Eve
Watson

Why did you choose to study your course at NTU?

I realised I could not finish a degree if it was not something I enjoyed. When I was younger, I wanted to be a farmer so I thought maybe animals are still my way to go. I sat and researched animal-based university courses and I quickly realised I could happily become immersed in zoology. Zoology covers the enjoyment I gain from animals, without focusing on animals in captivity. I thought about the aspects of studying animals that could appeal to me; I wasn’t fussed about caring for animals in captivity. I wanted to look wider at the relationships between animals and the environment, learn about their behaviours, and cover anatomy and physiology, since I had always enjoyed it in high school.

I chose NTU due to the community of the campus. There’s a shop, garden, library, bar, table tennis tables etc, all within a student hub of activity. Brackenhurst Campus is beautiful, and I knew I could be happy and resilient throughout my degree if I could visit cats and walk through fields whenever I needed. I was comforted by the friendliness of NTU staff at an open day and the student support available.

What do you enjoy most about your course?

I enjoy the range of subjects my course covers, I feel like I will leave uni with a breadth of knowledge and interests that will widen my career options. I also know that we will always be covering something I’m interested in each term. I was uncertain of what I wanted to study before uni so a broader course was a massive appeal, it’s giving me time to find out what I am truly interested in and want to go into in the future.

How do you find your modules and what have you most enjoyed studying?

First year covered a variety of modules to give us a solid base layer of knowledge, which I have appreciated coming into second year. Second year has become more focused, going more in depth into topics. I enjoy learning about anatomy and physiology, I was delighted that we had a whole module on this in first year. I still enjoy anatomy and physiology, each topic previously studied is now weaved into new modules so I can find my favourite topics throughout. Each module builds up throughout the year and modules build upon each other to highlight the interconnectivity of zoology.

What do you think about the facilities available on your course and what do you use the most?

We use the laboratories and microscopes the most as part of the course: you can’t study things without looking at them. Being given the resources to conduct experiments in the lab has helped develop me into an independent and inquisitive student. As part of our laboratory work, we use the universities specimen collections, e.g. an identifying practical using skulls and other bones. We also use the entire campus for data collection on invertebrates and small mammals.

What do you think about Brackenhurst Campus? What do you get up to in your spare time?

I used to be involved in the play for fun activities (badminton and yoga) however unfortunately work commitments have now limited how much I can attend. The YMCA Climbing Centre in Newark are currently offering climbing for Brack students, since me and my friend work there. I would also love to see the uni set up a Brack Climbing Society and strengthen the connection with the YMCA. Moves+ is wonderful, a coffee break in The Orangery between lectures is great and the moves app makes that more financially feasible. The Refectory can also be a life saver when you haven’t done a food shop yet or don’t want to cook.

Me and my flatmates volunteer at the Animal Unit, mostly for dog walking! The cattery is also a very popular stop as it’s nice to chill out with the cats after stressful days. Overall Brack is a lovely campus to explore, my flatmate encouraged me to discover the woodland behind the Animal Unit and now I walk a new route every time I feel I’m going stir crazy. My flat also attend the pub quiz in Southwell every week, there’s a couple that go on and we pick whichever we fancy. There are a few events in Southwell throughout the year such as a Christmas market and it’s worth walking down to look around. I have my bike at uni and I love a cycle down the Southwell trail, especially if it ends at Cake by the Lake.

What is your top tip for someone considering studying/ living at Brackenhurst Campus? 

Bring wellies for when it is muddy! Don’t be afraid to leave your flat, the whole campus is yours, go and walk around and use the buildings. I was worried in my first term that I “wasn’t supposed to be somewhere” and now I’m exploring everywhere, studying in the library until late, rocking up to Wellbeing Wednesday etc. Get involved in Brack Bar events, Wellbeing Wednesday and student mentor run events, even if they end up not being your cup of tea, you can leave early and you still feel like you’ve socialised, been out, and done something. Doing stuff is wonderful for mental health. If you think you’ll want to travel into city a lot it may be worth getting a bus pass. My grandma lives in Nottingham so I find myself travelling by bus a lot so the bus pass is worth it. Download the NCTX bus app to see up to date bus times all over Nottingham.

Also get the moves+ app where walking earns you points and points earn you free hot drinks and snacks on campus. There’s an app called its in Nottingham that keeps you up to date with local events, clubbing, student nights (which offers freebies from certain stores), ice skating discos, monthly crafts, comedy, sports, everything. I think it’s good to volunteer at the Animal Unit at least once to meet other people and get to know the staff, you never know you may want to collect data there one day. It is worth planning where and when you are going to shop. Co-op is convenient, Lidl and Tesco are a short bus journey away. If you want to go further afield find a friend who drives and line up your shopping trips or plan to shop when you’re going into the city. There is also a bus to Newark which seems to have every supermarket under the sun, however it only runs on certain days. I’d suggest getting into the routine of roughly planning your week before uni so you know when you can socialise, shop and study.

Have you been involved in any placements, work experience or volunteering as part of your course? If so, what did you do and what did you achieve?

I’m considering doing a yearly placement but I’m not sure yet. Other people have booked bear placements in Italy or sled dog placements in Wales. We’re working closely with Rutland Water for one of our assignments at the moment, identifying the invertebrates that have been collected in various lagoons.

Why would you recommend your course to someone considering studying it?

I would highly recommend Zoology as it dives into every aspect of the natural world. It feels more applicable to the world around since it does not focus on animals in captivity. Zoology isn’t afraid to look at any animals of any size. There is massive variety within the course which helps build a wide base layer of knowledge and reveals the complex natural mechanisms at work every day. You will find something you enjoy in zoology if you are remotely interested in animals or nature. I’ve learnt that there are more things I’m interested in than I thought, and I care about animals I never thought would pique my interest. Zoology challenges your thinking about how humans are operating, it encourages critical thinking and some interesting class debates.

What are your plans for after the course and how do you feel your course has/ will help you to achieve that goal?

Our lecturers have begun highlighting some dissertation and career opportunities: I learnt this week that forensic entomology is a career path. I can’t say I’m sure on what I want to do but I’d love to travel and work abroad. Learning about lemurs in Madagascar has got the cogs in my brain turning in terms of future careers. I worked last summer as a field research scientist, collecting data on crops, since I now have experience within this field, it may be a future career path.

Any additional comments:

Brack is giving me the most wonderful university experience. I like the people, the place, and the lecturers. I can’t recommend Brack enough and I get very smug when my friends complain about their uni or where they live.