Helen
Helen has entered King's College London — the oldest research univesity of Great Britain founded in 1829 by the order of the king George IV. It has the 7th place among all European universies according to a rating by The Times.
What are you studying?
BSc Physiotherapy (Faculty of Physiotherapy).
Why did you make such a choice?
I chose this direction because I love chemistry and biology, I am very interested in everything related to how our body works and works, and I want to work with people. I chose King's College because among all the other universities that offer a course in physiotherapy, King's has the strongest academic programme and a good balance between theory and practice.
Do you have a favorite subject?
It's a difficult question. I really like everything, everything is insanely interesting. I didn't even expect it to be like this. Probably, after all, my favorite is Anatomy and a module that is dedicated to the nervous system and neurology.
What surprised you the most in Britain?
I was surprised and it seems strange that in Britain it is now customary to call teachers and professors by name in universities, for example Alistair instead of Dr. Hunter.
How did you spend your first day at university?
The first day at the university was introductory — Induction to the course. We were told a little about the structure of the course, mainly organizational aspects. After the introductory part, the sophomores arranged a picnic for us in the park with all sorts of active games. Sophomores, by the way, help us very much: they give us study tips and arrange all sorts of social events.
What did you have to learn?
The most difficult thing for me is to organise my study time, because I don't usually have homework, there are no tests at all, but I have to study a lot. We also have to learn how to critically evaluate articles (critical appraisal) and work with scientific journals. I can't say that I have already mastered this but I'm learning how to.
What is your favorite place in the city?
Favorite place? Bloomsbury Square, it's near the British Museum. There are many beautiful parks in London. In my opinion, the coolest is Richmond Park, where deer live, but it is quite far away. And from the establishments in Camden — Blues Kitchen with live music every night.
Who do you communicate with and study with?
Most of all I communicate with my friends in the hostel and with Russian friends from London Gates. There are a lot of foreigners in the hostel: among those with whom I spend the most time, there is a Norwegian, Canadians, a Belgian and a girl from Estonia. And all from different London colleges — mainly UCL, King's and LSE. It is very convenient for those who want to practice the language — there is a native speaker of almost any language. I study with very different people: some are my age, some are 10 years older. My course is very small compared to others (only 38 people), so we all know each other pretty well.
What do you miss the most?
My friends, of course, and my home.
Can you give advice to students taking A-levels exams now?
I would advise you to visit open days of lots of universities, especially if you are not sure where you want to go. There will be an opportunity to chat with students and teachers and just see the surroundings. After my interviews at universities, for example, my preferences changed completely. I realised that some options did not suit me, and other universities, against which I initially had some prejudices, on the contrary, I found quite suitable.