I can’t say this was the easiest of journeys. In realistic terms it was a pretty big leap from undergraduate to master’s level at the age of 20. When I think back to the endless nights of staying up till early hours of the morning reading and preparing for lectures the next day, it was all worth it.
I met amazing people throughout my MSc year was also part of the universities Netball and Badminton team. I even went on a netball tour to Croatia to give myself some time off. My academic supervisors were more than I could have asked for, it always makes such a difference when you have people who motivate you.
Sometimes in the midst of all the books and library hours you forget that you have a whole team of supporters and the most important thing is to remind yourself that you are never alone in your studies and support is always at hand.
I had a very international course which meant I got to connect with people from all over the world. We exchanged many skills, for example: I helped them with their English, and they brought in some of their cuisines which I got to try and learn how to make (yum). I also let them try Irn-Bru and took them to get haggis - they were very polite but I'm not sure how much they actually enjoyed it... Having such an international course and University brings great opportunity. It was so lovely getting to know other people’s cultures and I always have a lot of respect for students who can study a degree in their second language!
What I learnt while studying and the best advice I can give anyone who is pursuing a post graduate degree is: Don't worry! It sounds (vague) and very little advice but I learnt that your supervisors are there for you and everyone is rooting for you to do this. You should always talk to people and ask lots of questions if you're stuck. It’s a pathway to your own career but it’s a journey you don't have to make alone!
