Kristijana Vidovic
LLB Law (2018)
I am from Windsor, Ontario, the southernmost city in Canada. Windsor has loads to offer, but since we border with Detroit, Michigan we love to cross over and shop there.
I graduated from Catholic Central High School and then attended the University of Windsor. Upon completing my Bachelor degree in Sociology and Women’s rights, I decided to study Law.
I did my LSATs and sent out applications to both Canadian law schools as well as British. Part of me always wanted to go abroad and experience other cultures so when I got accepted in the UK, I thought this is it.
Why I chose LLB Law at Sheffield
I chose to study LLB Law at Sheffield because it is one of the top universities in the world. This University has an amazing reputation. It has won multiple awards for having the best students' union in the country.
They offer a huge variety of clubs and societies you can be a part of. As an international student, I developed outstanding skills in adapting to new environments. I made many new personal and professional connections.
The program itself helps an individual develop a critical understanding of the law. From the beginning of the course, professors taught us how to find, understand and apply the legal knowledge, texts, cases and terminology that will take you through the degree and help you succeed in scoring a job in the future.
Getting involved in co-curricular activities
I was a Student Law Ambassador, International Ambassador, Health and Services Ambassador, and a mentor. These positions allowed me to interact with incoming students. I was able to tell them what it’s like to study and live in Sheffield. Sometimes I even gave them the tours of the law school and campus.
I enjoyed doing it as I know it’s tough to move somewhere completely unknown. I always made time to sit down and have a coffee with anyone who wished to see me and chat.
As a mentor, I stayed with my mentees for a year and made sure they are prepared for exams and have the right resources available to them.
I also participated in the BarSoc internal moot in my first year and although I only made it to the second round, it helped me learn how to write a proper skeleton argument and argue for my client. We have a few law societies which offer different competitions one can be a part of.
The learning environment
I really enjoyed having both lectures and seminars. Lectures are very inspiring and informative. Our lecturers use their own research to show us facts about the topic they are teaching. I find that in seminars, we get a more one on one interaction with our seminar tutors as well as with our peers.
Also, our lecturers and tutors use a variety of media such as, PowerPoint, voice recording, online video, and links to studies and articles which can all be found on MOLE (the online student learning environment). This is very handy especially if you are ill and unable to attend your lecture.
Enjoying student life at Sheffield
The student life at Sheffield is very exciting. There are loads of activities to be a part of. Of course, one can always step off the campus and walk through the city centre as it’s close by. West Street is very well known for all its restaurants and other fun places one can go to.
The city itself has a lot of festivals and concerts students can attend. Moreover, what is worth checking out is the football matches. There are two big football clubs (Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday) that host games quite often.
My advice to new students
My advice to new students is to have fun, be spontaneous! Sheffield has a lot to offer. Travel! Europe is so close by and all flights, trains and buses are quite cheap. Enjoy it while you are here because flying from Canada to anywhere in Europe can be quite pricey, so take advantage while you are here.
Make sure you join all the Facebook groups as this is the best way to keep up with everything that happens on campus.
Kristijana Vidovic
LLB Law student
I would suggest having a bit of cash on you or a visa from back home when you first move here as it can take a few weeks to open a bank account. However, the positive side is there are no account monthly fees like back home. You can also withdraw money from most ATMs without any charge!
Also, try to buy books off students who studied the same module the year before, but make sure all the statutes are up to date, saves loads of money! Law societies hold book sales during the first two weeks of the semester.
Make sure you join all the Facebook groups as this is the best way to keep up with everything that happens on campus.
What's next
After graduating from the University of Sheffield, I have moved back to Canada. I plan to write my NCA, bar and solicitor exams. Once those are done I will be either taking the LPC program or articling. My dream is to work for the Crown’s office so I will be doing everything I can to make that happen.