Jade Eyles MSci Geophysics, 2017
My main highlight of my time at university was getting the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at the University of Adelaide in Australia. Being able to learn a different range of skills and visit new places on fieldtrips allowed me to expand my horizons even further. I met a great range of people, and developed a new confidence that will be sure to help me in my future work career.
Why did you choose to come and study at Southampton?
The University of Southampton was quite different from other universities I had visited. I liked that the main part of the university was campus-based and not spread out over a city, allowing all the main resources and classes to be in one area.
The main draw for me was being able to learn at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton (NOCS). The facilities and NOCS were exceptional, and provided a great opportunity to study a marine aspect of my course that wasn’t provided at other institutions.
What is it like studying here?
Studying at Southampton has provided many opportunities in not just my studies but also the social and sport side. The Students’ Union actively encourages students to be engaged with their lecturers and studies, allowing you to have a say on problems you have had in classes or practicals. I got the opportunity to be on the committee for several societies organising main events throughout the year, and also got to take up netball again, something I hadn’t done for a few years.
The atmosphere around the University is always thriving, with something on most days to help students to relax in-between lecturers. The university also puts on a range of academic events, from career fairs to exam techniques classes, allowing you to make the most out of your experience at Southampton.
How do you rate study facilities at the University?
I am lucky that my course allowed me to study at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton; this gives me access to additional facilities on top of those that are at Highfield Campus. The NOCS has access to a range of scientific equipment used by the research scientists; this makes Southampton quite unique as we are given the opportunity to work alongside top researchers in their fields for our research projects. This allows students to focus their work into a small area of science, and gain experience with equipment that is rarely accessible elsewhere.
The University has access to two research vessels: Callista and Conway. The majority of students in Ocean and Earth Science get the experience to go out on these boats and collect new data at least once during their time here. Being able to spend time out on a research boat develops hands-on skills that are hard to teach in a classroom environment.
What have been your Southampton ‘highlights’?
My main highlight of my time at university was getting the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at the university of Adelaide in Australia. Being able to learn a different range of skills and visit new places on fieldtrips allowed me to expand my horizons even further. I met a great range of people, and developed a new confidence that will be sure to help me in my future work career.
What did you enjoy most about your course?
My favourite part of my course is that it allowed me to choose where I wanted to focus my studies. There is such a range of modules to choose from, that you can always take a pathway that corresponds with your career goals, or topics that you’ve always be interested in. Being able to choose my own research project for my final year allowed me to explore an area of science that had been rarely touched on during the course. Having access to this allowed me to pursue my interests and make the most out of my degree.
Do you have the opportunity to study modules outside of your core subject area?
We were given a wide range of module choices each year; these varied from course specific modules to modules in other disciplines such as physics, archaeology and oceanography. Having this wide range of options allowed you to try something new that you may have not heard of before, which was a fantastic way to shape your degree!
Did you stay in University accommodation?
In my first year at university I stayed in university accommodation at Chamberlain Halls. The halls facilities were excellent with security and support always walking around to make sure everything was okay. It was a great way to meet new students who didn’t study the same subject as you. I found it easy to settle into the halls as everyone around you is in the same situation.
What is the city of Southampton like to live in?
Coming from a small town, I found moving to a city quite daunting. However, I feel that Southampton provides a great mix of night life, activities, shops and events without being too large to be overwhelmed. The night life provides a range of options from themed pubs to large chain clubs. A lot of the main clubs provide student only nights with the universities safety bus working on some of these events; this allows you to always feel safe around the city even late at night.
What one word sums up how you feel about your experiences so far at Southampton?
Exceptional.