations!).Student Services can give you help findingprivate accommodation.

Tips on living independently1. Be relaxed. There is help on hand if you have any problems at all.

2. Enjoy. Despite being a new and sometimes scary experience, it is

also a great one.

3. Think ahead – Mum isn’t around to do this for you. Think of the

week ahead; what are you going to need each day? By this we

mean, money, clothing, workload, etc.

4. Independent living = budgeting. Take it easy on the accounts.

5. Don’t be pushed around unfairly in your house/flat/hall. Stand

your ground and if needs be, see Student Services.

6. Be active – don’t spend all your time in your room unless

you’re working; you may get sick of your room and begin

to hate living there.

7. Too noisy? Can’t concentrate? Don’t work in your room! Use

the Bamford Library and keep your room as a social space.

8. A car is a great help but, when you’re in halls especially, there

is always someone who is going to the shops, so just ask.

9. Be thoughtful: What goes around comes around.

10. If you’re ill, see the doctor immediately, it is FREE.

11. Learn the art of balancing work with your social life.

What was it like moving into Halls?Great fun, arranging my room to look its best! Meeting new people from all over the country AbbyQuite scary to start with but after a week or two it became home Marcus

The library also plays host to a plethora ofcomputers, on-line with ‘Hotmail’ already in its

memory. These are available with an internalmail system, available for use with assignments

and any other computer-related piece of work

or entertainment you may need… Harper’ Social

Network, Facebook, Bebo, MySpace, YouTubeor the photos on the SU website!

Here to Learn!Don’t forget, you are here to learn… Amongst all

the partying and meeting new people, you should

hopefully go home at the end of your first year with

a bag full of A-grade assignments and exam results.

To help you achieve this feat, Harper has put in

place lots of helpful items such as the Bamford

Library (Leaning Resource Centre as it is formally

called – more commonly known amongst students

as the Early Learning Centre).

Unfortunately True –

Learning SupportAlso in the library are multiple quiet groupstudy rooms, as well as the language suiteand Learning Support Room. Help withdyslexia and other learning disabilities areavailable here. When applying to Harper,you will complete a form to acknowledgewhether you have any learning difficulties.If you are unsure whether you have dyslexiaor any other learning issue, then you will bepicked up in a screening test, undertaken inFreshers Week. This is a quick simple test,which will highlight signs of learning

difficulties (many dyslexics go unnoticed at school and struggle on until they get to Harper and realise that with supportthey can achieve great things.)

If you do have dyslexia, then guidance and support is available. After an initialassessment at Harper (free of charge),students can be assessed by a qualifieddyslexia assessor. The student’s needs and course requirements are all looked at,and application to the Disabled StudentsAllowance can be made. In many cases alaptop with specialist programmes and/or

photocopying allowance is given to help.One-on-one help is offered to improveindividual study skills, while other help caninclude sign language interpreters, notetakers, personal care workers, and extratime in examinations.

If there is one thing that is made clear atHarper it’s that the staff are there to help.And they really do. They’re an excellentbunch. It’s why we’re considered the best at what we do.


At school you have classes, and we allunderstand what they are. But when you get to uni they suddenly start talking aboutlectures, seminars and who knows what else… so we thought we’d give you an easy guideto what’s what in and out of the classroom.

LecturesYou sit in a big room with lots of otherstudents, with your pad out, pen poised torecord the pearls of wisdom the lecturer atthe front of the room is pouring out. Theytalk a lot, you don’t – just take it all in, nodwisely, file your notes in a big folder at theend, make sure you understand it, go see thelecturer if you don’t, then make sure youremember it all. Easy peasy!!

Seminars/tutorials Smaller classroom, less people. Lecturertalks … so do you, hurrah! Seminars arebasically more interactive sessions to talkabout the subjects covered in lectures,maybe do some projects in groups, and learnhow all that theory really does work in thereal world, and why it’s worth rememberingeven after you’ve passed your exams!

Field tripsSometimes, quite literally, a trip to a field(especially if you’re an agric!) In a nutshellyou get out of the classroom, sometimes off

the campus altogether, and see how things happen in the real world. It might be a trip to a vet’s practice or a canal, a supermarket or country estate – it alldepends what course and which modulesyou’re doing but they’re nearly alwaysgreat fun, you get to talk to someinteresting people and come back thinking“Wow, I can’t wait to get stuck in to thatjob when I graduate!”

Experimental work Probably most people’s favourite – the bitwhere you take your newfound knowledgeand see what you can do with it. Soengineers build vehicles in the workshops,vet nurses feed and tend to animals, realmyssurvey things … you get the idea.

Exams Just like every exam you’ve taken in yourlife. You learn it, you revise it, you sit in a big hall with lots of people and realize,actually, you’re really do know rather a lot.

Coursework Again, very similar to coursework you’vedone at school or college. It could be anessay, a group or individual project, aresearch report …. anything really that lets you show you’re taking in what thelecturers teach you and understand it.

Lecture? What’s that when it’s at home?

Study tipsStudy tips

Our study tipsDo background researchbefore you start anassignment, and eventhough it’s hard but trynot to be on Facebook allthe time (it’s addictive!)Anna

Use highlighters andcoloured pens to makeimportant notes standout. Rewrite your notesonto A3 paper and pin upon your room wall, aboveyour kettle, in yourbathroom, etc. Sue

I found it much easier tostudy with a friend, thatway we could answereach others questionsand didn’t have to keepstopping to have a breakor a chat as we werealready chatting even ifit was about studying.Hannah

1. Study outside of your room. Why? Toomany distractions! Pop over to thelibrary and do an hour and you will getmore revision/work done than in fourhours in your room.

2. Try to keep academic life 9-5 only, andbefore and after that your social life. Ifyou can do that, you will always haveyour evenings free from assignments!Remember you’re not always in lectures,there are plenty of free periods in theday to study. You’ll have to put morehours in during exams, and especiallywhen you’re completing yourdissertation though.

3. Too quiet? But Radio One is too loud? Try Classic fm. It really does work. And if you’re embarrassed, lock your door!

4. Lock your door and keep it locked – ifyou need to work – you need to work!

5. Agree with your friends to work for a few hours so none of you interrupteach other, then go out afterwards. This is a great approach as you workharder when you’re looking forward to the after bit!

6. Never ever start assignments the weekthey are due in. Start at least four weeksbefore, simply because the hardest bit of the assignment is starting it. Do thefront page early, do a bit at a time andby the time the deadline is close, you’reover half way and finishing it is abreeze, not a chore.

7. No matter what day and time yourassignment is due, set yourself an earlierdeadline. Then if your printer plays up, or a cow eats your essay (hey, it couldhappen!) you have ample time to findanother or to solve the problem.

8. Time management is everything. You cango out, have fun, see your friends, go toall your lectures, get a job, be on the SU,be an ambassador and still get a high 2:1at the end of your year as long as you’reorganized. Heck, get a First if you push alittle harder!

9. There is a famous quote, (by who wedon’t know) which states: “Bite off asmuch as you can chew. Then chew likemad.” The point is to learn how much you can bite off. You might choke on it if you bite off too much… so build yourworkload up, and then build it down to a point you’re comfortable with.

10. Remember you are here to get a greatqualification. The social life, friends andother packaging will come either way.


As well as the agriculture courses we’re renowned for, Harper offers a diverserange of land and non-land based courses,attracting students from all backgrounds,male and female (roughly 55:45 ratio male to female). The following is just a briefoutline of the typical courses on offer here at Harper.

One of the best elements about HarperAdams is its strong focus on preparing

students for the real world of work. The placement year offered in most of the courses is invaluable. As well as makingyour CV far better than graduates withoutexperience, it gives most students a chance to earn some money in the middle of their course.

AgricultureThere are lots of different agriculture courseavailable at Harper, all offering something

slightly different, though essentially all ag’based. Options to be taken with the courseinclude marketing, mechanisation, cropmanagement, animal science, environmentalmanagement…

Food/Agri-FoodThese newly established agri-food coursesoffer fantastic industrial placements withcompanies such as Tesco, British Sugar,Kepak UK and Banks Cargill and are

Courses

baaabecoming increasingly popular both here at Harper and with employers. The food industry is one of the UK’s biggest employers.

Animal relatedThe university college has invested in asmall animals unit in addition to its smallanimals project house, and veterinarynursing unit. It is primarily based on theFlatt Road site. These courses have proven a huge success and demand is high. Perfectfor students from a rural background whoare interested in animals!

BusinessThe business courses at Harper cover a widerange of modules, including marketing andpreparing students for every eventuality in the world of work, and all developmanagement skills to help you get thosegood jobs! Lots of students go on to developtheir own businesses too. The year-longindustrial placement helps to put theorylearned in tutorials into practice in the real world.

Engineering and DesignHarper has a very strong engineeringdepartment with close links to bigcompanies like JCB, McConnell, CLAAS, John Deere and New Holland. Using thelatest technology and design programmesavailable, Harper engineers learn a variety

of skills and knowledge from AgriculturalEngineering to Off-Road Vehicle Design, and from foundation degrees to Masters’.

Land and Estate ManagementCommonly known as REALM, the RuralEnterprise and Land Management course is one of the largest at Harper. It offers agreat head start to students who wish to go on to qualify as Rural Practice CharteredSurveyors with the Royal Institute ofChartered Surveyors (RICS). And, like mostHarper graduates, these guys are alwayssnapped up for good jobs. There’s a newRural Property degree too.

Countryside and Environment CoursesThese courses teach students theimportance of, and abilities to,manage land to achieve financial,social, environmental andaesthetic objectives. Avery popular coursearea, especially asglobal environmentalissues continue toincrease.

Adventure, Leisure and TourismThese have rapidly expanded over the lastcouple of years, and are really popular. Theaim of these courses is to develop dynamicand versatile graduates who have a soundknowledge and practical understanding of tourism, combined with business andenterprise skills. Roll in both outdoorrecreation and environmental sectors; this is certainly a growing course area.

AccessThe Harper University Access Course isavailable to students who wish to accessHigher Education but do not have A-Levelsor equivalent. Very useful! The one-yearcourse includes of compulsory key

and core skills such as IT andnumeracy, with the option to

select modules in the secondhalf of the year depending

on your career/HE ambitions.

And remember, if you think you’vechosen the wrong course, and would

like to transfer to another, it’s notthe end of the world. Just be sure to

let your course tutor/manager know– sooner is better! The wide varietyof courses at Harper means no-onehas an excuse not to be here!

?Alt.prospectus 2009 p27

Are you the next Alan Sugar or a mini Jeremy Clarkson? Take our light heartedquiz and find out if you’re a business boffin, animals expert or a natural agric…

Mostly *Pull up your wellies, grabthe Barbour and shout itloud and proud: “I’m anAgric!” Harper is yourspiritual home and if wedon’t have a course to suityou we’ll eat our hats (andthey taste GROSS so youknow we must be serious).

Mostly «Snakes, cows, puppies andhamsters – if it’s feathered,furred or sitting on a loglooking – well, a bit like astuffed toy really – you’rean animal person and will thrive on one ofHarper’s many animalrelated courses.

Mostly (You’re a Foodie! For youfood isn’t just somethingyou chew to keep you alive– it’s your passion. So whatif a five minutesupermarket dash turnsinto an afternoon’sentertainment as you planhow they could market thepotatoes better? And ifHarper were a restaurant itwould have a Michelin Star,AA Rosette and EgonRonay panting at the door,so come in, sit down andenjoy learning all there isto know about foodproduction.

Mostly ©You’re hired! You’re anatural entrepreneurbrimming withenterprising ideas and witha Business course fromHarper there’ll be nostopping you – watch outAlan Sugar!

Mostly dWhen you can build a truckwith a biscuit tin, someJammy Dodgers and anelastic band, you knowyou’re a natural bornengineer. You seize onmechanical problems like

a fasting Rottweiler on ajuicy bone, and spend yourdays taking engines apartand your nights dreamingof creating a wind-powered tractor. You’llnever be happier thanroaring around Harper’soff-road test track ortinkering in the workshops.

Mostly HYou’re a Realmy. You workhard, play hard and like thefiner things in life. Studentson the Rural Enterprise andLand Management coursetake some stick for theirreputation as toffs, but aresome of the most popularlads and lasses on campus.

Mostly _Apply for a countrysidecourse now! Swampy isyour hero, you spendhappy weekends chainedto a tree as you protest thatnew motorway, and youare determined to improvethis world for all of us.Congratulations, you are a champion of thecountryside and will feelperfectly at home in therural idyll we like to callHarper.

Mostly =Where others see a rundown country pile you seea future theme park. Usingan ironing board to pressyour clothes would be awaste when you couldbackpack to the Andes anduse it as a snowboard.Leisure and Tourism floatsyour boat so jump aboardthe good ship Harper andget sailing.

Mostly %You’re a hairdresser! Sorry,you’ve picked up thewrong prospectus… but ifyou’ve got time to give us aquick trim that’d be great!

1. You spot a cow in a field. You think:

a) I wonder how much milk yield she gives *

b) Ah, the poor thing’s limping, I’ll get my first aid kit «

c) Mmm, tasty, fetch me the frying pan (

d) I know a man who needs a cow,wonder if I could negotiate a pricewith the farmer? ©

e) Ooh, it’s all muddy, someone fetchsome shampoo %

f) I bet she couldn’t outrun my 4x4 dg) One cow in a field? What a waste of

land, you could develop a luxurytimeshare on there! H

h) Cow? What cow? I was admiring that woodland over there _

i) Nice field, I’ll fetch my tent =

2. It’s holiday season. Yourdream destination is…

a) A weekend break in a luxury mansionin the Dales H

b) Checking out a B&B that’s up for sale– could be a nice little earner ©

c) Volunteering at a monkey sanctuaryin exchange for free bed and board «

d) A gourmet food and wine tastingweekend in the South of France (

e) White water rafting in Wales =f) A masterclass with stylist to the

stars, Nicky Clarke %g) Driving from Dover to Dubai in the

diesel powered go-kart you’ve builtfrom an old shopping trolley and aride-on lawnmower d

h) Holiday? You’re kidding aren’t you –it’s the middle of harvest season! *

i) Building dry-stone walls in theCotswolds _

3. You travel to college: a) In the chauffer-driven Bentley Hb) By bus – public transport’s so much

better for the environment _c) On my horse – nothing like a hack

first thing in the morning «d) In my Barbie-pink Micra %e) In my souped up Landy – it’s got

a fitted loo and mobile office in the back d

f) On the trusty John Deere *g) In my butty van – I set up a

roadside stall on the way and sell a few bacon baps so I’m already inprofit by 9am! ©

h) The quickest way possible – I alwaystake so long cooking up a four-coursebreakfast I’m usually late (

i) By mountain bike =

4. You’re going shopping,what’s on your list?

a) Shopping? Isn’t that what mums are for? I’ll happily drive her therethough d

b) A new wetsuit, laces for my walkingboots, a Lonely Planet travel guide =

c) I’m too busy running the store to spend any of my hard-earnedwages ©

d) RSPCA Monthly mag and anultraviolet light for my snake house «

e) Some bulbs for the garden _f) Nothing – I get it for free at Mum’s

farm shop *

g) Conditioner, gel, shine serum andextra volume shampoo %

h) Moet & Chandon champers and lobster H

i) I’m banned from the supermarket.They got fed up with me analyzingshopper’s baskets and rearrangingthe displays (

5. It’s Clubs and Societies night at Harper. Which one will you join?

a) I’ll head for the YFC stand – I’malready a member so I knoweveryone anyway *

b) I’m guessing that trail of mud leadsto the Off Road Club… d

c) Any that’ll let me manage them –I’ve got some brilliant ideas forexpanding ©

d) I’ve been practicing my shooting onthe estate all summer, so it’s got tobe the clay pigeon club H

e) Wow, apparently the ConservationSociety is planning a hedge layingtrip along the canal, that soundsbrilliant _

f) Why aren’t there any classes onperfect perms and brilliant blow-drying? %

g) Extreme fishing? Rowing club? Aclimbing society? Aagh! How am Igoing to fit in lectures around mysocial life? =

h) Equine club «i) I’m going to set up a cocktail society

for all the mixers and shakers atHarper (

Sometimeswe find ourroute to universityisn’t as straight-forward as we mighthave imagined. Far fromleaving college and instantlyknowing which university andwhich course to study, sometimeslife has different ideas, as JamesCroxford discovered.

I did A-Levels in 2005 and did really well,but then I was very ill for the next two years,so I was 20 before I began my course at HarperAdams. I knew a bit about it because it’s near myhome and school, but hadn’t really considered studyingthere till I had a chance conversation with someone who works atHarper. After telling him I was interested in engineering, and waslooking for a practical course with both theoretical and technicalelements, he told me about the Off Road Vehicle Design degree. Healso explained about Harper’s strong links with the engineeringindustry, and the engineering scholarships I could apply for. It sounded as if it had the perfect balance.

Although the first term had already started he advised me to come along for a few days and see what I thought. As I was so late I didn’t register in normal way but the registry staff bent overbackwards to help me fill in the forms and get everything sorted. I didn’t have a UCAS application so it could have been very difficultbut in fact it was made very easy. I had missed Freshers’ Week, so onthe first day I was thrown in at the deep end, straight into lectures,

but I found it verygood fun. Everyone was sticking together as nobodyhad any idea what was going on, which made for a good atmosphere.

I enjoy the course, particularly the balance between theory and computer modelling and practical elements. It is useful goinginto the workshops and seeing what you’ve been told about in the lectures put into practice. I’ve also received a £750 meritscholarship, which I found I could apply for when I arrived here and I also have a scholarship with McConnel.

I wanted a degree and the opportunities it gives, getting a betterjob and a step into industry. I’m glad I’m here, even if it was morethrough chance than planning – sometimes it’s better that way.

A different path


Being a mature student at Harper…By Fiona Johnson

A different path

Hi, my name is Fiona Johnson, I’m 46 and studying FdSc

Animal Welfare and Management.

I was looking for a new direction in life and a new

challenge. Harper offered the perfect opportunity for

me to do both by studying animals, my lifelong passion!

I was extremely apprehensive about returning to full

time education as a mature student: would I be ‘clever

enough’ to cope academically, and how I would fit in

with the (much) younger students. Most importantly

could I manage the workload alongside home life?

However Harper is a great place to study, with the

friendly and approachable lecturers and support staff

giving mature students lots of help and encouragement.

And I’ve found the workplace and life skills that mature

students have developed transfer well to the classroom.

My father is in his 70s and thinks it’s great that he

has both a daughter and granddaughter (my niece)

in college! He likes to know I’ve done my homework!

I’d advise other older students to be well organized and

don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are also plenty of

extra workshops to help mature student regain studyskills. I’ve also received a merit scholarship fromHarper of £250. I’m so glad I did this course. It’s taken my understandingof animals to a deeper level, challenged my thinking,increased my knowledge, and helped me gain practicalhandling skills in a wide range of species. Plus the sociallife is great and my young friends encourage me in thisarea! As a mature student you can join in as much or aslittle as you wish. The Christmas and Summer Balls arefantastic and are legendary locally!

Work it, baby!Work it, baby!If you’re going to get a part-time job afterleaving school it makes sense to choose onethat gives you valuable work experience as well as some cash in your back pocket.Our lecturers are a wise lot so we asked for their advice on the best jobs to help you get ahead.

REALM“If you want to be a REALM student workshadowing an agricultural valuer or estatemanager is an excellent introduction to thetype of work undertaken by REALMgraduates when they go on to qualify aschartered surveyors. But at this stagepractical work on farms or other ruralbusinesses is equally important for learningabout the realities of the lives of your futureclients. This really helps you to stand outfrom the crowd on your CV and jobapplications later on. If you don't knowwhere to start, approach your localchartered surveyors or use the RoyalInstitution of Chartered Surveyors website,www.rics.org, to find a local surveyor whospecialises in rural work. Young Farmers'

Clubs can also be an excellent networkingopportunity to find practical experience, or you could approach the local secretary of the National Farmers' Union.”

Animal-related“If you are thinking of applying for any ofthe ‘Animal’ courses you could work withany sort of animals (companion, farm,equine, wildlife or zoo) but do try to getsome real hands-on experience with asmany different types as you can. It's betterto have a week with each of four differenttypes than a month with the same. For thoseinterested in the Vet Nursing courses youMUST have experience in a vet practice.Veterinary nursing is such a vocationalcareer that you really need to understandthe role of a vet nurse before committingyourself, otherwise you could be veryunhappy!”

Agriculture“As Agriculture courses are vocational you’ll need a minimum of 10 weeks practicalexperience to enable you to put theory into

a practical context. Experience on a mixed farm is ideal as it will give you an appreciation of a range of crop andlivestock enterprises. Students who havepreviously worked at home are encouragedto gain some experience working away from the home business as this provides a valuable reference for you when seeking placements.”

“Working on a farm you will also get used tothe terminology and have a basic idea ofsystems before you start at university.”

Engineering“Prior work experience is less important forEngineering students but if you are going to study Agricultural Engineering then afarm job over the summer months (if youhaven't worked on a farm before) would beinvaluable. But generally there will be lots of practice in the workshops and specialistvehicle instruction on the Ag Eng and ORVDcourses so don't worry too much if you don’thave much practical experience.”


Business“Whatever avenue of life you want to go into it’s important to understand business in the context of your potential job role. It’simportant to have a part time job (not just for the money) but so that you start to realisehow important it is to turn up for work andhave jobs finished at the right time. This alltranslates into turning up for lectures at uniand finishing your assignments on time!! Butremember Harper is a great place for studentsto work hard and play hard, and there is a lotof support for you from the academic staff to guide you on your route to success.”

Countryside“Volunteering for a local woodland trust orwater/canal restoration society would beuseful. It is also worth speaking to parkrangers / the environment department at yourlocal council. Work on a farm would be helpfulbut, as with all countryside courses, workexperience is by no means essential. It wouldbe just as useful to read up on Governmentinitiatives on planning and land use(especially any proposal to reduce the green belt) and environmental policies.”

Adventure, Leisure and Tourism“As with countryside courses, work experienceisn’t essential but it you are interested instudying Tourism and Business management orRural Leisure Management work at any touristattraction, or volunteering for the National

Trust or English Heritage would be useful. ForOutdoor Recreation courses we’d recommendparticipation in extreme sports, especially atoutdoor recreation centres. Any experience ofplanning, organising, running or participatingin any kind of event such as village fete, schoolor youth club, charity fundraising, school orcollege prom/ball would be good, as wouldconferences such as YFC regional or nationalshows or AGMs. Or you could get someexperience in any sector of the holidayindustry from travel agents to airports or as a holiday rep (fancy being a Butlins Red Coat?)All of these jobs would give you an insight tothe business of tourism and leisure industrythat should be helpful for your course.”

Food“It is always helpful to have an awareness of the industry and the different occupationsyou could access with a food qualification. So experience of any food business outlet from the retailer to the producer, such assupermarkets, farm shops, wholesalers, or a manufacturer such as a dairy or bakerswould be ideal. Also good for your CV would be experience of running a business such as the young enterprise scheme while at school or college, or any kind of science or labexperience from product development to aninterest in design and advertising. Or maybeyou could get involved with any foodinitiatives locally such as a food fair orfarmers market.”

Sports: you’ll

never be boredRugby ClubHarper has a very successful rugby contingent, with three maleteams and a female team too. Practice is taken very seriously aswith all clubs, which ensures Harper keep their winning record. Ohyes… we win alright!

And whether you are playing rugby or not, you can still get thesame buzz! The first team rugby pitch is regularly adorned bysupporters supping port to keep out the cold. For the moreimportant of matches, the RAG guys will often get outthe barby, with burgers, hot dogs and beerson sale. Music pumping out from the loudspeakers just adds to the electrifyingatmosphere. An afternoon’s rugby isunmissable, whether you are goingfor the sport, the atmosphere orjust the legs!

There is a wealth of successful clubs and societies for you to join.One evening during Freshers’ Week will be Clubs and SocietiesNight, where you can find out what’s on offer and join what youwish. The SU has a dedicated sports and societies officer, who’s full of enthusiasm, and always welcomes new ideas.

Harper has a fantastic reputation for sport, topping the BUSA(British Universities Sporting Alliance) leagues for many.

FootballHarper’s football team is managed by local landlord, Quinny(legend) who runs the popular Phez pub. There are three men’steams. Harper also now has a female football team.

HockeyHarper has its own brand new floodlit astro-turf. Hockey is one ofthe largest clubs at Harper; there are two male and female teams,with a cracking club dinner at the end of the year!

NetballMainly a girly club, with two teams, which play on and off campus and perform in the BUSA league. Practices are frequent and fun so get involved – every now and again a boys teamappears – where from we don’t know, but worth watching – it can be extremely physical!

ShootingOne of the most successful teams at Harper Adams is the Clay PigeonShooting Club. They have their own shooting range just half a mile offcampus, an infamous end-of-year dinner, success upon success andthey are open to anyone, regardless of experience. The captains willsoon get you shooting straight.

Equestrian/Eventing ClubThe team competes in the BUSA league against other universities.Its good fun and you don’t need your own horse! This relatively newclub has jumped from strength to strength.

Polo clubThe polo team practices at Rugby polo club once or twice a week.It’s great fun and you don’t need your own pony or to have playedbefore. Again, more students than ever have shown an interest inpolo this year. Join the crowd!

Others:Ladies’ Running Club, Rowing, Gaelic Football, Ultimate Frisbee,and Pool Club to mention just a few…


Sports facilities –on and off campusHarper has lots of sporting facilities. There are twotennis courts open to anyone who wishes to use them(particularly in demand during Wimbledon!) There is alsoa multi gym and two squash courts. The outdoor swimmingpool is open all summer and is immense fun leading up toyour exams. Revise or play water polo with your mates?Hmm, no contest really. There is a large sports hall, rugbyand football pitches, floodlit astro-turf, cricket pavilion,a pool for fishing and loads of country lanes to run along.There are also private and council-run gyms in Newport,

or Telford offers Cannons, JJB and Fitness First clubs. Alloffer large gymnasiums with a multitude of classes, andswimming (except Fitness First). Prices start at about£25 per month, and benefits can be bartered a lot (i.e.no joining fee, freebies and no charge for membershipsuspension). There are also large gyms in Shrewsburyand Stafford.Newport has its own public pool where you can go forclasses or just for a swim. Aqua fit is a good laugh, and allreasonably priced at about £2 when you sign up for theirdiscount ‘FLEX’ card. “Ooooh” we hear you cry!The countryside is littered with golf courses too if this is

what floats your boat, with two courses no more than acouple of miles from Newport, and a whole lot more inTelford, Shrewsbury and beyond.We also have the use of facilities at the National SportsCentre in Lilleshall (10 minutes in the car). Keep your eyespeeled, some of England’s national teams (mmm,gymnasts!) train here.

Club

sand

Soci

etie

sHarper IrelandAs the name suggests, this is a club for all

the Irish students currently at Harper and

there are a fair few, making this one of the

liveliest and most proactive clubs around.

It gives students a chance to meet with like-

minded people, and have a good ole social.

The Harper Ireland annual dinner is

legendary amongst the club, and they’re

also responsible for the Paddy’s Ball.

Harper CymryAnother wild bunch of students similar to

Harper Ireland, but for our Welsh brothers

and sisters (again a fair few of these as

we’re only 30 minutes from the border). The

club spends most of its time socialising and

organising events, which usually involves a

tipple!

4x4 ClubThis club offers the chance to experience

4x4ing, Harper style. We have our own off-

road track on campus (including a tank!) and

organise plenty of weekends away trekking

into the Welsh valleys in hunt of specialised

4x4 tracks. If you have a Landy at home, we

can guarantee it won’t have been pushed as

far as it will if you join this club!

Harper Outdoor Pursuits

Society (HOPS)This is a club set up for exactly what the

name suggests – outdoor pursuits. There are

plenty of weekends away to enjoy the more

extreme pleasures of life. Shrewsbury has a

new indoor climbing wall, and go-karting is

always a favourite.

Conservation SocietyOne of the most popular societies at Harper,

their members span all the different courses.

They basically help conserve the

countryside by laying hedges – they’re

currently arranging a trip tending to canal

side hedgerows whilst living on a narrow

boat for the week. Grand!

Ski TripThis trip happens every year and is

exceptional value. What could be better

than travelling on a coach with 40 of

your mates to spend a cheap week

skiing/boarding?

Alternatively, if you have a burning

ambition to set up a club or do something

radically different, approach the SU.

With enough support you could set up

your own club.

TIP: watch out on club/societies night in

Freshers Week as the RAG team will be sure

to set up a bogus club to get your money, i.e.

the ‘roadwork’s appreciation group’... or

the ‘cruelty against clay pigeon shooting

society’! Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

$£$£Alt.prospectus 2009 p35

It’s a tricky one this. Going to uni doesn’t come for free and,unless your numbers have come up on the lottery, you’ll need to be very careful with your cash. But you certainlyshouldn’t be worrying so much about your finances thatyou’re missing out on having a great time and letting yourstudies suffer. It’s probably best to accept you’re going torun up some debts, live life to the full, but budget carefully tominimize them. Check out Harper’s financial advice bookletfor lots of up to date info on finance. You can get it by callingthe Admissions office on 01952 815000.

It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on your cash and the best way is to fill in a budget sheet. We’re not talkingChancellor of the Exchequer figures, but something simplethat lets you see what money’s coming in and what’s goingout. We recommend doing an annual budget sheet but,because you receive and pay out cash at different times ofthe year, it’s best to create a monthly, weekly or term-longcash flow sheet, so you always know how much you have to spend and don’t get stuck with a fat bill to pay and noreadies. Just divide the figures by 12 to see your monthlyincome/expenditure, 52 if you’d rather budget weekly, or by three for terms.

We’ve put this budget sheet together for you to photocopyand use as often as you need.

Income £ Expenditure £Student loan Rent (inc bills and

accommodation costs)Scholarship SU surchargeMaintenance grant Key depositParent or Telephonepartner contributionWages or salary Mobile phoneDependents’ allowance Contents insuranceTax credits Life insurance Child benefit Housekeeping (if you’re in

self-catering or living off campus) includes food, toiletries and household goods

Other benefits Tuition fees, if you are liable to pay them

Birthday/Christmas money Field trip costsTrust fund Printing and photocopyingSavings Books and equipment

Snacks and drinks Public transportCar costs MOT

Tax

InsuranceAnnual servicePetrol

Parking

Visits homeHolidays

Clothes and footwearGifts

Sports clubs and hobbiesEntertainment and socializingChildcare

Haircuts

TV licenceSports match feesOther

Money, dosh,cash…Money, dosh,cash…

extraJobs: As long as you don’t work so long and

hard that your studies and social life are

suffering, having a job can be a good thing.

Apart from the welcome cash, you’ll meet

other people, learn new skills, and have

something extra to put on your CV.

There are lots of part time jobs both on and

off campus, term time and in the holidays.

Jobs at Harper Adams include working in the

bar, catering or on the farm. Check out the

Careers office, internet, adverts in town or

the local newspaper for vacancies.

Earning a bit

Be an entrepreneurHarper students are notoriouslyentrepreneurial so have confidence in yourskills and think creatively. Can you play theguitar or keyboards? Why not teach others,either at Harper, in the local community or even ask your local FE college aboutteaching opportunities. They run loads ofnight classes in everything from embroideryand photography to car mechanics andsports. From hand made jewellery, to cookiesor car repairs, someone out there is willingto pay for your expertise and the Internethas made small trading even easier. Plus it’lllook great on your CV and may helpwith your studies, especially ifyou are on a business course. Justmake sure you talk to Harper’sbusiness experts or BusinessLinkto make sure you’re doingeverything legally.

Become an AmbassadorIf you are well organized, confident and like dealing with people, you could become a student ambassador. Ambassadors (aka “Harper blueshirts”) represent theuniversity, assist with school visits, runworkshops, and help out at Open Days and HEC. It helps you develop keyemployment skills, looks great on your CV, you’ll make new friends and GET PAID! What’s not to like?

Can you afford to say no to free cash?Well that’s what you’ll be doing if you don’t

find out if you’re entitled to help fromHarper Adams. There are loads of

scholarships available for studentswhich, in a nutshell, give you a helping

hand in the wallet department. And

the best thing is, unlike a loan from theGovernment or your bank, you don’t have to pay these back … ever!

If you want to know all the ins and outs askHarper’s Admissions office for their financebooklet which has loads of helpful detailsand advice on what you have to fork out,what help you can get and where from. Butbasically there are:

Means tested scholarshipsBasically, you could get between £500 and£1,000 a year from Harper, which you don’thave to pay back, depending on yourhousehold income (what you and/or yourparents bring in each year). Your localauthority (council) has to confirm yourincome is what you say it is (and they can’tbe bribed!) but basically it’s free cash forfilling in a few forms. Even better, as long as


you don’t suddenly become rich overnightand start earning over the limit (it changes,so check out Harper’s website for the latest,or ask for our free finance booklet), and you pass all your modules, you’ll get thescholarship every year you’re a studenthere. Job’s a good ‘un!

Merit scholarshipsThese are for students whose householdincome is above the Government limit butcan , in the official words, “ enrich thelearning community”. Basically, if you’regreat at sport or music, or do voluntarywork or have any special skills, tell Harperabout it and you might get up to £750 a year(again, as long as you don’t become BaronRothschild or fail all your exams!)

Access scholarships These are for people who’ve passed theHarper Adams Access Course and choose to stay on at Harper to study a higherqualification such as a HND or degree. It’sjust for one year and you can’t have it aswell as a merit scholarship but it’s wellworth while as it could be as much as £1,500.And let’s face it, it’s not going to be ahardship to stay at Harper for a few more years!

Industry scholarshipsHeard of JCB? Course you have! They notonly make big yellow diggers and lots of bigshiny kit, they also have a soft spot forHarper students. Every year they help out a few engineering with some cash, paid work in the holidays, placements and aftergraduating, and help with tuition fees. It’s called an Industry Scholarship and it’sbeen such a success that other well knowncompanies are doing it too, and every yearwe’re getting more and more opportunitiesthat, frankly, you’d be mad not to apply

for. Some are only available to peoplestudying certain courses or living in

particular areas but there areplenty to go around and more

and more companies arecoming on board all

the time.

I got a scholarship of £1,000 andit helped me massively. AbbyI received a maintenance grant from my local educationauthority which helps with fees,etc. Anna

I received a scholarship of £750.I found out about this whenHarper sent me the registrationdetails and forms that I neededto send back once I had got myoffer. It helped me a lot as itenabled me to buy the expensivebooks to help me with my course.Hannah

Harper Adams’ Student FinancialAid Officer is very up-to-datewith emailing all the studentsabout all the scholarshipsavailable and offers you a lot ofhelp and advice throughout theprocess of filling in applicationforms and interviews. Sue

Take good care of yourselfDoctorThe university expectsyou to register with theCollege Doctor. This isimportant as it ensuresyou receive prompttreatment as and whenyou need it. Your owndoctor at home will stillsee you as a temporaryresident patient ifnecessary. Surgeries areheld on campus everyday, or you can visitNewport’s surgery,Linden Hall.

DentistryIt is advised that youstay registered with yourhome dentist (dentalrecords don’t travelquite like normal medicalones) and make yourappointments for whenyou are home. As astudent, you receive fivemonths holiday per year,so there’s sure to be aspare moment theresomewhere! Should you

have a problem while atHarper (fillings/wisdomtooth trouble) theNewport Dental Practicewill sort you out.

It would be advisable toget a HC1 form from apharmacy or such place– and take the time tofill it out. This certificatewill entitle you to freedentistry (NHS) and soforth, and can save you a lot of money!

ComplementaryMedicineSustain an injury duringrugby? A chiropractorpractices locally, as doseveral complementarytherapists. In addition,we have a Physio on siteWednesday afternoonsfor your aches and pains.

Mental Health,Support, andCounselling. We all have problems andcould do with someonetrustworthy to talk tofrom time to time. If youare away from home forthe first time there maybe times when this is awelcome service.Specialist help andconfidential counsellingis available to studentsexperiencing practical,welfare,emotional/psychologicalor educational problems.Contact Student Servicesor your personal tutorwhen you need to talkabout personal problems,or other mattersaffecting yourperformance. StudentServices will be pleasedto discuss problems andcan make appointmentsto the most suitablesources of help. All

matters are dealt with in the strictest of confidence.

The university collegealso offers a drop-incounselling session. Youwill be advised of timesand phone numbers againfor all health andmedical services whenyou start uni.

Spiritual GuidanceThe university has a Chaplaincy with a team of chaplainsrepresenting variousfaiths on hand, to offerguidance, friendship oranswer any spiritual,moral or ethicalquestions you may have.Shropshire hasrepresentatives of mostfaiths available forguidance.

Sexual HealthThere is an abundance of services available topeople suffering from

any mental health orsexual issues. For anysexual health problems,the college surgery orLinden Hall is always onhand to help you out. Formore serious concerns,the Princess RoyalHospital in Telford is only15 minutes away.

And if you do think youhave a problem, shelveyour pride – see a doctor;they’ve seen it all beforeand there is nothing to beembarrassed about.

Do remember if you’re not happy please pleasetalk to someone, anyonewhether it’s a mate you trust, your wardens,student services or acounsellor at Harper.Don’t be embarrassed – they’ve heard it allbefore and we really just want everyone tohave the best time hereand be as happy ashappy can be!


EssentialsNewport has supermarkets to suit eachpocket i.e. Waitrose and Somerfield! There isalso a Woolworth’s, Boots, Gregg’s, Orange,travel agents, banks, Post Office, charityshops galore and variousother little stores.

A little further afieldTelford and its suburbscan offer you Tesco,Sainsbury’s, Asda, Netto,Farmfoods, Lidl and Aldi.

Need petrol? There are Shell and BP garagesin Newport, Asda (10 minutes away) and lotsof other service stations in Telford. These allhave long opening hours. Lea BrothersGarage in Edgmond, a minute’s drive fromHarper, will also fill you up during weekdayworking hours.

Clothes Newport does have a few clothes stores,including Countrywide, Go Outdoors andPanik. Your SU calendar ensures you willhave a lot of dressing up to do – this iswhere you will become good friends with

charity shops, suchas Oxfam, SueRyder and Help theAged. CastleCapers on StaffordRoad caters for allthings fancy dress,usually know in

advance of Wednesday night events, andorder in the relevant stock.

For a proper shop-till-you-drop excursion,it’s got to be Telford or Shrewsbury. Both aregood though Telford’s probably better on acold day as it’s all indoors, andShrewsbury’s better in the summer when

Newport is only a market town, but for a population of around 10,000,

it’s not too bad for shops. It has everything you immediately need, and

if it doesn’t Telford is only 15 minutes away with its huge indoor

shopping centre.

ShoppingShoppingNewport is only a market town, but for a population of around 10,000,

it’s not too bad for shops. It has everything you immediately need, and

if it doesn’t Telford is only 15 minutes away with its huge indoor

shopping centre.

you can take a break by the river andwatch the world drift by. Telford hasDebenhams, House of Fraser, BHS, JJB, Next,Zara, Primark, Millets, Scotts, River Island,Monsoon, H&M, Ann Summers (!), and soooomany more…oh we could go on and on!Throw in the park, a library, market, icerink, bowling, bingo and all the majoreateries and you could spend a good dayhere easily.

Shrewsbury has loads of big name storessuch as Marks & Spencer, WHSmiths andHouse of Fraser, but lots of independentshops too. Stafford and Wolverhampton are also worth a day’s retail therapy, orBirmingham’s Bullring is only an hour away and has EVERYTHING!

Newport is great for nearly everythingyou need it has a Boots, Woolworth’s,supermarkets and lots more. But for

clothes I would recommend Telford – ithas everything under one roof and is

great for a shopping trip with friends. Sue

TheFwordOn Campus. Unlike many universities, you are treated seriously well here atHarper in the eating department. Not only are you blessed with a cleaner every day (ah, the luxury!) and a free weekly laundryservice, but students in catered halls are also fed three times a day. For breakfast a full fry-up awaits you Monday to Thursday, with a slice of continental on a Friday.

Lunch offers a selection of soup and sandwiches, along with a hotmeal including goodies such as pizza, lasagne, and spag bol. There’salways fruit, yoghurts and salad available too. Dinner is by far the most popular meal (stands to reason) and isusually a wholesome dish (e.g. meat and veg). Usually a choice of fruityoghurt and two desserts are also on offer. At weekends, when the canteen is not open, or during the week toself-catering or non-resident students, the KAK canteen is a cheapand tasty source of food. A KAK breakfast at theweekend sorts out any hangover problems youmay be suffering from.

The Kaldi is a small cafe within the new BamfordLibrary – like Starbucks but a fraction of theprice. It serves a selection of speciality coffees,teas and cold drinks and is a good communal spotfor when you’re fed up with being quiet in thelibrary. There are also scrumptious toasted paninis,cakes, chocolate, crisps, and sandwiches availableand much of the produce is locally sourced.

I had a really nice broccoli bake, was lush!You will never starve (good portions!) Anna

I would always recommend lunch: achoice of sandwich and soup or a hotmeal such as burger and chips orlasagne and salad. Abby

Every day there are different kinds of foodand all of them are delicious but the bestmeal I’ve had here is a chicken pie! Mo’men

Probably the VIP dinner before thesummer ball 2007. And the Kaldi doespretty good snacks. Hannah

Cheesey chips from the Kak! Sue

Mmm, our favourite bit… food glorious food! This is

the ultimate Harper Eating Guide, and quite simply

what we don’t know about food is not worthtouching let alone eating! Best meal we’ve

had on campus …Hot pork bap with curly fries

and gravy! Marcus


Easy Veggie Soup(for two hungry people or four on a diet!)1 carrot, peeled and diced1 parsnip, peeled and diced2 celery sticks, chopped2 onions, chopped1 tbsp olive oil1 tbsp butter30g plain flour400g tin chopped tomatoes1 tbsp wholegrain mustard1 litre of hot vegetable stock (usestock cubes or a teaspoon ofMarmite dissolved in hot water) 1. Heat the oil and butter in a

large saucepan on a lowheat. Add the choppedcarrot, parsnip, celery andonion and fry gently forabout 10 minutes or untilsoft.

2. Add the tomatoes and mix inthe flour. Gradually add the

stock and mustard, stir well. 3. Bring to the boil, cover and

simmer gently for 35-45minutes.

4. Serve with garlic bread,yummy!

(PS. If you like your soup smoothjust give it a quick whizz withone of those hand-held blenders,or mash it.)

Latkes (potato pancake – serves one) 3–4 small potatoes1 egg1 tbsp plain flour1 tbsp milk Oil Pinch of salt and pepper1. Peel and grate the potatoes.

Grab a handful and squeezeas much liquid out aspossible then wrap up insome kitchen paper while

you mix the egg and milktogether.

2. Add the potatoes and mix,then add flour, salt andpepper and mix again.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan,when it’s hot add some of thepotato mixture and flattendown with a spatula. Let itcook, turning every once in awhile till both sides aregolden brown. Take out ofpan, leave to drain on somekitchen paper for a minute.

4. Nice with ketchup.

Easy tuna pasta (for two)Some pastaSmall can of tunaCan of sweetcorn MayonnaiseSalt and pepper1. Boil pasta, drain and put

back in pan. 2. Add all the other ingredients. 3. Eat! (PS. It tastes better if you take

the tuna out of the can,d’oh!)

Even easier easy pasta(for four)As much pasta as you needOne jar of pesto 1. Boil pasta. Drain and put

back in pan. 2. Add the pesto (a jar should

be enough for four people).3. Enjoy!

Chicken and Apple Balls (for four) This recipe is intended for babiesand, hey, if a one-year-old canmanage it, you’ve got no excuse! Two large chicken breasts, cutinto chunks1 onion, finely chopped 50g fresh white breadcrumbsA large Granny Smith apple,peeled and gratedOne chicken stock cube dissolvedin one tbsp boiling waterPlain flourvegetable oil 1. Grate the apple then, using

your hands, squeeze outsome of the excess liquid.

2. Mix together the first fiveingredients and chop in afood processor for a fewseconds. Season with a littlesalt and pepper.

3. Form into about 20 balls, rollin flour and fry in a little oilfor about 10 minutes untillightly golden and cookedthrough.

Ready, steady cook!With 150 self-catering rooms now on campus, by the endof Freshers’ Week you’ll be rustling up an omelette like anexpert. You don’t need to be Gordon Ramsey (thankfully!)to whip up something tasty, cheap and good for you.These are tried and tested but, if you want to extendyour menu just type “quick easy recipe” into Google forzillions of dinners you can make in a flash.

Your choice of eatery is most likely going to be governed by the amount of readies inyour wallet, or if your parents are comingfor a visit. Either way, there’s something for all tastes and budgets.

Indian Food Shimla’s is located down a back ally nearOzzy’s. Don’t let the bizarre setting put you off, all the best places are awkward to find. If you wanted to set up an Indianrestaurant and bought an ‘IndianRestaurant Design for Beginners’ book andfollowed it to the letter, you’d end up withShimla’s. It has everything you’d expect.Plinky plonky music, Indian chefs andwaiters, ‘authentic’ pictures/furniture/wallpaper and cuisine. The food is averagein quality and price. Quick to come out tothe table, quicker to go down the hatch.They also do takeaways and deliveries.

For an increase in class but not price payThe Royal Bengal in Shifnal a visit, around a 15-minute drive away. It’s a large bustlingrestaurant, authentic and reasonablypriced. The food is exquisite, and worth the wait and drive. A good place to take the folks if they pay an impromptu visit.Remember to book at the weekend though!

Shifnal’s got two other Indian restaurants,the Shifnal Balti and the East End Balti –both are good.

Chinese if you want to head a bit further East thanIndia, then the Hong Kong Kitchen is anideal Chinese restaurant to visit.. Quick to arrive and not too expensive, thisrestaurant will certainly satisfy yourOriental taste buds. Also in Newport is theChina Palace which offers a takeawayservice as well as restaurant service, theyalso put on a reasonably priced all-you-can-eat buffet. A little closer to Harper(about a five minute walk) is The Lion, inEdgmond. It is a traditional pub with aChinese restaurant tacked on. A bit furtheraway is Minh’s in Shifnal – technically aCantonese restaurant – that has theyummiest food ever!

Italian/American On the outskirts of Telford is Frankie and Benny’s. No different from any other F&B you may have visited: large, uniformmemorabilia inside and wholesomeAmerican-style Italian food. Lots of pizza, pasta, and spaghetti on hand. Cheap and cheerful.

Traditional EnglishThe Lamb at EdgmondYou’ll pass it a dozen times a week; it hasjust undergone a big refurbishment and nowoffers ‘relaxed, village dining’ whateverthat may mean! It’s now your typicalgastro pub serving super wines andexcellent food but the price tag is one forthe parents or the boyfriend as a treat. Butdon’t be too put off as there’s a lovely barfor a quiet drink and it’s only walkingdistance from Harper.

The Swan at FortonA pleasant and warm pub restaurant. Famedfor its Sunday lunch (a carvery), the Swanhas an abundance of choice. Sometimes it’seasier when you only have six things tochoose from, yet here the wall is covered inthe menu (on a chalk board obviously). Soplenty to choose from, fairly quick serviceand not over-priced. Traditional food and a few lagers available. A great little pubsuitable for all occasions whether aromantic dinner for two or a carvery for 30 rugby players!!

Eating Off-CampusEating Off-Campus


The Red Lion at Great ChatwellSlightly upmarket, this pub serves fantasticfood all week and superb Sunday lunches.You do pay for the privilege though, soperhaps a place to visit when Mum and Dad are paying.

The Red House. A traditional family restaurant. Here youget the usual mixture of burgers, lasagnes,curries, and pizza/pasta dishes. In otherwords, something for everyone. If you can’tbe satisfied by this menu, there’s nopleasing you.

MischasSubtly situated on the High Street on theedge of Newport (near the Shell garage)Mischas is perhaps the best restaurant inthe town, offering traditional English mealsin a pleasant surrounding, with a slightlyhigher price. The increase in price iscompensated by the quality of the food though, so worth a trip on abirthday/anniversary.

The Fox at Chetwynd Aston This is a five minute drive from Harper and the food is lush! We’re working our way through the desserts – haven’t found a rotten one yet, and the ice cream is out of this world! The Ploughman’s Lunch isimmense.

Failing all of the above, McDonalds is only 10 minutes down the A518, and KFC and PizzaHut await you in Telford.

Alternatively, Shrewsbury is around 30minutes away and as well as the obligatoryMcDonalds, there’s also a Wetherspoons,Pizza Express, Yates and a gazillion otherrestaurants ranging from mega cheap tobreak-the-bank.

TakeawaysNewport has no shortage of these:

Raja’s – A beehive of activity after a largenight; burgers, kebabs and pizza a-plenty.They deliver too.

Newport Kebabs – The underdog of thetown, a little too far up the high street tograb everyone’s attention, though rumourhas it their kebabs are better. But whenRaja’s is next to a bank, the taxi rank andOzzy’s who cares?

Stars – Specialising in pizza. And plenty of them. Stars is a light, airy, and friendlytakeaway/diner, with dozens of pizzas to choose from, and plenty of special offers to tempt you to buy their 14”er. They also deliver.

Fish and Chips – You have the choice ofJones’ Fish Shop on Audley Road or theoriginally named ‘Zach’s Plaice’ on the highstreet (Wonder how many chippies haveused that old chestnut?!?) Either way, theyboth offer pretty much the same thing –fish and chips. Unless you’re a connoisseur,you’ll not know the difference. Zach’s Plaicedoes have a sit down restaurant to the rearthough, so this may sway you…

A design-your-own-sandwich bar is also available. Opposite Ozzy’s liesCombinations, a small shop with everythingfrom bread, buns and baguettes with fillingsof your choice, or ones already designed for you (the all day breakfast bap isscrumptious). In fact, everything they offer is mouth wateringly good!!

Newport also has two bakeries. Gregg’s andthe Three Cooks offer all the usual bakerygoodies (iced buns, pies, sausage rolls, etc.)Mmm – the Harper Arse is coming!!

I love the Fox in ChetwyndAston! Always take my family

there. AbbyThe Lion in Edgmond doesfantastic Sunday roasts.

Marcus

Fancy a pint off campus? There are morepubs in Newport than you might think, theyall love the students because we all spendour money in them, and all the owners arepretty friendly people.

Ozzy’s Wine BarOnce owned by the one and only OzzyOsbourne! The bar is long and narrow, often full with Harper students and isplastered in 60’s American memorabilia.Good place to start off on a night out. Canget a bit crowded – but that’s the sign of a good night!

The SwanPerhaps not so often frequented by thestudents but we’ve crowded it out beforenow! Always included in the pub crawls, itis however a place for a quieter drink withthe locals.

Harper Adams University College advocates a sensible approach to drinking. Please treat alcohol with respect. Don’t become a statistic.

Pubs and DrinkiesThe ShakespeareAt the far end of the high street, theShakespeare is a good pub. Always visited by students on a crawl, but mostly left to the locals if you just want a casual pint.

The Pheasant InnNext door to the Shakespeare, the Phez has a good reputation – mainly because thelandlord, Quinny, coaches the Harper footyteam, and provides a free mini bus. Alwaysfrequented by Harper students, TVs, a pooltable and courtyard give the Phez a greatatmosphere. Definitely the place to be on a Wednesday night before heading back to Harper.

The BridgeRefurbished not so long ago, the pub serves

a good meal and has a fine bar with some

nice ales… cracking service too! The pub

has a relaxed atmosphere to it – nice for

a quiet Sunday lunch.

The Kings HeadA lot bigger than it looks from the street,

the Head is a pretty cool pub, chilled out,

always a few locals in there, and a good

pub to escape for a laugh with the mates

in private.

The BarleyProbably the most modern of the pubs in

Newport, the owner is a nice chap. With

good sofas, a dance floor, nice bouncers

and great opening times (3am Thursdays

to Saturdays), you can dance the night

away. A full bar provides all the drinks

you could wish for.

!


If you are still begging for more thanNewport and Harper can offer we suggestgetting a group together and hiring aminibus to either Stafford or Shrewsbury.Both towns offer more pubs and a fewclubs such as Liquid, Flares and Zanzibar.They’re only 25 minutes away and Staffordis a fellow university town, so has plenty ofstudent to mingle with (i.e. pull).

Wolverhampton is a good 30 minutes away but the metropolitan style andabundance of bars and clubs may attract you. Failing that, a night on Broad Street in Birmingham is unbeatable – pubs, clubs,restaurants, café bars, cinema, entertainment – it’s got the lot. A taxi or minibus will take you and pick you up (just be prepared to pay for it).

Alternatively, the SU RAG Team will run a RAG trip for a small fee,covering coach and will often blag us all free entry into the biggestclub available – result!

Our fave local…Oh tough questions. Depends what you’re looking for.

The Phez most definitely for watching sport! Everyone

crowds round the big screen and has a sing-a-long, plus

you get half-time chip butties on the house! Abby

The Phez (the landlord, Quinny, is a legend!) Marcus

The Barley in Newport, ideal for relaxing with friends

and dancing at the weekends Sue

The SU BarFosters £2 per pint

San Miguel £2 per pint

Pedigree £2 per pint

Strongbow £2 per pint

Guinness £2 per pint

Marstons Smooth £2 per pint

Oyster Stout Plus more guest ales £2

Spirits £1.50

with mixer £1.70

Magners £2.30

J20 £1

Soft drinks £1 pint

Smirnoff Ice £2

Blue WKD £2

Shark £1.40

Aftershock £1.60

Diesel £2

The music scene surrounding Harper reflectsour individuality, and most tastes can becatered for whether by radio, nightclubs orgig venues. If you want a break from Harper,then Stafford, Shrewsbury, Wolverhamptonand Birmingham are worth a bit ofexploring.

The Wolverhampton Civic Hall hosts allmusic types. The Civic, Little Civic andnearby Wulfrun are the main places for gigs in the area with the likes of The ArcticMonkeys, The Kooks, Embrace, Lost Prophets

and other big name bands holding showsthere. Tickets tend not to be too expensive;the most you’re going to fork out is probably£15 for the biggest of bands that play here,and you’re almost guaranteed some sort ofhearing problems afterwards. Check outinformation about the Civic Hall atwww.wolvescivic.co.uk

Stafford offers some great nightclubs suchas the Moles Club and Zanzibar which stagelive acts and personality DJs. Seewww.zanzibarnightclub.co.uk

In Shrewsbury there’s Liquid, TheButtermarket, Diva and Flares. Crackingnight out to be had!

If you’re into your rock Wolverhampton is your best bet, but if you prefer dance then Stafford and Shrewsbury offer more in the way of clubs. And Birmingham hasabsolutely everything! There’s the NEC, NIA and Carling Academy for live gigs, and loads of clubs.

Whatever you fancy, there’s plenty of itround here!

The Music Scene

We highly recommend visiting Harper before you

decide which uni to study at. We don’t know if it’s

the famous Harper Spirit, or just the pretty campus,

but when you come up the front drive you get a

feeling that grabs you, gives you a hug and won’t

let go. Most people who visit say this was the

moment they decided they’d be really happy here.

We have two open days a year when you can

explore the campus and talk to staff and students.

We also have visit afternoons. Bring your family

or a friend if you like, all are welcome.

If you are 16–18 and fancya real taste of uni life

the two-day Higher Education Choices event in

July is perfect. You get to take part in lectures

and seminars, talk to students and staff, party

the night away with the Students’ Union. Everyone

makes friends at HEC – so if you do join Harper

for real you already know lots of people.

Visit us! Want to know more?Tick everything you’re interested in (below)and we’ll send you some info. Easy peasy.

n Open day 10 may 2008

n Open day 12 October 2008

n HEC 7–8 July 2008

n Visit afternoons 17 September and 26 November 2008

Name

Address

Postcode

Email

Tel

Email

DoB

#

Best University CollegeBest TeachingBest for jobsShortlisted for

Best UniversitySee www.timesonline.co.uk/universityguide

Designed by bananadesign.co.ukVarious photography from www.istockphoto.com

Harper AdamsUniversity CollegeNewportShropshireTF10 8NBT: 01952 815000W: www.harper-adams.ac.uk

The information in this publication wascorrect at the time of going to press. However,Harper Adams reserves the right to implementchanges without prior notification.

Free

post

(TF3

34)

Harp

er A

dam

sU

nive

rsit

y Co

llege

New

port

Shro

pshi

reTF

10 8

NB

harper adams alternative prospectus

Documents

harper adams

harper whatyou

christian union

contentsstudents union

serious prospectus

small uni

learnabout life aka

wholeweek of spare time