I could say English is the area of study that I chose because it was the subject that I was best at— but if you look at my A-level results— that simply isn’t true. Equally, I had done well in all the subjects I had pursued at A-level? So, why English instead of the study of Psychology or Business— or something completely new like Law?

 

I could recite the typical answer that most English students provide when asked about their choice of study: “I love reading!”— but, again, that would be untrue. While I do enjoy reading, it is by far the least thrilling part of my course. Reading for pleasure and reading because one has to are two completely different things, and the study of English is so much more than simply reading books. Anyone can read a book or listen to the way in which someone speaks. What I enjoyed about English was learning new ways to approach and analyse language and literature, and this gave me a new appreciation for the high art form of writing and conversation. Understanding these elements invigorated my own writing and I went from absolutely hating writing essays to thoroughly enjoying transforming my thoughts into thought-provoking and insightful pieces. However, I was still hungry for more and felt like I had more to learn and improve upon. Hence, the reason that I pursued English was purely for cathartic reasons: to master my own writing and fill the gaps in my knowledge about literature and linguistics.

 

Deciding on which course to study was the easy part. However, when it came to universities, that’s when things became trickier. There were lots of factors to consider. Most importantly, which universities allowed me to study both literature and language as a combined course. Luckily, I was spoilt for choice, with options up and down the country. Nevertheless, when I really began to think about where to study, I knew deep down that I didn’t want to move too far from home in case any circumstances occurred that meant I had to study from home or commute. Thus, I whittled my options down to universities in the West Midlands. Coventry University stood out to me as a prime contender because a family member had studied there recently and had raved about how great their experience was. However, being the sceptic that I am, I decided to visit the university for myself. The first thing that struck me was how diverse the city was. It was important to me to live in an area full of unique perspectives and experiences, especially having grown up in an area where there weren’t many people that were like me. I wanted to study somewhere where I felt like I belonged and that’s what I felt when I visited the campus: I could truly envision myself studying and living in Coventry. Furthermore, upon learning that the university was one of the highest rated for student experience and teaching quality, my decision to study at Coventry was pretty much settled. But what finally sealed the deal was the opportunity to receive an academic scholarship that would help finance my studies. Ergo, my decision was final.

 

Many people often assume that all English students want to become a teacher: this is false. There are many different career paths that I could pursue with my degree, such as journalism, marketing, public relations and human resources. The field that currently interests me the most is journalism, and I am actively seeking opportunities to build my journalism experience (e.g. blog-writing and taking different online courses). This will hopefully help me to secure a post-graduate placement so I can explore this career path further and decide if it is for me. Alternatively, I have also considered pursuing a masters. However, I am unsure whether I want to continue my studies after graduation or jump into the intimidating and competitive world of work straight after graduation. Additionally, through joining the Global Leaders Programme, I have been able to attend a few language classes, and various workshops and speaker events that will increase my international job opportunities as well. So, now I need to decide which opportunities I would most like to pursue.

 

One of the toughest challenges I have faced is trying to gain industry experience alongside my studies. As a student, it is extremely difficult to stay motivated and meet deadlines. Therefore, to add the extra stress of seeking work experience and committing to those opportunities whilst also tackling deadlines has been extremely difficult, and a challenge I am yet to master. Nonetheless, despite struggling to stay motivated, I am extremely proud of the fact that each year I have met the requirements to renew my academic scholarship and occasionally exceed my own expectations and hit 80% on my assignments.