Confusion and anxiety. If I think back to the end of this summer, those two words could have summed up my entire mindset at the time. Confused about what I really wanted to do with my life, and anxious with the choices I had made. If I think about it now, I have never felt so sure that the decision I made to study Physics at the University of Birmingham was the right one. After having been here for over two months now, I can safely say I am settled, calm, and most importantly of all, happy.
I’ll backtrack a little. My name is Will Bartley, I’m 18 years old and I’m from Manchester. I’m on the Physics (MSci) course here at University of Birmingham, but that’s not all I came here for. I’m also here to make the most of Birmingham’s nightlife, to take part in one of the many musical ensembles as a keen musician, to join a sports club – and most of all to make some new friends. I’m a keen Liverpool FC supporter (still unbeaten in the Premier League this season, for the record) and a regular attendee at my local gym. Something I have been involved in since A-level is tutoring, which I enjoy not only because it keeps my knowledge of physics up to scratch, but also because of the rewarding effects it often yields. In summary, I like to keep myself busy.
I chose Birmingham as a destination because it’s central – it allows me to see all my friends around the country without a logistical nightmare occurring. For any northerners out there, the journey isn’t that hellish either (the campus even has its own train station). As a city, Brum is also renowned for having a great student community, which is a reputation I can confirm to be true. Every night means a different event at a different club, so if one is ever at a loss as to what to do one night, they won’t be short of options.
From a different perspective, Birmingham is also a national beacon of light for physics. In 2016 UoB physics researchers were awarded a Nobel Prize for Physics for their work in gravitational waves, showing the strength of the academics here. The university performs excellently in all the league tables, particularly in physics, where it consistently remains in the top 10 for the subject. Also, as potential undergraduates may discover, it is an incredibly competitive course – showing just how much one should want to go there!
So, if I go back to my original point. Where I thought I had many reasons to be nervous about this huge change to my life that was about to occur, I really shouldn’t have at all. I am absolutely loving my time here, and over the next few months I’ll be discussing different aspects of student life, whether that be from an academic, social, or practical perspective. I hope you’ll join me.
