Grace is currently studying English at Edinburgh Napier and is on 'S2E5: English' of the podcast. She talks about her love for reading, what she enjoys about the course, things that have surprised her and tips to succeed at Napier. Read on to find out more about her university journey.
The Course
Tell us about why you decided to choose Napier?
Originally I was meant to be doing Ancient History and Greek but I did not meet the terms of my offer, I decided to look at clearing and courses that were available. One that stood out to me was English, due to my love of reading and English in high school. I didn't hear about Napier before I applied for offers, I actually found out about Napier University from my mum - who went to Edinburgh Napier for Architecture.
What do you like about your course and why?
I love my course due to the staff/lecturers. They are all professionals and experts in the fields they teach along with their devotion to helping us with assessment work and anything else we need. Along with this, the course throughout my degree offers a wide range of different topics, some which I never thought to learn or look at before.
What's your dream career/job and is your course preparing you for that?
Currently I would love to work within publishing and am working towards applying for my masters after finishing my undergraduate in English.
What advice would you give someone just starting your course?
Try things, try different studying techniques, different ways to write assessments, you have two years to practice your assessments before they count so make the most of it. Along with that, research not only what you learn in class but what you find interesting and expand on that more, it will help you a lot in the future.
Student Experience
How would you describe the support at Napier?
The support at Napier is great, personally I have used the academic skills to help my transition to academic writing from High school. But the support I know stretches beyond just academic skills, which is nice to know there is always support.
Are you involved in any clubs or societies and what do you enjoy about them?
Yes. Currently I'm apart of the Book Club and have been for two years, I love the fact that I am apart of a community and has helped me meet new people, and become more confident at university.
Studying in Edinburgh
Do you enjoy studying in Edinburgh and what's the best thing about studying here?
Yes. Personally I love how everything is not far away if you need a book shop for example there is one right around the corner of Merchiston. Along with never running out of study spots, and places to just take a break from studying.
How was your experience of starting university and what advice would you give to others?
Starting university for me was quite daunting and scary, I was only sixteen when I started so was scared to introduce myself and speak to others. But I would advise to speak up, talk to people.