Members

Student Profile

Name: Emma Coppins
Age: 20
Course: BSc Psychology
Year of study: Second
Hometown: Canterbury, Kent

Why did you choose to go to university?

I wanted to come to University so that I could open up my options for later on in life. No one else in my family had been to university and I wanted to do something new and challenging. I also didn’t want to get stuck in a dead end job like so many other people I used to work with!

How did you choose which university to attend?

I wanted to go somewhere in the south, close to home, and Portsmouth had one of the most interesting courses out of all of the universities in the south east.

How did you decide which subject area to study?

I really enjoyed As psychology, so decided to take a ‘gap’ year and carry on studying psychology to A-level. I didn’t really know what else I wanted to do, so I decided to do a course that I would enjoy and that would interest me for three years.

What does your course involve?

My course involves a lot of practical experiments, which are really interesting as you get to meet loads of different people and find out what other people are thinking! There is a lot of theory that you have to learn, and a lot of reading to do, but it helps you learn so much more about the subject and makes you want to know more, including things that aren’t covered on the course.

What do you hope to do when you leave university?

I would like to work closely with people, especially teenagers and young adults. I am not entirely sure how I want to do this, but I still have quite some time to think about it.

What are the best bits about university for you?

The best bits of university are making new friends, learning things about yourself you never knew and having a lot of independence. I have learnt that there are many more opportunities for you out there than I could ever have imagined and that anything is possible.

How did you find the transition from college to university? What help did you receive? If you moved away from home, how did you find it?

Going from college to university was not very different except there is a lot less contact with tutors and lecturers at university. However, if you do need help, the tutors are always there to answer questions. Moving away from home was fine, my mum missed me a lot but I surprised her a couple of times by turning up at home! Living in student accommodation was really good fun and I have made loads of friends.

What advice would you give to UP for It members who are not sure whether they want to go to university?

Take your time over deciding what you want to do. I took a gap year and it really helped me sort out in my head what I wanted to do. Look at what courses you will enjoy and will want to do, and remember, you don’t necessarily have to decide what to do with the rest of your life, only what you want to do for the next three years.