Hi, I’m Zuzanna! I’m studying Biomedical Sciences, and currently finishing up my year in industry. If you can spare a moment or two I’d love to share with you what it has been like studying within the Department of Biology at York, and how helpful it has been to me.
Expectations vs reality
I was the first person in my family to attend university. So what I expected it to be like was based on what I saw in movies. Professors stood in front of a full lecture hall talking for an hour, struggling to keep up taking notes and wild, wild parties going on every night.
Thankfully the reality is not like that.
The lectures in the Department of Biology are super interactive. The professors want student engagement. My lectures were a blend of online content and in person, followed up with in person workshops that were a chance to ask questions, do practice questions and catch up with friends 😉.
The wild parties in my experience were mainly focused in first year. Don’t get me wrong there are still plenty of opportunities for club nights, if you want to go. That’s important to remember – don’t force yourself into going if you know you’ll hate it.
Meeting friends was something I was terrified of. Thankfully there are sooo many opportunities. The colleges host events every week you can go to. And the Department has put on things like dog petting, wellbeing sessions and duck feeding. Societies are such a good place to meet people from all over the University. I can honestly say that the University does as much as it can to help make sure you’re not feeling alone.
Flexibility
One of the major things that I love about my course is the amount of flexibility it gives me.
The mix of in person and online lectures meant I could work through the lectures at the pace I wanted. You can prioritise what needs to be done before an in-person workshop later in the week. Or plan any home visits around it. The independence is good, but you need to be careful about taking it for granted and falling behind. It can be hard to catch back up.
Plus, it meant I could find a part time job in the city centre. While I don’t like to party, I am a fan of a sweet treat and a good book. York has plenty of book shops and bakeries that may have amassed a small fortune from my frequent visits haha. Getting a job also means I have gained a lot of new friends. Many of them people I never would have talked to otherwise.
Year in industry
One of the opportunities that presented itself to me was doing a year in industry. I was lucky enough to be able to do this in Belgium, so a two-for-one.
When I first went to university, I knew that I wanted to do an integrated masters degree. But I did not think that I would have the chance of going on a year in industry. I don’t come from a fortunate family, so my CV wasn’t necessarily as enriched as other peoples were. And finances were a bit of a worry. Thankfully, the Department of Biology has brilliant staff that you can arrange appointments with to write a good CV. No matter how much or how little you have done. So, when I applied for the position on a whim and got it, I was overwhelmed with excitement and nervousness.
My supervisor was great in helping me at this point. I was super anxious about money, what would happen when I returned to university and if I didn’t manage on my own. His advice managed to calm me down and turn my point of view onto how incredible this chance was. I was told about the range of scholarships and funding options that I could apply for to help with the money side of things.
From working in a professional setting, with actual scientists on projects that contribute to important research, I have managed to learn so much about what kind of career I’d like. I met so many interesting people that let me make professional connections. Not only that but living abroad gave me so much more confidence in myself.
Living in a different place is always amazing, but spending time in Belgium was such an adventure. The architecture, all the new foods to try, the museums, the diversity. It could not have been easier to hop onto a train and take a trip to France or the Netherlands. I look back on that time now and my only regret is not doing more.
If I could, I would choose to do another year in industry in a heartbeat
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