“No temple made with human hands can compete with Yosemite” - John Muir, American naturalist and author

While there might be national parks all over the world, it's hard to argue with the sentiments of famed naturalist John Muir. Quite simply, California's Yosemite National Park is one of the best national parks in the United States, capable of inspiring a sense of divine awe.

The park itself is massive, covering slightly more than 3,000 square meters, and it's part of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains which ensure it provides incredible views, as well as stunning colors in all seasons and amazing wildlife.

Here are seven things to bear in mind before your first visit.

There's a reason El Capitan was a Macbook screensaver

Obviously, most people go to national parks for their views, but the scenes Yosemite has to offer are something else. Picture stunning waterfalls, huge rock formations, giant trees and towering mountains. There is something to marvel at every time you turn around. The two most famous, and most spectacular, views are El Capitan and Half Dome. These two are seriously not to be missed - El Capitan may be familiar as a screensaver/desktop background for Macbooks. That’s how impressive it is.

The waterfalls are at their fiercest in May and June

Yosemite's waterfalls are some of the highest in America so they're spectacular all year round. However, they reach peak flow during late spring, specifically May and June when most of the snowmelt occurs, so this can be a great time to visit.

Or, come in February when Horsetail Fall, commonly known as Yosemite Firefall, glows as if it's on fire due to the reflection of the sunset. The beautiful amber glow is really to be seen to be believed.

Visit Half Dome at sunset

Half Dome is the focal point of Yosemite National Park and is best visited at sunset, when you can enjoy epic, breathtaking views of Half Dome as the sun sets, and watch it glow pink as it reflects the sun. The sight will stick with you forever and make you want to go back to visit again and again.

Everything here is super-sized

Yosemite is giant - and it makes you realize how small you truly are. It's super sized in every way - from the trees, to the rocks, to the giant spaces and the waterfalls - everything is bigger in Yosemite. It makes you appreciate how incredible nature is - and makes you fall in love with it even more.

There are over 800 hiking trails to explore

Or, in other words, there are far too many hiking trails to do in one visit! Yosemite is particularly wonderful as there are hikes suitable for every level of ability and experience. All you need to have is plenty of enthusiasm to explore this incredible national park.

You can camp overnight

When we went, my friends and I slept under the stars within the national park and it was magical. The stargazing is incredible out here because there is next to no light pollution. Just watch out for the bears!

Take your time

This is important. Don’t rush you way through Yosemite as you'll only come to regret it. Take two to three days to fully explore all corners and go on a range of hikes. This way, you'll check out as much as you can. Doing everything in one visit won't ever be feasible, but remember you can always come back to this beautiful place in the future.

Sponsored by University of Northampton

Placement year, sandwich year, a year in industry…whatever you want to call it, a placement year is essentially an extended internship that allows you to apply what you’ve learned on your degree to a real working environment. Your job role is usually related to your degree and tends to last between six and 12 months. Oh, and you get paid a genuine wage too! 

Depending on your degree, a placement year may be compulsory. Even if it’s only optional, it’s worth checking what a placement year can do for you, and how your university can help get you there.

Shivika Gupta is an MBA student at the University of Northampton, who is currently on her placement year working as a Team Leader in Student Services at a UK-based college. She tells us about her placement year experience so far, and how she considers it an integral part of her academic journey.

Hi Shivika, can you tell us a little bit about your role and the main tasks and duties you carry out?

The nature of the work is management-based. I’ve taken on a key role in supporting the Student Union and developing ways to engage students in college life by listening and acting on views which improve the whole college experience.

I’m involved with supporting the Student Union activities across the college as well as external networks. I also manage a team of eight to 10 staff, and am accountable for the training of the Student Union. 

I manage the non-competitive sport activities across the college, encouraging participation in all abilities and ages. I’m also responsible for bidding and securing external funding to support health and wellbeing activities by establishing and maintaining networks and contacts.

Why did you decide to do a placement year?

After studying my LLB (Bachelor of Law) in India, I wanted to pursue a course which allowed me to put the skills I developed during my studies to good use. From the very beginning I was looking for universities which had a placement year type of opportunity built into the program.

What do you enjoy the most about your role?

The responsibility of leading a team and organizing an event from scratch was one of the most challenging and fun parts of the role.

Having a great line manager was also a plus factor for me as I was trusted and given the liberty to bring dynamic and innovative ideas to enrichment events to help increase learners’ engagement.

How important do you think a placement year is, and how do you think you’ve benefited from undertaking a placement year?

I truly believe that academic relevance is an imperative part of a student life, but to be able to apply the learning to a day-to-day scenario has been quite a rollercoaster ride for me.

Management is something which can be practiced, and the more experience you gain, the better you get at it. Hence for me, a placement year has been a very important part of my MBA program.

How has the placement helped with your academic studies?

My final module is very closely related to the work-based learning I am exposed to, and doing research at the organization I work at has made me build great relations with existing employees.

I’m able to apply the modules I’ve studied previously during my MBA which has helped them make more sense. I’ve also been able to put what we’ve learnt into a real-world scenario which has really helped my overall understanding.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learnt so far during your placement year?

My proudest achievement so far has been being trusted to manage staff members and leading the events that happen across the college campuses. I’ve learnt that punctuality is key, and that building good relationships with colleagues can bring about great experiences with work life.

In what ways do you think the placement will help you when it comes to future career prospects?

It will help me prepare for any new opportunities and jobs in the future. Because of this placement I’ll be able to revisit all the experiences of this job role in order to give examples during interviews.  

I’ve had the desire to work in the education sector from the very start of my career, and I feel as though undertaking my placement year has given me a better understanding of the work ethic that exists within these institutions.

And finally, what advice would you give to students who are considering undertaking a placement year?

Let’s keep it short and simple!

• Start looking and applying for opportunities within two months of your arrival to the UK. Also make sure to prepare a little before flying to the UK, such as refreshing your LinkedIn profile. The more you can do at an earlier stage the better!
• Make use of facilities such as the Changemaker Hub to transform your CV and cover letter. It really helped me and boosted my confidence.
• Make sure you have part-time job experience which will be relevant to your placement year, as it’ll help you answer questions during your interview, as well as standout in your application.
• Do not see it as just a job! See it as a new learning experience and be honest with yourself to commit to the work, however challenging it may be.

How your university can help

Universities are geared towards helping students reach their full potential, both academically and professionally, so make sure to make the most of the career services available wherever and whenever you can. Of course, career services can’t guarantee you a job, but they can offer you support and advice to try and help get you where you want to be beyond the world of education.

Take the University of Northampton for example. Its Work-Based Learning and Placements Guide, Changemaker Hub, and Enterprise Boost all offer various services and facilities, including confidential business advice, social experential learning experiences, and even professional recognition as part of its Work-Based Learning opportunities.

Lead image credit: Shivika Gupta

Wherever you happen to be studying in the US, a trip to Los Angeles is something you have to do if you get the chance.

There's more to Los Angeles than meets the eye and you'll be surprised to find out how much there is to see beyond the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the countless mansions owned by celebrities. LA also has some incredible beaches, artwork, and culture for you to explore. Here are five of my favorite things about the city.

Beautiful, iconic beaches

The beaches in Los Angeles are world famous, and for good reason. Each beach has its own unique character. Venice Beach is one of the most iconic and is as quirky as a beach can get - with cute shops, galleries, gorgeous cafes, street performers, Muscle Beach bodybuilders and more, it's the perfect place for a spot of people watching!

For those who want a chill day, head out to Malibu and enjoy the vibes and waves there. Santa Monica Beach is another great one - home to a famous pier and ferris wheel - and it's perfect for some Instagram snaps!

Beverly Hills

Hello 90210! The famous postcode and its accompanying district are best explored by taking a walking tour. Home to high-end shops and celebrity homes, Beverly Hills is something to be marveled at. Take a trip to Rodeo Drive and window shop 'till your heart's content. Plus, you never know who you'll spot - it's a mecca for celebrities, so keep an eye out!

The hikes and the bikes

It should be noted that when I visited LA, I did a 26 mile bike tour and I nearly died. LA is very, very hilly. And I was unfit. Be warned.

That being said, LA is a great area for hiking and it's a popular activity with the locals too. Browse any LA-based celebrity’s Instagram, and they will undoubtedly have a hiking picture every few snaps. Los Angeles is a health-conscious city and everywhere you go, you will find people enjoying an active lifestyle. There are loads of hiking trails throughout Los Angeles so why not sport those runners and get active!

Cycling is another great way to see the city, and the route via Santa Monica is one of the most popular. Get outdoors and explore!

Mouth-watering food

LA is absolutely fantastic for anyone who enjoys nothing more than a great meal out. There's such a vast range of cafes and restaurants here that you'll find options to suit every budget, while you could eat every cuisine type imaginable. Everyone will find something they love.

Check out Sprinkles Cupcakes for the coolest experience of your life - a vending machine with cupcakes! Eating out in LA will definitely be a highlight of any trip.

Visiting a movie set

Would a trip to LA be complete without a trip to a movie set? With Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, and Sony Pictures all based in LA, you'll have plenty of studio backlot tours to choose from. You can also try and see how many famous spots you can discover as you wander through Los Angeles, as the list of films and TV shows shot in the city is practically endless.

Being a student often means having to get by without much money, completely reliant on the next instalment of a grant or loan to come in (or mum and dad to send you some cash). Things won’t always be this desperate though. One day, you’ll be earning money. If you’re lucky, you might even be earning lots of money.

Start fantasizing about what you’ll spend your first month’s wages on by looking at this list of the average salaries for different jobs and careers. Figures are based on national data for the US and UK.

Accounting & finance

Architecture

Art & design

Business & management

Computer science & information technology

 Engineering

Law

Media & communications

Medicine & life sciences

Natural sciences

This article was originally published in March 2015. It was last updated in June 2019.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.

By Jenny Scott Russell – Local Leo

Before moving to Cornwall to start my bachelor’s degree at Falmouth University, I had only visited the county as a child on family holidays. So even though I knew the course was right for me, I had no real idea of what living or studying in Cornwall was going to be like. Luckily for me, it was nothing short of amazing! I ended up having an incredibly well rounded three years there. My time was jam-packed with trying new things, meeting new people and making the most of everything Cornwall had to offer. Looking back, I can’t recommend studying there enough, but I’ve managed to narrow my top reasons down!

1. Falmouth and Exeter’s beautiful shared campus

The only shared campus in the UK, Penryn is a hub for creativity and research. The facilities are modern, the library’s open 24/7 (no doubt you’ll end up pulling an all-nighter there at least once!) and The Stannary bar serves great food all day. You can also wander down through the gardens, past the orchard and walled garden to the Koofi café for delicious coffee and cake. First year accommodation is on campus too which makes getting to class on time a breeze!

2. The party scene at the FXU

Not only is the campus shared, but so is the student union. The Falmouth and Exeter Student Union (FXU) hosts parties all year round and these are where I made some of my best memories at university! The Garden Party is a must to end the year on a high. The FXU societies enrich student life in Falmouth and offer great opportunities to make friends and try new things. I especially enjoyed being part of the International Society, which focused on cultural exchange and sharing traditional food from our home countries. The Sailing and Climbing Societies also kept me busy, alongside signing up for FXU foreign language courses.

3. The high percentage of international students

International students make up a large proportion of the student population in Falmouth. There are endless pros to having a diverse campus but most importantly, it means you’ll have the opportunity to make friends with people from all over the world (and eat lots of international food!).

4. The stunning Cornish coastline

You don’t have to love the outdoors to appreciate how stunning the Cornish coastline is. I spent as much time as possible walking in the most remote areas, often spotting seals, dolphins and even basking sharks in the beautiful, turquoise waters. You can easily get to Land’s End, the most south-westerly point in the UK, from Falmouth as well as Kynance Cove which is spectacular on a summer day. If you like to swim and have picnics it’s perfect. Bosigran and Sennen Cove are also top locations for traditional climbing, for the climbers amongst us! 

5. Surf culture

The surf vibes in the south-west are strong, let me warn you! Cornwall’s north coast is one of the most popular areas to surf in the UK. Watergate Bay is perfect for beginners with reasonably sized waves for learning on or for body boarding. If you fancy a couple of lessons you can head to Newquay where there are plenty of surf schools to choose from. Or you could wait for the universities to organize discounted sessions!

6. Falmouth Town

Falmouth is buzzing all year round thanks to the large student population. The bars and pubs that line the high street offer plenty of opportunities to unwind after a long day at university! My favorite place was Beerwolf Books, a book-shop-come-pub. It’s the coziest place to hang out in the winter, while in the summer you have the pier and docks to enjoy. There are also endless food options, my favorites included the Meat Counter for delicious burgers, Cribbs for the best Caribbean food you’ll find in Cornwall and Fuel for hangover curing breakfasts.

7. The outdoor recreational activities

The options here are endless, but some of the best outdoor activities I tried while studying in Cornwall included kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, coasteering, snorkeling, archery... ok, you get the idea! Most of these I tried for free through the university, but you can also outsource for even more options. If you’re already adventurous, Cornwall is perfect for you. If you’re not a big fan of outdoor sports then you can get involved with the university allotment, going bird watching or checking out the open-air cinemas!

8. Cornwall is a reasonably cheap place to live

Compared to the rest of the UK, Cornwall is a reasonably affordable place to live. This always goes down well with a student budget especially when you don’t have to compromise your quality of living to save a few pennies. I got by on a tiny budget while living in Falmouth, but you always have the option of finding a job, which universities are happy to help you with.

9. You can day trip to the Isles of Scilly

In under three hours by ferry you can be in England’s beautiful archipelago, the Isles of Scilly. Uncrowded, unspoilt, and boasting amazing subtropical plants and sandy beaches, it makes for a perfect weekend away, island hopping and relaxing in a landscape that could easily be mistaken for somewhere in the Mediterranean. There are five dark sky reserves, lots of beautiful places to stay and amazing restaurants to try. This is a must do while studying in Cornwall and an amazing benefit to living in the south-west.

10. The countless National Trust and English Heritage sites

As a student, you’ll never have a free weekend. And this is even more true when you live in Cornwall because there is so much to see. From Pendennis Castle to the Lost Gardens of Heligan, I remember feeling spoilt for choice. You can reach most places via public transport and get discounted entry for being a student. There are amazing museums to explore as well, my favorite being the Tate St Ives. You can also tick The Minack Theatre, Eden Project and St Michael’s Mount off your bucket list!

11. You’ll enjoy plenty of seaside town festivals

English seaside towns are notorious for their traditional festivals and the International Sea Shanty Festival is one of Falmouth’s best. The Beer Festival and Oyster Festival are also big events in the year and both great fun. These types of festival are authentic and unique, giving a real feel for old Cornwall. The Cornish culture is strong and the locals are very proud of their history. It shows in events like these, and you won’t want to miss them.

12. And Cornwall’s bigger festivals

Masked Ball hosts three festivals throughout the year, the most popular being for Halloween. It really is a festival like no other, the theme this year being American Horror Story! In fact, they describe the festivals themselves as “immersive, multi-level party kingdoms”. Boardmasters is slightly more mainstream but just as fun. The line-up is always amazing, and the combination of music, surf and beach life is characteristically Cornish, so it couldn’t be more perfect!

13. You can study in one of the UK’s most popular holiday destinations

Cornwall is one of the UK’s most popular holiday destinations for a reason. The subtropical climate, incredible beaches, warm(ish) water…I could go on! Its universities are also both at the top of their fields for research and student satisfaction. So, having the opportunity to live and study there, potentially for three years is ideal! You can’t go wrong. My three years in Falmouth felt like an extended holiday and I loved every second.

The QS World University Rankings 2020 will be launched on June 19.

Once again, the world’s 1,000 top universities will be ranked according to six different criteria: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty to student ratio, citations per faculty, ratio of international faculty members and ratio of international students. More information about the methodology can be found here.

Here are four key things to watch out for in this year’s ranking.

Will record holders stay on top?

Last year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology became the first university ever to be ranked best in the world for seven consecutive years. Can they make it eight?

Their biggest challengers in recent years have been fellow American institutions Stanford University and Harvard University. For either of these universities to get closer to MIT, their biggest area for improvement would be to improve the ratio of international students enrolled. Which brings us onto…

Are top universities becoming less international?

While there was a time when the UK and the US were extremely popular study destinations for international students, it’s safe to say that recent political changes have made both countries less appealing.

Three years on from the Brexit referendum, and two years on from the election of Donald Trump, neither the UK nor the US is proving to be as enticing for talented students. Given the focus our rankings place on international diversity, universities in both countries are in serious danger of dropping down in rank.

Can China continue to rise?

As universities in the west begin to struggle, Chinese universities are in ascendancy, buoyed by heavy investment in research. This is typically reflected in our rankings by the indicator measuring citations per faculty.

Tsinghua University was the best university in China last year and will be looking to build on its rank of 17^th, while Peking University and Fudan University also featured in the top 50. It wouldn’t be surprising to see all three do even better this year.

Who will be on top in Singapore?

Singapore may only be home to three of the world’s top 1,000 universities, but last year two of them were ranked within the top 12 in the world. The National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University have been almost inseparable, ranked 11^th and 12^th respectively last year, and it will be fascinating to see whether either has been able to crack the global top 10 this year.

Find out the answers to these questions and much more by reading the full results on June 19.