From Finland to UWS and Beyond

I spent many days reflecting and trying to find a programme that would match my interests of policy and social issues the best but there wasn’t many. After results day I remember getting an email promoting BA( Hons) Social Sciences (Society, Politics and Policy) at UWS and I was instantly intrigued because it matched my interests perfectly – a fascinating mix of theory and current societal issues.  After looking into UWS it didn’t take me long to make the decision to accept the offer. It was a no brainer, I’d drop out of my Finnish Uni, quit my job and pack my bags – this may sound straightforward but trust me when I say it was not.

Everything was about to change!

Finding My Place at UWS

I felt right at home at UWS. I found a few friends even though no one was my age – everyone was either 5 years younger or +5 years older. I plotted through my lectures, studied hard and enjoyed everything Scotland had to offer. I felt super supported by the Uni. If there ever was a question or a worry, there was always someone to turn to. The lecturers were knowledgeable, supportive and flexible.  

Falling in Love with Research

In my final year, I really fell in love with research. I had always been interested in migration issues and with some encouragement from my dissertation supervisor I swapped my topic last minute and decided to write about Migrants’ Access to Food Aid in the UK. I graduated with a 1st and even won a prize for my dissertation. Something I never saw coming. I only found out on the day of graduation which made it all seem a bit surreal.

From Dissertation to Dream Job

I was already keeping an eye out for jobs in my field that final spring. Trying to hopelessly find somewhere that would match my interest and values. I asked the UWS careers team for support in rewriting my CV and cover letters as I had only really done these for Finnish companies before and I didn’t want to stand out in a negative way. I was scanning through LinkedIn, different job boards and organisation websites for hours on end and the job market was really not in my favour at the time – or that’s what it felt like – until I stumbled upon a Project Officer position at one of the organisations I had interviewed for my dissertation – the one I still work for today. It wasn’t by accident that I saw it, but the timing couldn’t have been better. I applied for it immediately and a week later got an email inviting me for an interview. It was too good to be true, I though. Turns out I was right because I didn’t get the job. I did however get something else, something that was better than my shop job that I had started two years prior, but still not something I wanted to do long term. I decided to trust the process because at least I was working on the third sector, the prime location for making change, which is where I wanted to be. Two-weeks into this new job I got an email from my current boss saying there was another job if I’d be interested. It was a research position which in my eyes was better than the job I originally applied for so without hesitation I accepted the job.

Looking Back – and Ahead

Looking back at my journey, I think it’s a real representation of trusting the process and not getting knocked down when things don’t go to plan. I took multiple gap years after high school because I wasn’t sure what I wated to study. Then once I had that all figured out, I didn’t get into the programmes I applied for. I also didn’t get the job I really wanted. But none of it mattered because at the end of the day I ended up where I was meant to be. Without me having the courage to apply for undergrad programmes in Scotland I wouldn’t have ended up in UWS. Without having supportive lectures and a supportive Uni community around me I wouldn’t have changed my dissertation topic which would’ve meant that I would never have met my current boss and she most likely wouldn’t have offered me a job. It’s so hard to trust the process because in those moments you feel so low but if I’ve learned anything in my 30 years of life it’s that there’s always going to be something better around the corner. It’s okay for dreams and plans to change.

In the past seven years, I’ve not only graduated from UWS with a 1st, but I also did finish my Finnish Uni through distance learning. I’ve worked at the Independent Food Aid Network for nearly three years, and I’ve just completed a MSc in Political Science whilst working full time – not something I would recommend by the way. I’m not sure what’s next for me but I am definitely thinking about developing my skills as a researcher in some form, maybe a PhD at UWS? I’ll just have to wait and trust the process.

Find out more about studying Social Sciences at UWS here. 

Emma, BA (Hons) Social Sciences graduate