University Challenge

In 1990, armed with a new pencil case, my walking frame and a suitcase full of ambition, I left my family in the North West of England and headed to Nottingham to study law. I was so naive back then, I thought the main reason for going was to get a qualification. How wrong I was. By the end of my first week as a student, I realised that the academic aspect of my 3 year degree was just that - academic.

Of course I had the same expectations and anxieties as anyone else going to university for the first time but, as a disabled student, I also had to worry about little things like access into the lecture theatres, navigating the hilly campus in my wheelchair and the most difficult thing of all, telling a complete stranger how to wipe my bum.

As a disabled woman who needs assistance in her daily life, I had always relied on my mum to help me. I wasn't aware that there were other options available so I never really considered going away to university. I assumed that I'd continue to live at home and study locally. But then I learnt about a scheme where in return for board, lodging and pocket money, volunteers would assist me during my time at uni. For the first time in my life, it seemed that I was going to be able to spread my arthritic wings and fly.

Day one, I arrived at my prison-cell-like room in the halls of residence and was faced with the two volunteers who I was going to be working with. The first one had bright red hair, wore stripy tights and a Levellers t-shirt. The second young woman had a shaven head, a ring through her nose and wore a pair of DM's. I realised that until now, I'd lead a fairly sheltered and conservative life. All that was quite obviously about to change.

My volunteers were enthusiastic, friendly and ready to do whatever was required. I, on the other hand was terrified, withdrawn and didn't know how to ask them to do what I needed. I certainly didn't have the confidence, experience or vocabulary to ask these women to wash my private bits. Consequently, I didn't shower much in my first term at university. In fact, I didn't do much in my first term at all. I spent most of my time alone in my room, eating bourbon biscuits and listening to my Phil Collins tape. Meanwhile, the volunteers partied hard and had the time of their lives.

It seemed as though everyone but me was loving university life. Due to a heady mix of bad access and lack of self esteem, I found it almost impossible to go up to people and try and make friends. At the same time, the only students who made any effort to get to know me were those doing social work or theology.

I avoided eating in the communal dining room because the only people who'd sit with me would be my volunteers and their friends. I dreaded lectures because I usually had to sit separately from everyone else for accessibility reasons.

There was, however, one place where I did make friends - in the back of the disabled student's minibus.

Nottingham University is such a huge campus that there was an accessible bus with driver provided to transport us to lectures and appointments. Lumped together in the back of the bus for hours on end, it didn't take long before me and the other crips were exchanging diagnoses, slagging off our volunteers and having a laugh. By day, the bus was like an academic version of dial-a-ride but by night, when our volunteers got behind the wheel, it was more like a party fun-bulance.

The Fun-bulance

I had the best days of my university life in that bus. I got drunk on Martini in that bus. I fell in lust in that bus. I stayed up all night in that bus. I went to clubs and pubs and gigs in that bus. I fell out of my chair in that bus. I ate a lifetime's worth of pizza and kebabs in that bus. I was sick on my feet in that bus. I was able to be myself in that bus. In fact, when I think back to my university days, I realise that I learnt more in the back of that bus than I did in any lecture theatre.

• What happened to Liz next? Read her continuing university adventures in part two: Lessons in love

• This article was published to accompany BBC Ouch's Disabled Student Diaries series where we followed 3 students, each with different impairments, in their first four weeks at university. Personal, interesting and a real eye opener.