Blog written by Marty B.
Back in June, I had the amazing opportunity to go to the University of Leeds for a 3 day & 2 night residential to study languages, for free, as part of the university’s Linguastars outreach programme. Not only did I get the chance to study subjects far outside of our curriculum, from interpreting to Thai, but I was also able to experience life beyond school as part of a vibrant student community, something that can be hard to envision during GCSEs or A-Levels – a genuinely amazing experience.
Although it may seem like the trip was entirely academic-focused, it felt as though there was never a dull moment. Having spent the time staying in official accommodation, I came to really get to know the people around me, especially on the first night, where the whole group went bowling together! Being around people with such similar interests has really made me feel less anxious about my study choices, and given me friends that I could be studying with in a year’s time. The other students were from a wide range of regions in the UK, such as Devon or Manchester, and from across all types of schools, such as state schools or independent schools. As well as learning about the subject itself, I ended up learning more about the privilege that we have of studying language in such a focused environment.
And when it came to learning about Modern Languages as a subject at university, I came away from the residential with my perspective completely changed. Being able to speak with current students & professors gave a really deep insight into the course itself, and the opportunity to try new subjects within the course has helped me better understand what I actually want to pursue in the future, an understanding that I wouldn’t have gained without pushing myself outside my comfort zone and reaching out to apply.
If you’re looking to apply to university in the next few years, whether it’s for Modern Languages, or another course, I would seriously recommend looking to go on a summer school: to learn about a course, to experience uni life, and most of all, to meet new people.
