"I think the unique aspect of the course is how big the department is. This means there is always an opportunity to learn more about the area of psychology that interests you."
Why did you come to study your course at the University of Birmingham?
The course was right for me. There is a real focus on scientific research at the University of Birmingham. The modules on offer fascinated me, and I loved that they were taught by people who were conducting research in the field. Birmingham itself is an excellent, developing city, and the University campus was probably the prettiest campus I had visited, which really appealed to me.
What made the course at Birmingham stand out for you? What is unique about the course?
For me, the Psychology department at Birmingham is first and foremost interested in research-led teaching. The lecturers all work in the field that they teach, and the prospect of carrying out my own research in the third year was really exciting. I think the unique aspect of the course is how big the department is. This means there is always an opportunity to learn more about the area of psychology that interests you. Psychology is a big subject, so being able to learn from people who are experts in their field, no matter what that field is, that really stood out to me as an excellent opportunity.
What has been your personal highlight of your time at Birmingham so far?
My personal highlight has been playing for the Psychology 6-a-side football team in the Intra-Mural league. We played weekly games against other departments, halls of residence and students who had formed their own team. I love playing football, but I’m not quite serious enough about it to play for the University team. The Intra-Mural league was really great for playing casual football with a hint of competitiveness about it. I made some of my closest friends playing for that team.
How do you find living in Birmingham?
Birmingham is a really exciting city to live in. The sheer size of the place means that there is always something new to discover. Not to mention all of the new developments in the city – the new library and Grand Central Station come to mind.
Have you been involved in any clubs, societies or events during your time at Birmingham?
I’ve been involved with a few societies during my time at University. I tended to use them as ways of trying out hobbies that I’d always been interested in but never had the opportunity to try out. So I tried out Archery in my first year, and Circus society in my third year. The members of both societies were really friendly to novices such as myself and were keen to help me get better. I also became a member of the Creative Writing society here, the cleverly named Writer’s Bloc. Again, the members were really welcoming and friendly. I found it difficult to write creatively at University, as most of my time spent writing would be for essays or reports. But Writer’s Bloc, and its talented members, inspired me to pick it up again.
What are your aspirations for the future?
I want to work somewhere within psychology, either conducting or reporting on psychological research. I’m also determined to move abroad at some point, perhaps to study a Masters or a PhD in Europe.
What is your top tip that you would like to pass on to other students thinking of coming to study at the University of Birmingham?
Go to the society fair in the first week and sign up to the mailing list of every society that even faintly interests you. Even if you only end up going to one or two of these, you could discover hobbies you never even considered before and make loads of new friends in the process. Societies are something Birmingham does really well, there are so many to choose from.