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Tell us about your time at QMUL. What have been your highlights?
After joining QMUL I very quickly realised this was 100% my academic home, the lecturers and seminars are unbeatable and staff are really great at making you feel comfortable in exploring your ideas around texts. Outside of academics we have so many opportunities in terms of events and societies, having my own articles published in CUB magazine was amazing! I also have had the privilege of being elected for SED Student Rep in the SU, and the English Soc Welfare Rep for 2021-22!
How has your course at Queen Mary helped you to progress into the world outside? What’s next?
Aside from developing my academic interests, I think that Queen Mary really helps to develop the tools you need to be confidently yourself – you come into contact with so many people and so many ideas and QM really teaches you how to lobby your own perspective. It’s also this last year at QM that’s made me realise I’d love to go on to do an English MA after my undergrad.
Aside from course content what have been your favourite elements of the experience of studying here as a whole?
QM is one of the best places to study if you want to meet new people – we have such a diverse student body that there’s always people to make friends with and I feel like you make more every year, I’ve met some absolutely amazing people who have definitely shaped the pastoral side of my experience here and I know I wouldn’t have found that kind of friendship elsewhere.
Tell us about your life outside Queen Mary including any projects, ambitions or jobs you’ve had.
I’ve been working in food retail since I was 16 and with the pandemic I get to tell everyone I’m a key worker but outside of that I’ve got a little book club with some friends (classic English student behaviour, I know) and I’m working on some submissions for a couple of indie lit mags – the absolute dream is to publish a novel! I also love cooking and baking so I’m always trying out new recipes in my spare time – I went veggie for March too and the food can be so much fun!
What could be improved to enhance future students’ experience at Queen Mary?
I think what would really help would be finding a way to engage all students in the QM community, every year you hear some students feel left out, like commuters or part timers, and some are totally disillusioned with the SU, especially after a year of intermittent lockdowns so I think rebuilding that relationship would be huge