St Andrews – what’s not to love?
Ella Crowsley, a fourth-year undergraduate student studying English, tells us why she chose to come to St Andrews. She describes the experiences that the University has offered her, the opportunities she has been given to explore her passions and the vital grounding she has gained in areas she wants to pursue as her career through her internship with Development.
As a 17-year-old in secondary school, faced with the task of picking a single subject to spend years of study on at university, I was overwhelmed. Narrowing down 10 subjects to three from GCSE to A Level was difficult enough. I was nervous that making the wrong decision would hinder me from pursuing other areas later in my career. This feeling was made worse by horror stories I had read about people who had loved their subject at A Level, only to find out it was completely different at university, but by then were too late to change courses. The one thing I did know for sure: I loved words. I just couldn’t be sure which one subject would enhance this passion. That’s where St Andrews stepped in.
From my very first semester I was offered not only a multitude of subjects to choose from, but also a variety of modules within each of those departments! The freedom and diversity that the structure of the programme offered was invaluable, as it let me explore my literary interests at an undergraduate level, without making irreversible decisions. In my first year alone I had taken modules in English, Comparative Literature, Philosophy, Theology and even Music! An assortment of module choices combined with the stunning setting of the town and beaches of St Andrews – what was not to love?!
I realised I had to relish every single opportunity I was presented with and make the most of my time here. It all started in first year, when I attended the Fresher’s Fayre, and encountered the 150 societies that the University had to offer. Through the dance club, an entirely student-run society, I have been able to continue performing – something I have loved from a young age – while gaining incredible experience that can be transferred into a workplace environment. From choreographing and leading a competitive dance team, to teaching a weekly dance class of my own, as well as running shows and costumes for the dance club committee, the club has given me so much more than I had expected.
Similarly, as a fresher signing up to audition for a cappella groups, I could never have imagined that I would one day be president of that society, leading over 80 members and coordinating a national championship of groups from across Scotland. Societies have been where I’ve met most of my best friends, and I can safely say that they are one of the things that have made me who I am through my time at St Andrews.
Now, heading into my fourth year with graduation just a year away, I face a similar predicament to my 17-year-old self: I need to make decisions about the future. While obviously exciting, it is also rather nerve-wracking. Researching for graduate opportunities, I had seen that an increasing number of ‘entry-level jobs’ required prior experience in administration, organisation and leadership. While hugely appreciative of my time in societies and the skills it had given me, I realised that I had little workplace experience. Many sectors are becoming progressively competitive, particularly in a world emerging from Covid, and I was left wondering what my career held for me after graduation.
When I saw the University advertising for internship placements, I was therefore intrigued. I came across the Development Office and was fascinated by the publications they produce and work that they do. The application advertised tasks in copywriting, proofreading, editing and content research – all things I had been working on and interested in in my pursuit of a career in publishing. With the confidence I had gained from my time in societies, I knew I had to apply. I was lucky enough to be invited to interview, and spent hours researching the department and preparing for any questions that might have come up. In fact, this preparation and the interview itself were already a fantastic experience, as I had previously never encountered this kind of formal job interview. Despite my nerves, thankfully my hard work paid off, and I was thrilled to be offered the place.
While I am currently only in my first week of the internship, I have already learned so much. The professional environment has allowed me to apply the skills I have gained through my studies and society activities to practical projects. I have loved seeing the publishing process at first hand – from researching and gathering content and creating editorial documents, through to the final publication – and I have gained fantastic insight that I will be able to use when I graduate.
I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunities that the University has given me. Through my studies, extra-curricular activities and internship, I feel that I have been given invaluable experiences and the perfect grounding with which to progress my future career.