06 October 2020

From USP to Oxford University

Vicky went to our Palmer's Campus, previously Palmer's College, and eventually progressed on to attend the University of Oxford.

As soon as I saw the Palmer's Campus on the open day, I knew it was the college for me and I couldn’t wait for my time there to start. I really loved my time at the College and would recommend it to everyone. During my time at College, I studied A-level Geography, Psychology, Communication and Culture and AS level History. I liked all the subjects I studied but Geography was my favourite as I got the opportunity to do fieldwork in Scotland and I had an amazing teacher who made me very passionate about the subject.

I loved the atmosphere at College. Coming from secondary school, it was a wonderful change to have so many social spaces as well as more freedom with free blocks on my timetable, which I did not have before. Palmer's helped me to come out of my shell and gave me the confidence I needed in various aspects of my life, both College related and not College related, which is why I am grateful for having decided to study here. I was also very lucky to make incredible friends who made my experience that extra bit more amazing. If there was something I could have changed, I would have loved a wider variety of social/sports clubs. I joined the women's rugby club at university, which I loved, and remember thinking it is a shame that we didn’t have such an option at College. I believe this is now an option, so I encourage students to get involved in sport at the College to make the most of their experience. 

I initially started university straight after College but I found that it was not the right choice for me so I dropped out around Christmas. I knew I still wanted to go to university so I did some research and found the University of Sussex which I ended up attending. They offered a foundation year which was perfect for me because I was able to study a little bit of everything and pick the degree which suited me best. I ended up studying International Relations and Development which was an incredible degree as it was so multidisciplinary; I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the world. Sussex is also 1st in the world for Development Studies so I was at the best university in the world for my degree; this was apparent through the quality of education I received. During my time at Sussex, alongside playing for the university’s women’s rugby team, I also got the opportunity to be the Charity Fundraising Officer for the Travel Society as well as the Social Secretary for the Ballroom and Latin society. For anyone who is thinking of going to university but is not sure, I would 100% recommend it. You not only get to study something you're passionate about with likeminded people, you also have a choice of endless sports/societies where you end up meeting friends for life and university helps you grow so much as a person. It is the perfect stepping stone between being a teenager and an adult; I would not be the person I am today without my university experience.

This September, I am starting my Geography PGCE at the University of Oxford. I am very excited to start a professional course in a new city, not to mention at one of the best universities in the world. After finishing my course, I am hoping to become an A-level Geography teacher whilst continuing my university education through the part-time masters degree that the University of Oxford offers for PGCE graduates. After gaining some experience in the UK, I would like to move abroad and teach at an international school because I love travelling and experiencing other cultures.

 

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