It’s very strange to be heading into the third year of my university experience having spent almost no time on campus. While the time has flown, studying from home has been a challenge, and I can’t wait to get back to the new normal. I thought I’d share some of my favourite (and indeed, trickiest) challenges from the last couple of years, and talk about what I’m most looking forward to as I head into my penultimate year at UCL.
The challenges so far…
- Fresher’s – this seems an like age ago now! I feel very lucky to have been able to have a Fresher’s week in the traditional sense – clubbing, meeting new faces, making new friends. Now these things all seem a bit alien, and I’d be delighted to have the experience again. However, looking back, I think this was one of the most challenging times I have had at UCL. I came from quite a small 6th Form to this enormous university, and the wealth of social interaction and excitement was, to be honest, quite overwhelming. It certainly took a little bit of time to adjust, but this is one of my UCL moments I am most grateful for now.
- Exams – I don’t think anybody really likes exams, but for me, they have been one of the biggest challenges to face. The lockdowns and the replacement of traditional exams with online alternatives meant I went a long time without facing an exam paper, and when it came to sitting my exams on a computer screen, it wasn’t easy. I feel that now I’ve been through it, I’m a lot more ready for my assessments in the years to come, and I’m definitely less daunted!
- Lockdowns – lockdowns were a struggle for everyone. The lack of variety made it so difficult to concentrate, particularly during the first lockdown when everything was up in the air. Though they were definitely not my favourite UCL moments, they’ve made me very grateful for the connections I have, and mean I’m excited to really get involved again.
What I’m looking forward to…
- Connecting – now that we are finally able to get together again, I’m thrilled about the prospect of connecting with some new people, and reconnecting with the Life Sciences friends I made in my first year. I feel a little bit like I need to catch up on a year-and-a-half of socialising in one, but it’s definitely exciting. This year, I want to get involved with a sports society and try to explore London more. I also can’t wait to get more involved in studying and learning with other people – it’s something I’ve really missed.
- Labs – I was lucky to get some lab experience in my first year, but this year I am hoping to make the most of them. I’m excited to finish my third year project and do some ‘real science’ in the labs, hopefully collaborating with other students and staff.
- Experience – it was certainly tricky to find work experience in the past year, but I have enjoyed working at the Royal Marsden Hospital with their newly founded volunteer service. I’m looking forward to continuing with this, and seeing what else I can get up to this year in preparation for graduate medicine.