Catriona McCallum
Catriona studies a Bachelor of Arts (Hon) in History and came back as a mature student after a career in law and finance.
Key facts:
Programme: Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Specialisation: History
“My love for history neatly ties up my lifelong interests in global politics, philosophy and economics.
“I chose to pursue a postgrad in Arts because it has been a dream of mine to work in academia. I was discouraged from doing so when I was younger, but now, with a strong career behind me, I am in the wonderful position of following my heart.
“It is never too late to come back to university. Being at university doing what you love will make life seem so much brighter and make you a much better person.
“The biggest challenge of postgrad is having to motivate oneself. As an undergrad, you have constant assessments, but postgrad is all about setting your topics and goals and having faith in your ability to get the work done to the requisite standard.
“Having a genuine interest in your work will keep you motivated. Attend all the postgrad sessions/ departmental seminars, which will keep you stimulated and connect with others. Hearing about what other people are doing can shape your work for the better and offer networking opportunities.
“It is important to keep your supervisor abreast of what you are doing. They are there to help, and their help is invaluable, particularly when everything seems overwhelming. So use them and remember constructive criticism is a tool that is your friend and not a put-down!
“The ability to think critically has served me across all my different careers and continues to serve me well on my return to university. I would add to that the ability to think on my feet and have the confidence to voice my opinions in a constructive way.
“The university has a wonderful array of support networks. I would advise anyone to immediately tap into them, for they provide much more than a place to express grievances. Being an Arts mentor opened opportunities for making new friends and becoming more comfortable with a different generation. It also led me to become involved in editing a university magazine and to join groups that expanded my professional network.
“Make sure you also incorporate some physical activity into the day, even if that just means a walk around campus in the sunshine. This is when everything I’ve been mulling over inevitably falls into place!”