Mackenzie Brown BEng Mechanical Engineering
Current student
I remember visiting the University and it just felt right. It was the obvious choice – the campuses are stunning, the facilities are great, and the engineering department is one of the best in the UK.
Why did you choose to study at the University of Southampton?
I knew I wanted to gain international experience going to university, but that also meant I was extremely picky in deciding a place to live so far away from home. I remember visiting the University of Southampton and it just felt right. It was the obvious choice – the campuses are stunning, the facilities are great, and the engineering department is one of the best in the UK.
How do you feel that the University has supported you so far?
The support from the University has been fantastic. There are far more resources available than I’d ever really need. They offer support in just about every area you could think of, but the employability workshops and careers fairs are my particular favourites. You don’t realise how many companies need engineers and it’s been a tremendously helpful in deciding who I’ve chosen to apply for internships with. Along with the support I’ve had building my CV, I’ve been given the best chance possible to get those positions.
What has been the highlight of your time here so far?
I think the highlight of my time at university so far would be meeting such a wide variety of people. The university is filled with such a diverse group of students, both English and international, and I’ve been able to learn about places all over the world because of it. It’s great being able to bring together so many different nationalities. I think I’ve really grown from it – and once I graduate, I’ll have friends all over the world to visit!
What do you enjoy most about living in Southampton?
There’s a good mix of things to do, and that’s always well appreciated as a student. Southampton is a big enough city that you don’t have to spend your entire university life centred around just university. If I’ve got a day off of university work, I love nothing more than going into town for a walk around the docks and fruit markets. Southampton also gets a lot less rain than most English cities, and there’s no denying how great of a benefit that is!
What have you enjoyed most about your course so far?
I’ve really enjoyed being given the freedom to apply the theory that I’ve learned in lectures within the real world. The university offers so many opportunities, both within my course and within societies, to see and be a part of real-world engineering projects. It’s quite exciting to see something in front of you that you’ve designed and built yourself. It’s not easy but it makes it all the more rewarding, and the university is there to help every step of the way. It gives you a huge sense of pride and it’s by far been the most enjoyable part of my course so far.
What are your lecturers and supervisors like? Have you found them supportive?
The engineering faculty places a big importance on feedback – both for us as students, and for them as lecturers, module leaders, and supervisors. The lecturers are so responsive to feedback and, in all honesty, it wasn’t something I expected coming into a course with so many people. You think they wouldn’t hear your thoughts on the modules (or care for that matter) but they really do. The staff are always looking for ways to improve the course and it’s greatly appreciated. I’ve found that they’re so supportive of us students as well. They always encourage us to ask questions, and they provide us with so many opportunities to receive additional help and feedback on our work.
If you could offer prospective students one piece of advice, what would it be?
If I had to give one piece of advice to any prospective student, it would be this: If you need help, ask for it. An engineering course is never going to be a walk in the park. Sometimes there may be material you don’t quite understand, and that’s okay! It can be intimidating to ask questions, but that’s what the entire engineering faculty is there for – to help you. No matter how small or stupid you may feel the problem is, get help! The university offers so many ways to support you, so take advantage of it.