Category: Student Stories

This is an example post of what could be included in the student blog. Students we have spoken to were very keen on hearing about careers/internships/professional experiences, and this is something we definitely want to provide.

Other examples include: My Summer Research Programme, My Summer in X, Balancing study and part time work as a Life Sciences student.

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.

My First Term:

My first term was extremely interesting. It was full of so many new experiences, some of which were very exciting and nothing held me back in diving right into them, and some were a bit more challenging to get used to. I most enjoyed my time in the labs, I learnt so much in a very short amount of time and I know these skills will be invaluable to me.

Overall the first term has been great, there is still a lot to learn but I am beginning to know what I want to get out of this year.

My Second Term

In my second term I felt much more comfortable in my surroundings and my routine, however the workload felt a bit more intense. Luckily, I had an established group of friends who I could turn to for support. Also, I was familiar with my teaching staff and so took all the opportunities I could to ask many questions.

I spent a lot of time studying on campus in libraries, this was because I needed to be somewhere else other than my room during online learning. I found that this help me be much more productive, and also served as a way to meet more of my peers from my course.

At the end of my second term I am feeling prepared for my end of year exams. Over this year I have gained an understanding in a wide range of topics and I am excited to expand my knowledge through further reading to supplement my notes and perform the best that I can in my exams.

I can’t believe how quickly the year has gone!