At its most basic level Second Life is a glorified chatroom, an online meeting place. At a more advanced level it is a place for serious research and real life business. Many US, and now UK, universities have a presence in this online world and with over 10 million registered users there is bound to be someone else out there with similar interests, whether that be fashion design or particle physics.
Also many real life businesses, from Reuters to Nike, have set up shop in-world and a host of individuals are making virtual and real dollars selling goods and services.
To create your own account (it's free), log on to www.secondlife.com. The hardest part is choosing a name - you will be given a list of possible last names to choose from and then need to add a first name. This may need several attempts before an acceptable name combination is found.
Next, follow the steps to register, choose your initial avatar shape, which can then be completely customised in-world (including changing sex if that seems necessary). If you get a message saying 'unable to register at this time', you may need to register from a different computer as only so many accounts can be registered from one IP address, so an off-campus computer is best.
You will then need to download the software from the website and log in with your new name. You will arrive at an orientation island to learn how to use the different controls. Once you are done there click on the map, search for Coventry University and teleport to the island. The Island has its own orientation area so if there was anything you missed first time around you can sharpen your skills here.
To find out more, search youtube for Second Life video tutorials or view the Second Life wiki.
Coventry University Island is open to visit and explore. Feel free to visit at any time but if you would like to be shown around there will be student greeters on the island on Wednesday afternoons between 1.30pm and 5pm.
You can also watch the video tour of Coventry University Island.