by John Hudson
The academic year is now in full swing after recently welcoming a brand new group of students to our NTU Psychology community – not to mention all our returning undergraduate and postgraduate students. It’s always a busy and exciting time of year, alongside some of the understandable nerves we might also experience (even for us lecturers too). After all, coming to university is a big step for most people so it is only natural to have a few butterflies as you embark on a new adventure.
Over the last couple of years on the NTU Psychology blog, we’ve published several articles from both current and former students sharing their own experience and insights on careers, opportunities, and making the most of your degree. NTU Psychology colleagues have also provided their own insights. As we begin to settle in to the first term, we wanted to highlight a few of these articles to give you some useful pointers and inspiration for your own journeys, no matter which year of study you are in.
One of our most popular articles was written by Jasmin Stevenson, an NTU graduate who reflects on her own undergraduate and career experience and shares some excellent advice to help you get the most from your degrees.
Another of our wonderful alumni, Henry Briscoe, also shared his own recent career experience, providing some much-needed reassurance that it’s ok to not know exactly what you want or to change your mind on your career direction and still be successful. In a world where it can sometimes feel like everyone else knows exactly what they are doing (spoiler alert: most of us don’t) it’s a really important and encouraging message to go with his helpful practical advice.
It’s also useful to keep in mind that although you are studying a Psychology degree, it doesn’t necessarily mean you must have ambitions to become a Psychologist. You’re exploring a topic that can give you an advantage in any career, and we wrote a little about this for those who may be considering their options.
Meanwhile, two of our placement students also took the time to write about their placement experiences: why you might want to do it, how you should do it, and what it’s like. Hannah Wiseman secured a placement as Curriculum Projects Assistant here at NTU last year (2020/2021) and reflects on how she got there.
Rebecca Shoesmith spent a year studying in Budapest as part of NTU’s Study Abroad scheme (https://www.ntu.ac.uk/studenthub/study-abroad). Rebecca shared some amazing experiences and beautiful photos from Hungary (including an amazing-looking cheese donut that I’m still trying to mentally process). Sometimes we just don’t realise what opportunities are possible and we just need someone to show us; Rebecca and our other student/alumni contributors provide some fantastic examples that we hope will inspire you.
And when it comes to setting and example and giving an insight into some of the opportunities that are available, Saskia Hulme discusses her work as a research assistant here at NTU. Saskia was a final year undergraduate at the time and part of a research project investigating yoga and well-being, with Glenn Williams and colleagues. If you ever think that you are ‘only’ a student, this is a great reminder that students can certainly have an impact and there are opportunities available if you have the interest. In fact a number of students have worked with our academic staff and published their research in peer-reviewed academic journals over recent years. So if you’ve got the enthusiasm and willingness to develop your research skills, this is a real possibility and something to look out for. We are aiming to publish some articles from some of these students here on the blog in the near future, so you can read about their experience and maybe they can inspire you to do the same in the coming years.
NTU psychology graduate, Emily Cons, shared her experience of the NTU Future You internship with us, how it shaped her career aspirations and provided experience (and confidence) to help with those next steps. It’s a really nice example that shows the value of being open to opportunities like this, and staying in touch with the NTU Employability Team after you complete your studies. It also links nicely to our previous article, showing that you don’t have to have your career all figured out as an undergraduate, as well as illustrating just some of the many useful transferrable skills psych graduates possess.
And finally, as you prepare for a big year of university life, if you’re interested in what a lecturer’s year looks like, NTU Psychology’s Craig Harper gives you an insight into that right here…
We have lots more for you to explore here on the NTU Psychology blog, please do have a look – there are more careers related articles, as well as some featuring the latest research from NTU Psychology, alongside reflections on the pandemic, social media, among many more.
In addition to the blog, you’ll have received lots of resources and information as you enrolled and attend induction sessions, but here’s a reminder that if you need a bit of help or advice while you are with us, we have an excellent range of support available from our student support team: https://www.ntu.ac.uk/studenthub/student-help-advice-and-services.
And while you’re studying Psychology with us, why not join your fellow students at the NTU Psychology Society? This is led and run entirely by students and the society holds lots of events and activities throughout the year and they are always keen to welcome new members: https://www.trentstudents.org/groups/psychology-fad4
It’s a real pleasure to welcome students to NTU, we look forward to working with you over the next few years and seeing what you all achieve.
Psychology at Nottingham Trent University 