Tatjana Mandil MEng Aeronautics and Astronautics/Spacecraft Engineering, third year
The stars aligned for me regarding Southampton, I couldn’t be happier! My course is challenging but I continue to stay motivated through my friends and lecturers.
Why did you choose to come and study at Southampton?
Southampton is one of the rare universities that allows you to specialise early in the course, and their aerospace degree is world renowned. From my research, I saw the course had a fair balance of practical and theory-based work, unlike many other universities that are predominantly theory.
What is it like studying here?
I was lucky enough to have found a group of friends before I came to Southampton; these were all my course mates. It was like we had known each other for ages upon first meeting. The demographic of the course is different to what I expected. The students’ value both their studies and spare time and helped me to find a balance between the two.
The stars aligned for me regarding Southampton, I couldn’t be happier! My course is challenging but I continue to stay motivated through my friends and lecturers. I adore what I’m studying and the projects I am involved in. Walking around campus, the library and various other places, everybody seems really focussed and it’s a wonderful atmosphere to be in.
Southampton offers various other courses to get involved in and as someone who is passionate about languages, I was thrilled to see they offered evening language courses. This meant I could pursue another one of my passions without clashing with my university schedule.
What are the engineering facilities like at the University?
The engineering facilities are remarkable. Having an entire campus dedicated to engineering and innovation is incredible, and I have been lucky enough to have had labs and projects based at Boldrewood. We have used the wind tunnel, workshops, 3D printers etc.
What have been your Southampton highlights so far?
One of the biggest highlights for me is restarting a society here at Southampton. I am an engineer and committee member of the Southampton University Human Powered Aircraft society (SUHPA). We are designing and building a “bike-powered plane” to be ready to compete next year. One of the most significant events was showcasing our project at a TEDxSouthampton event last summer.
How as your time at Southampton helped you to grow as a person?
Along with the boundless knowledge I am gaining from my course and society, my time at Southampton is teaching me how to be a well-rounded individual. I am learning to better communicate with people, time management, deal with high-stress situations and ultimately developing more faith in myself and my journey.
What is the city of Southampton like?
Southampton is a wonderful city to live in. Everything is very student friendly and there is always something to do. We have the sea, the Common and a bustling city right at our doorstep. I am fortunate to feel incredibly safe in Southampton, especially at night.