Sophia Ott

Why did you choose Newcastle University?

I loved Newcastle's position so close to the sea! This is what initially drew me to the city, but I also liked the flexibility that my course offered me.

The physical location of the university was also great. I'd heard at school that you'd have to choose between a 'campus' and 'city' university, but Newcastle is a bit of both which I love.

It's very easy to get to different buildings, and the campus element is really there- but It's also so close to the center of town. Newcastle University is also a Russell Group university, and it's beautiful history and architecture were another thing that drew me to the place.

Do you have a favourite memory you’d like to share? Or general comments about the University and city.

There are so many memories that I've made here at Newcastle - I love going into the Henry Daysh building and always seeing someone I know - it makes me feel like I belong.

The city is so walkable that it's grown to become my second home, feeling that I know it inside out. Weekends spent at the beach or on the field next to West Jesmond will forever be happy memories for me.

The city looks its best in the sunshine, and here you can see people sitting outside and chatting. Because I've been involved with many extra-curricular activities, I see many people in and around campus, which makes me feel like a proper part of the university.

What student support services have you accessed at university and how has this helped you?

The careers service has been really helpful in preparing me for interviews, as well as amazing support for CV and cover letters. I think it's a great asset that the university has.

Did you take advantage of work, global experience or extracurricular opportunities?

I could talk forever about the extra-curricular opportunities I have had at Newcastle. Being a student ambassador for my course has been one of the most rewarding parts of my experience, and it's made me really proud of my department, but also of myself for being part of such a diverse and growing community.

Taking a year abroad is by far one of the best decisions I made - it's a year where I developed so much in terms of independence, resilience, and being ready for anything. I would encourage anyone who is thinking about it, to do it. Not only is it a great way to explore how another university works, but you gain a great international network of friends, and travelling beyond your host university is by far one of the best perks.

I am so grateful to have been exposed to these extra-curricular opportunities, as I never would have known about them before coming to university. They are such a great way to show others, but more importantly yourself, of what you are capable of.

How have you found the social aspect of university?

During my time at university, I have loved cooking with others, whether it be with flat mates or course mates- it's these times that I always associate great memories with.

I have loved playing tennis in the various courts across Newcastle, as well as being introduced to new sports, such as climbing and hiking.

And of course, a fun day in Newcastle couldn't be spent without sitting in the sunshine with friends at the pub!

About your degree

Describe your degree to a future student

It's a very flexible degree, you and pick and choose what you'd like to study - which for someone who loves to learn about so many different things - was a great choice.

With a geography degree, you will be exposed to so many aspects of learning. The ones that most students enjoy are the fieldtrips - they are so unique to a Geography degree, because you actually "get out there" and see the world.

What stands out for you about your degree at Newcastle?

Again, definitely the flexibility, but also welcoming nature. The physical location of Geography in the Henry Daysh building means that students can regularly see their lecturers passing by in the corridor, which creates a great staff-student relationship.

This plus the fieldtrips means that academic members of staff become colleagues, as opposed to the traditional "teacher-student" relationship.

The Geography department allows for students to become involved in so many ways - from being part of the Student-Staff Committee, to Geography interns - the department aims to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all!

What do you enjoy about your degree?

I have loved the travel opportunities for sure. It's something that I feel I can't get in other degrees. I also love how many different ways there are to learn Geography, and how your assignments are created.

It's no longer a case of writing essays and exams, but portfolios, policy reports, and presentations.

I love this diversity, because I feel I can be creative and show my academic strengths in ways that suit me best.

What was the course application process like and what are your top tips for applying to Newcastle?

For Newcastle University

I applied through UCAS to 5 different universities. In all honesty, I based my university decision on the location more than the course contents, as at that time I still didn't realise what university was and what modules/ seminars etc were - but I'm SO pleased that I chose Newcastle in the end.

Newcastle prides itself on being an up and rising city, no longer one 'left behind' because of its physical location in the north of England and it's history as a mining town.

It's also situated very close to the sea, which makes it very appealing to a lot of students. In my personal statement, I mainly talked about my passion for my course (Geography), but if you are really enthusiastic about Newcastle itself, then definitely mention the opportunities that are available in the city!

For year abroad

I had to apply to my department (geography) then to the university-wide global experience team (global opportunities). I picked 5 places from our list of partner universities and ranked them in terms of preference.

I also had to write personal statements of why I wanted to do a year abroad. I'm not going to lie it was a pretty stressful process, but this is the case with almost every student who goes abroad, as there are always unexpected hurdles along the way.

However, the global opportunities team are so aware of this, and everything works out well in the end.

Studying abroad

Please tell us more about your experience and how it benefitted you

I went to the university of Strasbourg in France, and I was based in the SciencesPo (political science) faculty. Therefore, I got to study a mixture of geography and political science modules. This really sparked my love for political topics, particularly geopolitics.

Strasbourg is known to be situated in the center of Europe- therefore, I made the most of travelling as much as I could. However, many happy memories were spent hiking Les Vosges mountain ranges just outside Strasbourg.

I did this with a fantastic group of other international students. I now have a wide range of friends from around the world, and it's amazing how this experience has brought me close to people I would probably never have encountered otherwise. It really puts life into perspective sometimes.

My year abroad was a year of great personal growth- my first time living abroad by myself, having to speak a language that wasn't my mother tongue. But now that I am back, I feel like I can conquer anything.

My skills in independence, resilience and adaptability would not be so high if it wasn't for my time abroad.

Funding

How did the funding you received help you whilst studying here?

I received Turing funding to study for my year abroad. The funding did help a bit, but I was very lucky to already have a bank account in euros, so the money was not actually used.

However, I think it is such a vital lifeline for those who require that extra help to achieve their year abroad goals.

Your future

Where do you see yourself in the future? What job role do you see yourself in?

With Geography there are so many avenues you could go down. I am thinking of going into something quite stereotypical of a geography student, such as conservation management. But I'm also looking at things such as working in tea (because of a part time job back home) and teaching English as a foreign language (especially doing this abroad).

However, during my time at university and being a student ambassador, I'm formed a love of promoting the university and geography specifically, so a job in outreach and student recruitment is a new avenue I found at my time at university.

How has Newcastle helped you realise your future?

Tell us how your degree, extracurricular activities or the support you have received has helped you realise your future ambitions.

Like I said before, my degree as well as extra-curricular activities have helped enormously with navigating various job pathways.

One module in my degree influenced what I did for my dissertation, and my overall love for conservation efforts in the environment. My volunteering with NEST inspired a love for teaching the English language, and when I travel abroad in the future, this is something that I can take with me and work out there.

But my student ambassador role is one that I have the greatest love for. Meeting prospective students and their guests, talking about their potential university journey makes me so proud to be in the position I am today. I am glad I am the person that people can talk to about university questions - I love talking about my course as well. I'm proud that I feel I can help students make informed decisions about their future pathways. This role has made me inspired to be a geography and overall university advocate.

Why should a student pick this degree?

A Geography degree can lead you anywhere- as an indecisive person myself, it was definitely the right path. I'm interested in many different things, and with a geography degree, you can be as specific or as general in what you study as you like.

You also form a great connection with your fellow peers and academic staff, creating a great colleague to colleague relationship, which is different to the traditional teacher-student one. And the opportunities to get out there in the field and see parts of the UK and the world is great if you are into travel.