They were really genuine about helping mature students get back into education.

Why did you decide to go to university?

Previously, I was working as a chef for about six or seven years. I had a good career and I travelled lots but I just felt like I wanted to do something different. While working in Australia, I developed an interest in politics and decided to look at some university courses in the UK.

I started looking at the Russell Group as I thought it would be the best thing for me. It was also important to find a university that cared about mature students. I saw that the University of Sheffield had the Department for Lifelong Learning and I got the impression they were really genuine about helping mature students get back into education. 

How would you summarise your time at the University of Sheffield?

I found it difficult going to university at a later age, mainly because of the different social dynamics. I was 26 when I started my degree but, because you change so much throughout your twenties, it felt like a few years’ age gap could make a big difference.

Although it was a challenge I still loved my whole experience at Sheffield. As a mature student you’re very well placed to do a university degree. Having worked for so many years, I treated the course like a job and that kept me on track. Whenever I needed support, I’d reach out and it was there, whether it be from the faculty or the university. 

The Politics department was really impressive. What always stood out to me was the narratives and linear progression of the modules. Starting off studying classic theories, the course would gently build upon your knowledge and encourage you to challenge entrenched theories, helping you develop original ideas. I genuinely learnt a lot from the politics modules.

How did you manage balancing two different subjects?

I actually found the balance really good and I would recommend people study a dual honours degree, especially when one of the subjects is a little more creative. 

While studying politics, you have to sit down and read some heavy philosophical and theoretical work. Sometimes the readings can be a bit dry and intellectually challenging. For me, taking time away to go to a workshop or class a few hours a week where I could speak Spanish and read Spanish literature was a nice break. I didn’t think about the balance before I applied for the dual degree but it worked out great and I found it really helpful. 

What would you say were the highlights of your undergraduate degree?

In an academic sense, my highlights were learning a language and doing a year abroad. I had the opportunity to study at a great Spanish university where I made lots of friends. I joined the Modern Languages course as a complete beginner and, by putting in the work, I really did learn a new language. It was an amazing experience.

I would also say the politics modules were another highlight. I remember particularly enjoying a Development Studies module, run by Jon Gamu. He was very down to earth and showed us that if we worked hard then we’ll get more out of the degree but if we slacked off then that was on us. All of the academics were really friendly and passionate, so you really felt like part of a community.

Outside of academics, I made a couple of really good friends that I ended up living with. If you can find a couple of your people, it can be really powerful. As a mature student, I felt slightly alienated at times. I had a job throughout my degree so I wasn’t going out on Tuesday nights and the time of doing 50p shots had long passed for me. However, I did join the rowing club and everyone was so friendly and welcoming. At the end of the day, everyone’s just trying to have a good time and get through their degrees. I would recommend that people find a club that they’re interested in and just go for it. Finding a couple of my people was really great and they’ve become important life long friends. 

When did you decide to pursue creative writing?

I feel like the last ten years of my life have been very chaotic, but also fun. Creative writing was a natural progression for me because I’ve always read. I never thought it was something I would study seriously but during my undergraduate I learnt to become a better reader and began seeking out new stuff. Studying Spanish definitely helped because I was exposed to a lot of Latin American writing. 

I originally explored doing journalism because I thought I should use my politics degree. Last summer I was lucky enough to get an internship in London at a current affairs magazine. I really enjoyed it and found watching journalists at work very inspiring. But, I saw the amount of hours everyone was putting in and how fast they had to work and realised it wasn’t the sort of life I wanted.

I then got this idea in my head that I like writing, I love literature, so maybe I should do creative writing. I never thought I was capable or smart enough but I went to a couple of local writing workshops and it just snowballed. I began to read more challenging literature, listen to more podcasts and watch interviews with different writers. I also began writing a lot. When I started exploring a masters degree, I spoke to some English literature academics at the University of Sheffield and they gave me all the information I needed about how the course worked and how to secure a place. It was stressful and I spent months thinking that it wouldn’t happen but I was accepted! 

What were the most important skills that you gained from studying Politics?

The major skill I gained was the ability to read difficult papers. Even in first and second year, sometimes a twenty page article would take me a day to read. I felt like I was never going to understand the abstract philosophical articles and I had to read them two or three times over.

In hindsight, tackling these papers made me a much better reader. Articulating the key takeaways of these texts and then writing about them in essays developed my ability to critically assess different writing, picking out the strengths, weaknesses and key points. 

This skill definitely transferred over to my love of literature and gave me more confidence in abilities. It’s easy to feel stupid when reading, but letting a seemingly impenetrable text settle in your mind before going back to it can give you more confidence in your reading. It may seem like a small thing but I believe it’s a skill that will stick with me forever.   

What would be your one nugget of advice for people thinking about studying a degree in Politics?

This might be an unoriginal thing to say, but just go for it. Doing a degree is such a huge undertaking and it’s easy to start questioning your decisions constantly. My main concerns were whether my interest in the subject was strong enough, if I wanted a job in a related field and if the course was really right for me. 

What I’ve learnt is that you don’t have to choose a degree based on your career goals. I will never use my degree in the traditional sense but the skills I gained are highly transferable and I truly enjoyed my time at the university. So, go for what you’re interested in and don’t worry too much about whether it’s the right thing for your job or career in the long term.