End Of The Road Rest In Peace We May Remember You But Not Forgotten

My name is Wyan and this is what I’ve learned while working in the school of English and drama:

  • Attaching binders into books and putting books together 
  • Using computers to change and design layouts and update MS Excel spreadsheets 
  • Blogging & posting on social media via Later using hashtags to maximise engagement 
  • Creating news digest posts in WordPress CMS  
  • Website Management
  • Adding, updating, and editing content in TerminalFour CMS  
  • Informing social strategy through advanced knowledge of platforms.  
  • Identifying issues through diagnostics and troubleshooting 
  • Using screen Management CMS Xibo   

Graduate Clera Rodrigues on Joining Queen Mary via Clearing, Becoming a Journalist and Getting a First Class Degree

We caught up with recent 2022 BA English and Drama graduate Clera to talk about her experience of studying at Queen Mary…

Tell us about your time at QMUL. What have been your highlights?

I’ve had a great time at Queen Mary. My biggest highlight was hosting a stall at the two Welcome Fairs on behalf of Diaspora Speaks magazine and getting to meet hundreds of people!

Tell us about your journey to Queen Mary coming via clearing?

I initially auditioned for Musical Theatre courses at “drama schools” during my gap year following my A Levels, but then had a change of heart and decided I wanted a more academic, general collegiate experience. I discovered the English and Drama course around the June ’19 Open Day, which I attended. I was intrigued by what I learnt and fell in love with the campus, clubs, and the buzzing energy. I contacted Shane Boyle (the academic hosting the Drama info session), made my case in a lengthy email, and was put in touch with relevant staff to begin an application through clearing. I received my acceptance decision reached in early July. And the rest is history.

How has your course at Queen Mary helped you to progress into the world outside? What’s next?

My course allowed me to hone my research and writing skills alongside developing numerous others such as teamwork, presentation, performance, and creativity. These skills are highly transferable and in demand. Up next for me is a Master of Journalism at the University of Southern California in June ’23!

Aside from course content what have been your favourite elements of the experience of studying here as a whole?

Student media outlets were certainly my favourite part of the experience. I loved writing, editing, and just being able to be published online and in print, alongside socialising with other like-minded students.

Tell us about your life outside Queen Mary including any projects, ambitions or jobs you’ve had.

Honestly, QMUL has so many opportunities that almost all my non-academic activities were QMUL-related. Beyond Queen Mary, I learnt French as a second language, undertook a pressed flower project in my art journal, and travelled for 2 months in summer 2021. I am currently building my personal brand as a professional journalist.

What could be improved to enhance future students’ experience at Queen Mary?

All classes, including lectures, must be held in-person on campus, utilising the numerous lecture halls and seminar rooms for QMUL to return to the standard student experience first of all. To enhance the standard experience, I would have loved the opportunity to travel abroad as I could not on my own.

Student of the week: Maximillion Chapman – BA English

Usually caught with a fantastic book in one hand and a large glass of pinot in the other.

Tell us about your time at QMUL. What have been your highlights?

Crikey, highlights at Queen Mary! Where do I begin? As its a campus based university in central London, QM has access to such experiences that really stay with you even after your time there. I’m quite a socialite and the quick route to Soho and Shoreditch were great to really embrace London culture. My course itself was a great companion for my lifestyle as some of the modules required to go out into the city and explore! A fantastic moment for me was definitely getting a lecturer taught underneath the Globe!

How has your course at Queen Mary helped you to progress into the world outside? What’s next?

English at QMUL doesn’t restrict itself in its teachings. There is such a wide variety of subjects within the course that allow you to really explore what you truly love. This variation has been great for me in the outside world, not only in teaching me more but also as an insight to what I might want to do in my later years.

Aside from course content what have been your favourite elements of the experience of studying here as a whole?

As said previously, I loved the social life of uni. Who doesn’t! You have one of the greatest cities in the world on your doorstep and my friends and I made sure to take great advantage of it. London was our very own playground and that’s the way it should be. I’ve made some fantastic friends that have stayed in my life even after university, we simply haven’t left London yet. Two of my very close friends loved the social aspect of the city so much that they bought a pub in Mile End!

Tell us about your life outside Queen Mary including any projects, ambitions or jobs you’ve had.

I’m currently working in content creation and marketing over three companies, which I absolutely love. It’s a lot of work but it certainly keeps me on my toes. The company I mostly work with is an up and coming new dating website, so its thrilling stuff at the moment what with everything (hopefully) going back to normal.

Before this career step, I worked for a company called the Noble Collection. Some of the more film-based fanatics might have heard of them since they primarily create fine replicas and gifts from movies such as Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings. If you own a wand, chances are Noble made it! This was a researched based job and it gave me the chance to work with notorious toy store Hamleys.

During my personal time when I’m not sat at my desk, I play rugby for the Kings Cross Steelers twice a week. It’s the first all inclusive LGBT+ rugby club in the world so I get to meet, drink and play with such a wide range of interesting guys. Its also only a hop on the tube from my flat in Shoreditch!

In regards to ambitions, I have many. That doesn’t mean I set my life path towards achieving them though. My perception on life is to just enjoy every second, because if you strive for something so desperately, you can sometimes become obsessed and miss the finer things in life. Those ambitions will come to you freely.

What could be improved to enhance future students’ experience at Queen Mary?

I think so many professors value your journey at QMUL, and it really shows in person when you get to talk to them. Sometimes communication isn’t received as clear as it should have been, whether it be about the course or results feedback. I think a good chit chat in their office is a calming alternative to essay feedback rather than the ominous online results.

Find out more about our English

Student of the week: Katie Butler – BA English Literature

Always free for a chat

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

Find out more about our BA English Literature

Student of the week: Emma Howes – Film Studies and Drama

That’s tough, but if I was to choose three words they would be curious, creative and collaborative.

Tell us about your time at QMUL. What have been your highlights?

I have really enjoyed my time at Queen Mary so far. The teaching style is very different from the one that I experienced in high school, I didn’t take Drama GCSEs or A-Levels and instead experienced conservatoire-style training, focusing on acting, rather than the wider process. I have really enjoyed learning about the more theoretical aspects of drama, as a practice and as a ‘theory’. My favourite module so far was London, Culture, Performance. Understanding the impact of performances, theatres and wider impact that they have was incredibly interesting and insightful and left me with a lot to consider.

How has your course at Queen Mary helped you to progress into the world outside? What’s next?

The course has changed my perspective of what performance can be and the impact it has in a wider contexts. The QM drama modules are, by nature, very abstract and require you to have an open mind and whilst pushing me to creative limits, have made me reconsider the defining aspects of performance. After Queen Mary, I am hoping to go into the casting field, and I particularly want to focus on diversifying representation within the entertainment industry, both on stage and on screen. Both the drama and film departments have provided me opportunities to consider the importance of casting and representation, the pitfalls that the industry has, and ways in which these pitfalls can be properly rectified. These considerations have been furthered by the diverse student body at QM, I have been able to listen to others’ perspectives and truly understand how and where different people, cultures, communities want, and don’t want, to be perceived.

Aside from course content what have been your favourite elements of the experience of studying here as a whole?

In my first year at QM I joined the cheerleading team, and it really helped to shape my friendship groups and my university life outside of my studies. Having never attempted the sport before, I took the opportunity to try something new, thinking, if nothing else, it could be a bit of fun to try. I ended up falling in love with it! Being part of a team and working towards a goal helped bring an aspect of community and stability to the mania of first year, meanwhile, allowing me to further challenge myself physically and mentally. This year I am captain of the All-Girl team, and am improving my leadership skills, and well as my ability to creatively problem solve everything that lockdown has thrown our way!

Tell us about your life outside Queen Mary including any projects, ambitions or jobs you’ve had.

Before coming to QM I spent two summers working at an underprivileged summer camp in New York. The impact this had on me was profound, and it was incredibly inspiring to hear the stories of young people who have experienced deep hardships in their lives and to then see their resilience and optimism for their futures. Alongside having career ambitions, I hope to one day give back and provide opportunities for young people to nurture and fulfil their talents. It feels premature to say this, as I feel as though I still have my whole life ahead of me, but ultimately, they are the future, and they deserve to, alongside being safe and happy, follow their dreams.

What could be improved to enhance future students’ experience at Queen Mary?

I think a stronger aspect of community could be built at QM, with more opportunities to organically collaborate on a wider range of things. I think the drama department has done a great job of this, and the collaborative nature of the practical side of the course has definitely helped to foster this atmosphere. But I have felt, particularly as a joint honours student and with everything being online this year, other departments have not put the same emphasis on such a crucial aspect of university life.

Find out more about our Film Studies and Drama

Student of the week: Salma Ali – BA English with Creative Writing

An indecisive creative who’s passionate about most things.

Tell us about your time at QMUL. What have been your highlights?

So far at QMUL, being surrounded by like minded people has been a highlight. As well as this, being able to fully explore in depth and analyse texts, or being able to study new theories and schools of thought in detail has also been a highlight.

How has your course at Queen Mary helped you to progress into the world outside? What’s next?

Queen Mary has provided me with a lot of opportunities that I don’t think I would have been aware of if I was elsewhere – I’ve taken part in QMentoring, and this has helped me a lot to understand the world of employment in my specific field, and how I could progress beyond my BA into potentially further study, or what career paths I could take.

Aside from course content what have been your favourite elements of the experience of studying here as a whole?

One of the best elements of studying at QMUL has been the people that I’ve met and the friendships I have formed. It has also been enjoyable to join societies that are about things I am interested in, and being able to meet new people through this.

Tell us about your life outside Queen Mary including any projects, ambitions or jobs you’ve had.

I’ve been involved in the Harper Collins Author Academy, which has been amazing to be a part of and has been a great experience as a whole, giving invaluable insights into the publishing industry as well as helping me to understand what I’d have to do if I wanted to get my work published.

What could be improved to enhance future students’ experience at Queen Mary?

I think that the university has a good support system as it is, but perhaps making these more known to students could help enhance the experience of future students.

Find out more about our BA English with Creative Writing

Student of the week: Joshua Lowes – BA Drama

Big. Fun. Loveable.

Tell us about your time at QMUL. What have been your highlights?

Highlights have included: creating a dress out of Greggs career bags in Making Theatre, perfuming as sex therapist Dr Dodo in Performance Composition, and working/creating alongside a talented group of people (both staff and colleagues).

How has your course at Queen Mary helped you to progress into the world outside? What’s next?

It has allowed myself to become an independent artist, exposing me to new arts and ways of creating. Hopefully my research into the world of “drama” continues in time and my love for the subject only grows, I would love to do my Masters and PhD if at all possible. Or even gain a following in my art and work.

Aside from course content what have been your favourite elements of the experience of studying here as a whole?

QMBL Swim, I started off as a Fresher, became Social Sec, and finally president in my final year. I have made many friends in not just drama but other fields of study.

Tell us about your life outside Queen Mary including any projects, ambitions or jobs you’ve had.

Boots (Christmas Customer Assistant; Customer Assistant, No7 Advisor)
The Alcobox (Server)
The Alchemist (Busser)
Clarins (Skincare Specialist)
The Grapes (Barman/Server)
Wilton’s Music Hall (Usher)
NTW Solutions (NHS Service Assistant)
NHS (Housekeeping Assistant)

What could be improved to enhance future students’ experience at Queen Mary?

Paying for shows/trips that we are required to see as part of a module.

Find out more about our BA Drama