Amy Jewell MSci Oceanography with French, 2017
A massive highlight for me was also the opportunity to do an ERASMUS year at the university of Bordeaux. It was the best thing I could have ever done to improve my language skills, it helped me improve my confidence, and I met so many great people, and so now I have a great network of friends and colleagues throughout Europe.
Why did you choose to come and study at Southampton?
When I saw the opportunity to study Oceanography with French, I thought it was too good to miss. And Southampton is the only place in the country that offers such a unique course, so it was a no-brainer really!
What is it like studying here?
I’ve always found that Southampton feels like a really safe place, and I’ve been very comfortable and happy here throughout my four years of studying- so much so that I’m staying for another four! There are so many societies you can join and so you meet a really nice mix of people from different backgrounds and courses.
How do you rate study facilities at the University?
There are so many libraries scattered across all the Southampton campuses, so you’ve always got a choice of where to study. The sports centre is nice and big, and there is so many great sports classes and courses you can get involved with. The National Oceanography Centre is by far my favourite place to study, it has amazing laboratory facilities, it has Europe’s largest oceanographic library and has the best views over the docks from the café!
What have been your Southampton highlights?
I loved doing the second year field-course in Falmouth. We learnt some fantastic field skills, got to see some amazing local wildlife, and best of all we got to spend two weeks in lovely Cornwall!
A massive highlight for me was also the opportunity to do an ERASMUS year at the university of Bordeaux. It was the best thing I could have ever done to improve my language skills, it helped me improve my confidence, and I met so many great people, and so now I have a great network of friends and colleagues throughout Europe.
What did you enjoy most about your course?
I enjoyed being able to apply my course to the real world; scarily, we can see climate change happening in our day to day lives sometimes.
My favourite aspect is the fact I was able to continue my language study alongside my oceanographic study. This is something only Southampton offers, and it has provided me with such a great set of skills to go forward with.
Did you have the opportunity to study modules outside of your core subject area?
I studied French alongside Oceanography throughout my degree, but I also took some evening classes in Chinese and Spanish through the university’s lifelong learning programme.
Did you stay in University accommodation?
I stayed in Halls in my first year, in Bencraft Court. It was one of the smaller university accommodation complexes, but this just meant that you knew everyone there, which gave it a really good homely feel! I remained friends with my first year flatmates throughout my four years at Southampton, and I’m sure I’ll stay friends with them for many more years!
What is the city of Southampton like to live in?
Southampton is a great place to live as a student, the nightlife is great and you always feel quite safe! It so much fun living in Portswood (the student neighbourhood), but the centre of town is lovely too as it has recently been refurbished. There are loads of restaurants, and loads of things to do including cinemas, bowling, parks and museums. And if you run out of things to do, the isle of Wight and the New Forest are just round the corner!
What one word sums up how you feel about your experiences at Southampton
Irreplaceable!
What are your aspirations for the future? How will your degree assist with your ambitions?
I am continuing my studies at the University of Southampton, and I will be beginning a PhD through the Spitfire Doctoral Training Partnership based at the National Oceanography Centre in September. My experiences over the last four years have opened my eyes to how much I love researching and have allowed me to gain funding for another four years of research.