Graham Blyth
"I went to Baldragon Academy in Dundee then straight to the University of Dundee to study History and Politics - I'm now in my final year!"
- What was your experience of secondary school?
- What qualifications did you gain from school?
- What did you do when you left school?
- Why did you decide to go to university?
- What are you studying at university and why?
- Have there been any challenges along the way?
- What do you do in your spare time?
- What do you hope to do once you've gained your qualification?
- What have you gained from your experiences at university so far?
- Do you have any advice for prospective students?
1. What was your experience of secondary school?
I enjoyed school - I had a good group of friends and feel that I made the most of my time there. I was aware that a lot of my peers never considered further study as an option but most of my friends went on to university and I never felt peer pressure either way. Sixth year was really enjoyable. I noticed that the teachers were a lot more personable. Guidance staff talked to me on an individual basis about going to college or university and this was really useful. I also think that it was a good introduction to university because I felt teachers really pushed you to achieve your potential without being on your back all the time. You had to take more responsibility for your studies.
2. What qualifications did you gain from school?
I got eight Standard Grades, all at grade 3 or above. I sat Higher History, Geography, Accountancy and Finance and Chemistry, and Intermediate 2 English and Maths. I also took Advanced Higher History in sixth year.
3. What did you do when you left school?
I went straight to Dundee University after finishing school. Even though I didn’t know what I wanted to do in terms of a career, I didn’t consider anything else. I knew about gap year opportunities, but this didn’t appeal to me. I wanted to go to university while things were still fresh in my mind!
4. Why did you decide to go to university?
I wanted to experience new things, and going to university gave me the chance to do this while also giving me four years to think about what I would like to do after graduating. I chose Dundee University because I wanted to remain in Dundee and be close to friends who also chose to stay.
5. What are you studying at university and why?
I'm in my fourth year in History and Politics joint honours. History is a subject I enjoyed at school and from a young age my personal interest in the subject grew through my own reading. I just felt it was a natural progression to take my interests further. There was no specific job I had in mind when choosing these subjects, but this is something I am now seriously thinking about in my final year.
6. Have there been any challenges along the way?
There have been no real financial challenges – I live at home which makes things easier and work at Boots on a Saturday that gives me some much-needed cash!
Your workload can pile up sometimes though. With my course, there are periods when a lot of deadlines come along at the same time. This can lead to late nights, early mornings and a lot of time spent in the library. So I suppose organising and prioritising my work can be a challenge, but its not always as heavy as this.
Although I didn’t go on one of the visit days to the University, I found adjusting to university life relatively easy. The whole process of matriculating and registering for classes was really easy, and it was reassuring to know that there were hundreds of others in exactly the same position.
7. What do you do in your spare time?
I enjoy socialising with my friends. The Union’s great for meeting up with friends. Everything’s under one roof and you can go there during the day for lunch, between lectures and so on. I also enjoy going to the cinema – you get good student discount there! HMV, Virgin and many clothes shops also offer student discount which helps when you’re on a budget. I go to the gym and go kick-boxing every week which is a good way to relax. There are plenty of sports clubs and societies at Uni that you can join. I’m not a member of any but have used the gym, squash and swimming pool facilities in the past.
8. What do you hope to do once you’ve gained your qualification?
I’m really not sure at the moment what I want to do but there is a lot of guidance support at the Careers Service. They provide information and you can make an appointment to speak to an adviser or drop in during their clinics. The University also organises Careers Fairs, which are very well attended by employers who are keen to talk to you about graduate work.
9. What have you gained from your experiences at university so far?
I feel I have improved at working quickly and efficiently – I have to write a lot of essays as part of my course so my written communication skills and working to deadlines have definitely improved. My motivational skills have also improved. I know that it’s up to me to do the work because my lecturers are not going to chase me for it.
Meeting new people and facing new situations has helped me gain confidence, but coming from Dundee and studying in the same city means I’ve kept the same circle of friends who I rely on. Perhaps I’ve missed out on certain aspects of university life having never lived in halls of residence, but I don’t regret staying at home as it was the best option for me.
10. Do you have any advice for prospective students?
I would say to anyone thinking about college or university to do it! It has to be something you want to do though. Choose a course you know you’re going to be interested in and you will definitely enjoy it. It can be hard work but it’s easy to achieve a healthy balance of work and socializing. You are never overloaded with work. More is expected of you as you progress through your degree, but nothing is unreasonable. If you think about it, you’re only studying for relatively short periods of time and you get good holidays!
The best things about being a student are being able to learn about and develop areas of your personal interest. The social life is also great and overall student life is an excellent experience.
