It’s crazy to think that I’m in my final year of history at York. Something which is terrifying, exciting and heart-breaking all at once. But as my third year starts gearing up and I start planning my dissertation, I find myself reflecting on what a truly wonderful experience it has been and how sad I will be to move on to pastures new.
Why York?
As someone absolutely obsessed with History, it was clear from the outset that York was the city for me. Everywhere you go, you’re reminded of all the remarkable events that have occurred in York over several centuries. Whether this is visiting York Minister or spotting a Blue Plaque, I find I am constantly immersed and surrounded by my degree. Not only is this incredibly motivating, but it also provides so many amazing opportunities. As part of my second year, for example, I got the opportunity to work with the York Civic Trust. My project was to try and relaunch the Guy Fawkes’ Plaque in town. It’s so easy to romanticise your degree when you’re in a city like York. I instantly knew the historic charm of the city would be the perfect place to complete my degree.
(Obligatory Minister Pic)
How do you actually study?
Before starting university, I had no idea how a history degree would be structured. I was quite worried I would find it too big a leap from sixth form. My fears were unfounded, however, as I quickly adapted to the mixture of lectures and seminars.
In my first two years, I had a couple of lectures a week followed by a seminar. This gave us the chance to share opinions on the weeks’ readings. The idea of discussing academic writing initially seemed daunting. However, I was surprised to discover a couple of weeks in, that I actually really enjoy the opportunity to explore ideas further in-depth, as well as getting to present some of my own. Although the reading initially seemed a lot, I soon learnt the art of effective note-taking. This helped me to fully grasp new content, whilst also maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
(I quickly learned to balance both the library and bars!)
What do you actually study?
One of the best things about York’s History course is the amount of choice when it comes to picking modules. York has a huge range of modules. Even if you’re a picky historian (like me), you’ll find something that takes your fancy.
In first year, you learn the basics of degree level history. This means that there are more core modules and a little less choice. Even so, I found that the world history modules covered such a wide variety of interesting topics. One week I was learning how to analyse Mao’s China from a Political History lens. The next I was reading about The Great Cat Massacre! All the while, I was picking up new skills like Chicago referencing and critical analysis.
By my second and third years, I had grown massively in confidence when it came to academic writing. I was able to apply these skills to modules of my choosing. How it works is that you’re asked to rank all the available modules in order of preference and will be allocated accordingly. Luckily, I was always able to get my first choice and so have enjoyed studying topics such as the Russian Revolution, Medieval English Kingship, Early Modern heresy and several others. I appreciate the variety, as it means I am never bored, am always learning something new and am able to really tailor my degree to my interests.
How are you assessed?
Exams are one of the scariest parts about starting university and I was worried I would struggle to adapt to a new style of being assessed. One thing I like about York, however, is that assessment type varies per module. Sometimes this means writing a 1500-2000 word essay within a set time frame, whilst for others I needed to complete a group project or a five-hour open book exam. These seem intimidating, but the variation allowed me to figure out what works best for me. It means that I’m not overly disadvantaged if I struggle more with one assessment type than others.
Is it worth it?
A thousand times, yes! Although there have been times when all I’ve wanted to do is break down and cry, my years at York have been some of the best years of my life. Starting university is daunting and difficult, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat and implore every one else to give it a go!
(Another Minster Pic, as I can’t help myself.)
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