Excellence Oboh

Hi all! I’m Excellence, a first year undergraduate studying English Language and Linguistics who commutes from just outside Birmingham. I am a Nigerian-born British citizen. Here are some more details about me, my journey to UoB and what I have to look forward to...

My journey to Birmingham

Ever since I was a child I have been enamoured with language: writing, trying to capture any minor nuances in between the lines of each page I read, and even listening carefully to each word I hear to see if there might be a pattern hiding in plain sight. But I never knew that there was a whole academic field dedicated to analysing language until I started sixth form. My A Level English Language course opened my eyes to the exciting world called 'linguistics', and that is when I knew I had to study linguistics at university. I chose UoB because of how much support the university offers, including academic support, mental health support, and career support. And the possible travel opportunities were the icing on the cake for me. I couldn’t believe there was such a good university right in my backyard!

How it’s going

I love being able to study something I am passionate about here at UoB. It's amazing to be able to sit and read about fascinating theories and research for hours and be rewarded for it! Although I was somewhat nervous about my first assessments, getting support from the Academic Writing Service gave me the guidance I needed to improve my work, and I've been able to chase away any remaining nerves by paying a visit to some lovely therapy dogs at the library. Studying at UoB has even allowed me to uncover a side of Birmingham that I’ve never seen before: the gold mine that is Selly Oak. There are so many authentic and diverse restaurants, dessert places, pubs, and fast food shops that I feel spoiled for choice. I’m tempted to try and visit all the food spots from campus all the way to the Selly Oak Retail Park (if that’s even possible).

Future aspirations

Around this time, many students pick the modules that they will study next year. I’ve decided to learn more about discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, and language education, and I can’t wait to get stuck in. I am also eager to apply for the ‘languages for all’ program so I can learn about other languages too.