Maisy Gilligan

What is a typical day in your life like?

As a Geography student my typical day in the life at university is quite different to my experience at college. Due to focusing on human geography and being an essay based course I have a lot of independent work, followed by 8-12 contact hours a week which is either in the form of seminar or lectures. So a typical day in the life for me would consist of a 2 hour lecture, followed by lunch on the gorgeous campus with my friends in many of our outlets and then going to our amazing modern library. I usually end my day at our high tech sport and fitness gym, where I love to do spin and Pilates classes to get a mixture of work life balance.

How did you know that the University of Birmingham was the right choice for you?

Due to being Covid-19 when I applied unfortunately I couldn't attend in person open days, however once redirections were more lifted I went with my dad to visit the campus and instantly felt that I could see myself at Birmingham. Coming originally from South-West London it was the perfect place for me being a lovely green campus but able to easily get into the hustle and bustle of the city centre in just 7 minutes on the Universities very own train station.

What made University of Birmingham the right place for Geography?

During A-level Geography I wasn't sure if I preferred human or physical geography, so Birmingham offered a great option to be able to do a mix of both in your first year and then decide which you prefer or carry on doing a mixture. This really has allowed me to specialise into my passions which has been feminist geography by getting to try out lots of different modules. Also I had heard great things about the geography society called kinvig, and it definitely beat my expectations this is where I have most of my friends through all the events hosted such as Alton Towers, bar crawls and and end of year formal ball.

What is your student experience like?

I feel like I have really been able to learn how to have a student life balance (which definitely takes time adjusting to), from creating great bonds with my lecturers which has enabled me to get 1-1 support on my assignments, to getting a part time job on campus. I have a few different roles on campus such as student ambassador, content creator and an Aston Webb welcome assistant. Not only have these jobs enabled me to gain some extra money, they have also taught me valuable transferable skills, created life long friendships and also made me feel like I am making a positive lasting impact on the university and is definitely something I would recommend to students to look into as all roles are so flexible alongside your studies.

How has Birmingham helped you throughout your studies?

Each lecturer has a minimum of 2 drops in a week in my course, this has helped me so much through my studies, because with over 31,000 students at the university it can feel overwhelming at first to feel like you know your lecturers as you would your teachers in school and college. However using these drop ins enabled me to make great connections with my lecturers and get tailored 1-1 support with content and assignments. Also the Careers Network has been vital in helping me get ready to apply for graduate opportunities, with sessions on how to create a LinkedIn profile to 1-1 CV support I have been able to get expert opinions on managing the challenging career world.

What advice/top tips would you give to prospective students?

My top tips for prospective students would be that everyone is in the same position starting university, so being homesick or nervous is totally normal. It's all about putting yourself out of your comfort zone to strive for the university experience you desire knowing that most people will be feeling the same even if it's not visible! Secondarily the University of Birmingham has surplus of second year student accommodations so in first year when people are deciding who they are living with in the first few weeks don't stress and rush into something, take time to find your true friends that you actually want to live with!

What plans do you have for the future?

Following graduation I am starting a graduate scheme at Kenvue (formerly Johnson & Johnson's) rotating between each of their brands within different roles such as assistant brand manager or commercial sales executive. Securing this role really shows the transferable skills that university offers you opening up doors beyond your course title so I am sad to be leaving Birmingham but so excited for my next chapter.