Rebecca Clements MChem Chemistry with Maths, 2018

Undergraduate student

I am very grateful for the number of opportunities available at all stages of the degree; from part-time jobs at the University to summer-long internships right across the city. There is so much support for achieving your chosen career path at the end of the degree or for searching for one that suits you.

I originally applied to do a straight maths degree but decided during Freshers’ week that I wanted to mix things up a little. During school, maths and chemistry were always competing in my mind. I found chemistry interesting, but maths was my safe option; I was scared of the chemistry labs. When I got to University and met all of the inspiring, ambitious freshers, I decided to go study both!

The University offers excellent facilities and funding to help me achieve my goals. It is a Russell Group university, which is important to me and it has a lovely campus at Highfield. The area also suits me well, with great bus links and nearby shops. Halls are off campus which encourages first years to go exploring into the city; at the same time, they are not too far away, and student housing for subsequent years is within walking distance from campus too.

I am very grateful for the number of opportunities available at all stages of the degree; from part-time jobs at the University to summer-long internships right across the city. There is so much support for achieving your chosen career path at the end of the degree or for searching for one that suits you. The lecturers are very inspiring and like to develop a friendly relationship with the students, to make them more accessible to go to for questions and personal issues. They are very willing to help, especially during periods of revision.

I have been involved with Southampton Hub since my first year. This is a society representing the nationwide charity Student Hubs, set up to help disadvantaged children. I have been tutoring and helping to lead educational projects for SchoolsPlus, one of the main projects within Southampton Hub, and I will be running this as a whole next year. SchoolsPlus places students from any degree/year of study in schools to help children living in poverty. Volunteering achieves great things in the local area and can have a huge impact on childrens’ lives. I enjoy helping to place other keen students in volunteering roles and focus on improving local childrens’ educations and career prospects.

Without doubt, being involved with the SchoolsPlus project at Southampton Hub has been my best experience. I have met so many determined like-minded individuals from across the university, who I would not have met otherwise, and I have seen right in front of me what impact I can have on the lives of the locals. Feeling part of the community by migrating from halls into the world of Southampton is just not the same as actually reaching out to the community and meeting the people who make Southampton the city it is, on a regular basis. It has made me feel settled and valued in the city I spend the majority of my year in.

I would like to enter the world of education when I graduate; whether it be as a teacher or working in the charity sector. I want to make change and work with young people.