Why I chose Chemistry at Birmingham

Hello, my name is Mahjabeen and I’m a third year Chemistry student here at Birmingham, and I wanted to share my experience of choosing to go here and things I’ve pursued during my time!

It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to study at university. My whole life I’d switch from subject to subject, from Medicine to Archaeology to Fashion, I wanted to do it all! Over time, I realised I had an affinity for the Sciences but even then, I would fluctuate between which interested me the most. Post-GCSEs, or I guess more accurately during lockdown, whilst also consuming every kind of media known to man, I also spent some time thinking about my future – did I want to research? Did I want to entertain? I really wasn’t sure, I just knew I was not going to be doing physics! Once I had started A-Levels I realised I really enjoyed Chemistry and, regardless of if I was struggling to keep my grades up, I always wanted to learn more about how it worked. From this I would watch YouTube videos and read books about the inner workings of Chemistry, which furthered my love for the subject and resulted in me choosing it at a degree level.

Originally, I had applied to UoB just to fill a space in my applications and had my eyes set on another university (which now looking back is kind of insane) – I can’t imagine being anywhere else! One of the many things I was enamoured by when doing my research into the university post-acceptance, was Old Joe and campus itself. It’s beautiful no matter the season and now that I’m here I love discovering new places to study or even just going for a walk on campus. Another thing I saw that interested me was the sheer number of societies and in turn communities that could be joined, the options were endless and really made me feel like I would be able to have interests outside of my degree. I think the factor that had me locked in on picking Birmingham as my firm choice was the care shown by members of staff and students already on the course in answering my questions and making me feel like Birmingham was the right choice for me - even when I was unable to come in for the Offer Holder Day. 

I have achieved a lot during my time here: I have volunteered at many events for the UoB Islamic Society, I have taken part in social sports which put me out of my comfort zone, and I have been to so many places and experienced so many things. One of my highlights was the Reckitt Challenge which I took part in at the end of my first year, it was a lot of fun and I learnt a lot of new things that linked to what I could potentially be doing in the future. I went to Cadbury World with the School of Chemistry to learn about the chemistry of chocolate which was so fun and surprisingly educational. The city itself has become like a second home to me, and I find myself defending it a lot. Outside of university I've gained new hobbies such as rock climbing which is so accessible and also yoga. Most importantly, I appreciate the friends and community I’ve developed here so much, and I think I’ll carry those relationship experiences for life! 

Overall, I think coming to UOB was one of the best decisions I’ve made for myself, and I’d recommend it to anyone. There are so many courses available and so many things to do to expand your experiences outside of education. I’ve felt supported by many people throughout my academic journey (shout out to my personal tutor!) and I’ve always felt there was someone I could go to with my queries academically or otherwise. Post graduation, I am sure the things I've learnt during my time here with help me immensely through my career and through life.