Tessa

From Singapore, Tessa found Edinburgh appreciates the warm welcome to Edinburgh and the 4-year structure of Scottish degree programmes.

What attracted you to the University of Edinburgh and this programme, in particular?

I was always interested in the idea of studying Ancient History, but I never had a chance to pursue it in Singapore. I knew I wanted to study English Literature, so when I was presented with the opportunity to study both Classics and Literature, I knew I had to apply. Additionally, I liked that Scottish degrees were four years long rather than three, as it allowed me to fully settle into life here in Edinburgh with less stress during my first and second year.

What's your best advice for overseas students?

Don’t let that imposter syndrome get you down! Ask what certain slang words mean, participate in everything you can and don’t worry about coming off as strange. Your cultural differences are actually really strong building blocks for friendships and good chats. People are as interested in getting to know you as you are them!

What do you most like about studying at the University of Edinburgh?      

I love how involved many of the lecturers are with their students. I have been able to develop good professional relationships with my professors that have deeply benefited my academic life. You do have to sometimes take initiative and ask questions after class or take advantage of office hours, but I have never been disappointed when I’ve engaged with my tutors beyond the lecture halls!

How is your programme equipping you for your future career?

I think sometimes people think that studying something like Classics means you can’t work in any fields beyond academia or archaeology, but you gain so many transferable skills! You develop analytical skills, presentation skills, writing skills and even networking skills in this programme. Each lecturer and tutor has a different way of assessing you in their class that you are able to really come out of it with a holistic set of skills that you can use in any profession. I myself am looking into a career in museum outreach work and curation, and I know for a fact that I will be able to apply my research and analytical skills to jobs within that field, even if the museum doesn’t have a Classical Art element!

The more I looked into what Edinburgh was like, the more I realised it was the place for me.