Welcome to York and congratulations. Congratulations, because the first decision you have made in higher education is a wise one. You have come to York – a great historic city with a fantastic University that fully warrants its top ten ranking in the UK.
When I came here in the early 1970s, it was a life-changing experience for me. I was in the my mid-20s and with only modest academic qualifications – but I was amazed at the opportunities that university life opened up for me.
The great thing about York is its informality and complete lack of stuffiness. It is a University that, by and large, does not stand on ceremony. That said, in three, four or five years’ time there will be a ceremony for you to attend — your graduation. At that point, you will become a member of a growing, but I like to think, still an exclusive club. You will become a graduate of the University of York.
I have never yet met a single York graduate who did not enjoy his or her time here. So as you start out on your University career, you can look forward to a fulfilling experience, one that you will find both intellectually stimulating and socially rewarding. You will meet people here who will be your friends for life.
You are about to embark on one of the greatest experiences of your lives. Enjoy every minute of it.