Przemek Zientala BSc Geography

3rd year student

I was involved in several extracurricular projects, with the pinnacle being the 2017 Dragon’s Den event organised by Future Worlds, where two Dragons decided to invest in our startup – FuseMind.

Why did you choose to come and study at Southampton?

I chose Southampton primarily due to its reputation for Geography. I immediately fell in love with the Highfield Campus when I saw the photos – lots of green space and tranquillity were really appealing.

What is it like studying here?

All the lecturers are extremely knowledgeable, always willing to share their expertise with students and, above all, are very approachable.

What are you enjoying most about your course?

I particularly enjoyed all the geomorphology, remote sensing and GIS modules, since they provided a clear skill progression, building upon material from previous years.

Do you have the opportunity to study modules outside of your core subject area?

Absolutely! In fact, this (last) year of my studies, I am taking two pure statistics modules which are not an option in a Geography degree. If you can show that you have the prerequisite knowledge and motivation to do well on the module – just go and talk to the lecturer, it’s as simple as that!

What have been your Southampton ‘highlights’ so far?

I will always fondly remember my 2nd year trip to Tenerife, where I was able to apply all my Geography skills in the field. It was extremely well-organised and showed me what Geography is really all about. Moreover, the emerging startup culture at Southampton is just amazing, with Future Worlds working extremely hard to encourage students to develop their entrepreneurial skills and prepare them – essentially – for real life beyond uni.

Have you been involved in any other projects at university?

Throughout my studies, I was involved in several extracurricular projects, with the pinnacle being the 2017 Dragon’s Den event organised by Future Worlds, where two Dragons decided to invest in our startup – FuseMind. We came across the idea of improving the efficiency of finding relevant research papers very naturally – it is a personal struggle for each of us during our studies. One piece of advice I can give to all those who want to start something themselves – focus on finding a team of exceptionally motivated people who complement each other’s skills, it helps to squeeze out work efficiency and keep on track with whatever your team has planned. But above all, you need to love spending time with them and having fun.

What are your plans for after University?

Because of this investment, I've decided to work on FuseMind full-time over the summer. I have also decided to defer my MSc entry and work on FuseMind for the foreseeable future.