Name, Course, Year, Home town:
Akanksha Dave, Maths(integrated Masters course), 3rd year
Why you choose your course and what you think?:
I enjoy maths and wasn't sure what career I wanted to pursue so maths enabled me to keep my options open until I was more certain. The course is very challenging but also very enjoyable, there is a lot of flexibility in terms of which modules you choose which is nice as it allows you to choose modules that you're interested in. This includes modules outside the maths department and so really helps to build transferable skills that are then very useful when applying for jobs/ internships etc.
Best A level/Subjects to choose for the course?:
Maths and Further Maths. Physics can be useful but it's not necessary, I took maths, further maths chemistry and biology.
Best and Worse things about studying at your university:
One of the best things is the maths department; it's very well organised and very supportive and it feels like they genuinely care about the students. Another great thing is how diverse Warwick is, this was something that was quite important to me when applying to university. I also think first year was really good because it's a campus uni so everything was really close with a bar and club on campus and everyone living a max 15-minute walk away meaning it was so much easier to get to know people. I would say one of the worst things is how expensive things can be, the sports club fees are very expensive and this stopped me from being able to continue with sports at uni. I'm not sure if this is the case at all unis or if Warwick is just particularly expensive.
Where you live up's and downs ( University halls or housing or home):
I lived in halls in first year which was a really great way to get to know people. It was also super convenient since it's a campus uni so everything was really close by. I now live in housing off-campus which I like because I got to choose my housemates and whilst it is further away from uni and the buses aren't great, I really like the location and the house is really nice and a lot more affordable than the campus accommodation
What do you think of the University Area? (Night club, shops, food etc):
Leamington is lovely, there's lots of clubs and bars and restaurants to go to, the only downside is that unless you plan on driving, its an hour bus journey from the uni which is a bit of a trek. Coventry itself is a bit of a mixed bag, there are some nice places but it doesn't always feel that safe. However, the uni is pretty close to the train station and has good links to London and Birmingham so it's easy to travel.
What advice would you give to first years:
Join as many societies as you can and try new things, first year is a really good opportunity to find things that you love doing and make new friends. There's definitely something for everyone. Also, make sure to try and make friends from a variety of different places such as your coursemates and from societies instead of just restricting yourself to your flatmates. It's important to make sure you do things that you want to do rather than things you think you're supposed to do, I think a lot of people go to uni with a very specific idea of what the experience should be like and so feel pressured into doing things they don't like. There's no right way to experience uni, just do the things that you feel comfortable with but also don't be afraid to try new things.
Why did you choose University Over /Apprenticeship:
I wanted to keep my options open as I wasn't sure which industry I wanted to go into. I also wanted to experience uni and living away from home.
Connect with Akanksha Dave - https://www.linkedin.com/in/akanksha-dave-1a840717a/