Orla is a current student in her final year of the BA History single Honours programme

Tell us a little bit about your background...

I am from East Dunbartonshire. At school, I was much better at creative and essay-based subjects than anything practical or scientific, so it was no surprise to my teachers when I decided to study History.

What drew you towards undertaking this degree?

I studied Advanced Higher History in high school, and I enjoyed the opportunity to finally study a singular historical moment in depth. Coupled with the fact that I was generally quite good at the subject, it was a logical choice for me to study History at the next level.

Why did you choose to study at the University of Strathclyde?

Beyond the appealing course content advertised for my specific degree, one of the top things that attracted me to Strathclyde was the Andersonian Library. Looking at its website, it appeared modern, bright and well-equipped, and it has absolutely lived up to my expectations and become my go-to study spot. Furthermore, as a grateful recipient of the under 22s free bus pass, the numerous bus routes that go through campus made Strathclyde a convenient choice.

What is something you have had to learn to adapt to since joining your course?

I was told early on that studying History entails a significant amount of self-directed study, but it took embarrassingly long for me to get used to this. While doing just the mandatory readings each week is technically acceptable, I've achieved a much more comprehensive degree of understanding by simply engaging with more than these mandatory items on my reading lists. In the short term, this makes tutorial discussions much livelier; in the long term, it pays off when it's assessment time. The biggest challenge is starting and maintaining the motivation.

What is the academic support at Strathclyde?

Every member of the History department has been passionate, welcoming and encouraging. Staff are understanding about personal circumstances and, in my experience, have never scorned extension requests. Consistently we're reminded of the amazing resources offered to us, including the Royal Literary Fund Fellows and library databases. Especially now that I'm in my Honours year, I feel supported to push boundaries and think in complex, creative ways. We're treated as independent, capable thinkers that can fully engage with primary sources and historiography.

What are the facilities at Strathclyde like?

Overall, the facilities at Strathclyde are great. My two favourite buildings are the Learning and Teaching Building, which is best for background noise and comfy seats, and the Andersonian Library, where there are lovely spacious desks and plenty of sockets for charging electronic devices. Although there are some older buildings that can be slightly puzzling to navigate, this has never seriously impacted me because most of my time is spent engaging in independent learning rather than lectures or tutorials. This means that I'm free to study in the places I prefer.

What are your hopes for the future after completing your degree?

I started the degree with the goal of one day becoming an archivist, and I've had some fascinating experience while conducting archival research for my dissertation that reaffirmed this ambition. The skills I've learned at Strathclyde will no doubt be of use as I embark on further studies to achieve this.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for this course?

If you want the opportunity to explore a diverse range of historical moments and themes, Strathclyde's the place for it. There's also the opportunity to take interdisciplinary modules to further broaden your studies. This gives students the freedom to explore history and develop our unique historical interests. But most of your learning will happen outside of the lecture hall and ultimately you are the person who decides how much you learn. Follow your interests and take every opportunity to build your knowledge.