Start where you are.
1stGeneration@hhu
Are you the first person in your family to go to university? If so, university life can often be twice as challenging. The buddy programme connects you with experienced students who provide support. It also offers events, workshops and helps to networ…
For many, going to university really is like being thrown into the deep end – a new environment, new people and more responsibility.
When you’re the first person in your family to go to university, the experience is often much more challenging than it is for people from families with a strong academic background.
And that’s exactly where the buddy programme comes in: It helps you overcome common hurdles so you can navigate your studies more easily.
And along the way, you can meet new people and maybe even establish real friendships that go far beyond the boundaries of the programme.
Duration: 1 year
Start: In the winter semester every year
Are you in your first or second semester and the first person in your family to go to university? Does everything feel new and is your head full of questions?
Then you’ve come to the right place: We will match you with a suitable senior buddy who will provide support and tips.
And we also offer presentations, workshops and lots of other help so you can hit the ground running when you start your studies.
Are you interested in volunteering alongside your studies and passing your knowledge on to the next generation?
Then you’ve come to the right place: We will match you with a junior buddy who you can support during their studies.
As a bonus, you will receive a participation/volunteering certificate, can take part in various workshops and learn skills, which will help you later on in your career.
What former buddies say:
“I hope I will be matched with someone I can go to with all my questions and problems. With someone who understands me. I hope I will be supported and helped during my studies, so I can develop and improve my skills further.” (Junior buddy, 2022).
“I am also the first person in my family to go to university and I know how many obstacles there can be to overcome. New terms, people and a new system can quickly overwhelm you, particularly when your own family cannot support you. I want to be a senior buddy to help make starting at university easier for first-generation students (...).” (Senior buddy 2021).