Tag: student life

UoP’s History Society welcomes new faces

In the following short blog, third year UoP history student Pauline Standley encourages new students to join our student history society.

The recently-formed history society NEED YOU to come and be part of a group who love history! We are a casual, student-led group currently run by third-year History students.

As a society, we want to encourage discussion on anything historical, whether it be what we’ve been taught in lectures, a Henry VIII podcast which randomly came up on your Spotify recommendations, the most recent Russell Crowe historical movie, even down to hilarious history memes you’ve scoped out! Throughout the year, we are here to help whether it be a friendly face to give you student advice or a sociable group to give you a chance to meet new people. We understand that your time is precious, between Purple Wednesdays, seminars and lectures, cheeky pints with your mates down the pub and wrangling assignments, we’ve tried to design the society to be as friendly to the busyness of uni life as we can – meaning we’ll meet up roughly once a month. We are aiming to do a variety of things including pub meet-ups, cinema trips and quiz nights to name a few, but if you have any suggestions we are open to hearing them!

If you are interested, take a look at our Facebook page under the name of University of Portsmouth History Society and give us a ‘like’ and comment under the recent post to join the group chat. We look forward to hearing from you!

Here’s a TV Series recommendation to kickstart things: How To Become a Tyrant (Netflix) recommended by Pauline!

September 23, 2022
A History degree can open many doors: A student interviews UoP History graduates

In this blog Amber Braddick, recent History with American Studies graduate from Portsmouth, discusses a project she undertook as part of the second year module, ‘Working with the Past’. Amber and some of her fellow students interviewed recent UoP History graduates and asked them about their careers since graduating, Amber found out that having a degree in the Arts and Humanities has been really beneficial to them, something also highlighted in recent studies by organisations such as the British Academy, which Amber also discusses here. The module ‘Working with the Past’ is coordinated by Dr Mike Esbester.

There has been a strong government emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects in recent years. What does this mean to the Arts, Humanities and Social Science (AHSS) graduates? Are they less valuable to employers in the ever-changing world of work? The short answer is no, this is definitely not the case, and there is an abundance of statistical evidence proving this. An AHSS degree equips students with many skills that have been identified by the World Economic Forum as key skills employers look for when hiring staff, for example effective communication skills, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills. As the diagram below demonstrates, all of these highly valued skills are developed in AHSS degrees, including history. Whether it is by critically analysing a source, collaborating in group projects or writing a dissertation; students gain these skills, often without even realising it, while also building up experience and confidence in them throughout their degree.

Source: Qualified for the future, The British Academy

Recently, as part of the ‘Working With the Past’ module, several history students, including myself, interviewed a small pool of graduates from University of Portsmouth (UoP). We talked about the careers they explored after university and how they developed skills on the History degree programme that made them more employable. Chloe, currently the records manager and policy maker for the Falkland Islands government, highlighted skills in communication, time and project management as well as teamwork and confidence as attributes gained from her History degree which are essential to her current career and used daily. In the interview, Chloe said that she feels that all these skills would still be necessary even if she pursued another career not in the heritage sector, due to their versatility. Overall, the skills learnt in the History degree are fundamental in her job as well as being the foundation in which she has built upon in her Master’s course and continues to use whilst studying for a PhD. (Ed. read Chloe’s blog about her experiences here)

Another interviewee, Melissa, is undertaking the NHS Graduate Scheme and worked as the project manager for the Epsom Downs Racecourse Covid Vaccination Centre. Although this career does not specifically relate to a degree in History, Melissa explained how the research and analytical skills gained are crucial for her job. Also whilst in university, Melissa acquired excellent communication skills and had the beneficial experience of working with a range of different people. This was extremely helpful as Melissa has to communicate with many types of people daily, even up to an executive level. Out of 1600 people who applied for the graduate scheme, only 210 were offered a place, demonstrating how vital the skills learned on an AHSS course are. It was also interesting during the interview to hear Melissa explain that she applied to university to do a sports science degree but unfortunately did not obtain the grades required and was offered a place on the History course instead. ‘This was quite a lifeline,’ she told us, as ‘history opens so many doors,’ and does not restrict you to one specific career, while also teaching you many key skills you can ‘take forward into any kind of career’.

Source: Qualified for the future, The British Academy

A second graduate whose History degree prepared her for an unrelated career was CW, the assistant to a Member of Parliament (MP). CW found that doing presentations for the degree course gave her the necessary presentational skills essential for the MP assistant role. They also developed her confidence in talking to lots of different individuals and groups, as she meets with small businesses, charities and visits local schools to ‘bridge the gap between the MP and the constituency when he [the MP] is in Westminster’. Other key skills CW highlights are the analytical and writing skills which are a large focus of a History degree. When applying for her current job, CW was asked to submit examples of written pieces of work and she discusses how her dissertation was perfect to show that she could ‘research, analyse and write to a good standard.’

The last person we interviewed was RD, who is a curator at the National Museum of the Royal Navy here in Portsmouth. Again, RD emphasizes how the research and analytical skills gained in her History degree helps daily when ‘interrogat[ing] sources’ and ‘bring[ing] together an exhibition.’

As is demonstrated in the previous few paragraphs, many key skills arose in every interview, for example writing and analytical skills and working with a variety of people. These skills also appear in the top 10 skills for 2025 list, shown below. In fact, most of the skills on the list are taught on a History degree, with the exception of ‘technology design and programming.’ Not only is History a ‘fantastic degree in its own right’ but it also teaches students the key skills needed for employability and a fruitful career. This is explored further on the UoP twitter page!

Source: The Future of Jobs Report 2020

In many newspapers and in some government policies, it is indicated that STEM subjects ‘are the only path to career success,’ however Tom Lyscom, a senior Policy Adviser at the British Academy voices once again that the skills of an AHSS degree ‘help drive economic growth and play [an] essential part of wider society.’ In the ten fastest growing sectors of the UK’s economy, eight sectors employ more graduates from AHSS subjects than any other disciplines. This demonstrates that graduates from AHSS subjects are just as vital to the economy as STEM subjects and that the skills taught are as diverse as our economy.

To conclude, the variety of skills developed on an AHSS degree are advantageous in increasing employability and most of the skills that the University of Portsmouth’s History degree course develops appear on the top 10 skills of tomorrow. These skills are not only transferable to many different career paths and incredibly beneficial on a CV but they also ‘really develops you as a whole person’ and enhance your understanding of other people’s world views. The misconception that STEM subjects are more important that AHSS subjects is not reflected in the British Academy’s ‘Qualified for the future’ report that shares statistics suggesting the gap between employability is ‘negligible’ and Manuel Souto-Otero, a professor in Social Sciences at Cardiff University reveals that degrees in AHSS subjects are still ‘really popular … actually booming’. Whether you have a clear idea of what you want to do in the future and it requires a History degree, or if you’re still trying to decide, AHSS degrees leave doors open to many different opportunities and the flexibility for career changes, as well as developing many important skills that will get you far in whatever profession you choose.

Bibliography:

Primary Sources:

Interview with Chloe, 17^th March 2021.

Interview with RD, 18^th March 2021.

Interview with CW, 16^th March 2021.

Interview with Melissa, 15^th March 2021.

Secondary Sources:

Lyscom, Tom. “Being objective about subjects – Showing the value of Politics and other AHSS disciplines.” Political Studies Association. Being Objective About Subjects – Showing the Value of Politics and Other AHSS Disciplines | The Political Studies Association (PSA). Last accessed 31/03/2021.

“Qualified for the future.” The British Academy. Qualified-for-the-Future-Quantifying-demand-for-arts-humanities-social-science-skills.pdf. Last accessed 31/03/2021.

Reidy, Tess. “Arts graduates are flexible’: why humanities degrees are making a comeback.” The Guardian. ‘Arts graduates are flexible’: why humanities degrees are making a comeback | Postgraduates | The Guardian. Last accessed 31/03/2021.

“Success through STEM.” The Department of Education. STEM Strategy-Success through STEM (economy-ni.gov.uk). Last accessed 31/03/2021.

“The Future of Jobs Report.” World Economic Forum. Infographics – The Future of Jobs Report 2020 | World Economic Forum (weforum.org). Last accessed 31/03/2021.

University of Portsmouth Twitter page. Univ. Ports History on Twitter: “What’s that you say? History … no use in the job market? Errmmm, well, no. 9 of the top 10 on this @wef ‘skills of tomorrow’ list are EXACTLY WHAT WE DO WITH OUR STUDENTS! History at Portsmouth: in the present, looking back, ready for the future! https://t.co/dTobbijWwJ” / Twitter. Last accessed 31/03/2021.

August 4, 2022
Don’t lose your head – surviving a dissertation on King Charles I’s killers
Below, one of last year’s third-year students, Alex Symonds, gives some timely advice on how to survive writing your dissertation. Alex’s dissertation was entitled “‘Cruel Necessity’: Understanding the Influences on the Commissioners in the Trial of Charles I”. As Alex’s supervisor, I knew she had it in her to do very well, but my mouth dropped to floor once I began reading her work. The dissertation was very bold in its arguments with an original central focus on humanising the regicides, as well as those chosen commissioners who chose not to sign the death warrant, who have been far less studied. Alex developed some sophisticated arguments around the role of religion in motivating individuals, the fact that several potential signees in the military were otherwise engaged preserving the uneasy peace, the concern of lawyers over the legality of the trial, and the worry amongst aldermen about how signing would look to their constituents. Alex’s handling of the extensive historiography on the subject was particularly strong, as was her fluid writing style, and the way she structured, signposted and referenced. Part of the problem for Alex was that she had chosen such an enormous (and enormously important) topic. Luckily for us, Alex has decided to expand her research for an MRes with the UoP. – Fiona McCall

This is a longer blog post, but I think this subject deserves the time, both to tell you why I’m worth listening to and not just another patronising voice, and to give you some genuinely helpful candid advice that should make you feel less alone. I can’t give you subject specific advice, but I can tell you what I needed to hear when I found myself barely surviving my dissertation.

Firstly, much like yourself dear reader, my dissertation process couldn’t have been more different from what I’d spent three years imagining. After a nightmarish final year, I found myself two weeks away from the final deferral deadline with absolutely nothing written but a failed draft of my first chapter, which despite containing some useful feedback I could only view as a haunting failure, a reminder of everything I had done wrong.

I nearly gave up. The academic year had gone wrong at every turn, and by this stage I truly felt like all I was doing was prolonging my inevitable failure, and stopping now would give me that sweet relief of a break that I so desperately needed. I was so mentally low and burnt out that redoing an entire year felt like less of a mountain than carrying on for two weeks. And for one day I stopped, had a breakdown and gave up, before realising that I’d spend every day this way if I didn’t try, and my efforts would solidify my feelings of my failure being inevitable rather than potentially my fault. So I picked myself up and decided to try.

A broadside of 1829 commemorating the martyrdom of Charles I includes the scenes of the trial and execution, a reproduction of the death warrant, and portraits of the trial judge John Bradshaw, the regicides Oliver Cromwell and his son-in-law Henry Ireton, and parliamentary general Sir Thomas Fairfax, who famously chose not to attend the trial or sign the death warrant.

And I got it done. Against the odds I finished proofreading about two hours before the deadline, realised I’d forgotten a glossary and panicked, frantically wrote said glossary and submitted with an hour left. Against even more odds I earned a first on that dissertation, and while I cannot promise you that you’ll achieve that same grade as you drag yourself across the finish line – I can promise you that you can reach that finish line, and it is so worth it. The delayed gratification of that break is bliss, and the release from the crippling self-doubt that I’m sure you’ve been battling is worth it.

My hope for this blog post is that it will motivate just one person that finds themselves in the shoes I found myself in: utterly hopeless, devoid of motivation, finding every piece of advice patronising because they weren’t the ones in this situation.

I have worn those shoes, and therefore here is my advice for surviving your dissertation, in no particular order:
1. You are not a failure. This is less advice and more of a reminder, but I know you need to hear it. You have not let anyone down. Even if you don’t get it done and do need to redo, you are not a failure. You are human, things go wrong, and we learn; if worse comes to worst, you can use this experience to do better next time. You are not a failure.
2. Break it down into as small chunks as possible. I knew I had fourteen days (thirteen minus my breakdown day), giving myself three days per chapter, one day for an introduction, one day for a conclusion, one day for referencing (more on this later), and 1 day for a buffer. This already made it feel significantly less scary, my 3000 word essays from the rest of the year typically took three days to write, and my chapters were shorter than that – and just like that the impossible task became possible. I broke the content of these chapters down further, 750 words a day discussing one of the main themes of that chapter; a significantly smaller mountain. Make that mountain as small as you can for yourself.
3. Stick to your schedule. It’s hard to, but if you’re going to break it down into chunks you have to stick to them, unfortunately you don’t have time for endlessly editing. Finish the section and move on, the last thing you need is further panic because you’ve fallen off of your stable lifeline of a schedule. Working a buffer day into your schedule will make this easier; don’t plan to be flawless.
4. Lower your standards and focus on getting it done. I know, it’s easy for me to say because I got a first, but believe me I was not aiming for one. Aim to submit something, anything, so you can say that you are done. Once you take the pressure off of yourself that high quality writing will come naturally to you. You will hit your daily word goal far quicker than you realise, giving you a feeling of success that I am sure you need, and you can focus on quality from there. Do not give yourself the self-doubt of aiming for perfection with every word.
5. Re-read the criteria. I’m sure you think you know exactly what is expected of you. I did too, and then on my final re-read before submitting realised I forgot a glossary. That was extra stress that I didn’t need, and could have easily avoided by double checking the criteria.
6. Do not underestimate referencing. Giving myself a day for my referencing was the best decision I made; I needed every minute of that day. If you’ve been able to submit more of the ‘optional’ draft deadlines you might need less time as your footnotes and bibliography might be more in order – but my bibliography was non-existent and my footnotes were scribbles. Do not leave it to the last minute, the last thing you want is to finish your dissertation but be capped at 50 because you didn’t reference. I strongly recommend doing your referencing on a day you’re feeling less up for writing content, it’s monotonous enough that it provides somewhat of a mental break while still making huge progress.
7. Reach out for help. I’m sure you’ve been putting off admitting that you need help, but I strongly recommend finally swallowing your pride. I’m sure you’ve had the Student Welfare team recommended to you before and you’ve convinced yourself into not accepting their help; they are wonderful people who will help you think rationally in this panicked time. Additionally, ask someone to help you proof-read; having another set of eyes read your work before your supervisor will help you catch silly mistakes and validate that your work is good. Swallowing your pride is worth it.
8. Get up and fight. You have worked too hard to give up now. It is never too late to try. Look at your previous grades: they are proof that you can do this and you are more capable than you realise. You might not feel like it right now, but your degree is worth fighting for. You are worth fighting for.
Good luck. You’ve got this. I promise it will be worth it in the end. You can survive your dissertation.

If you would like to contact me for advice, please feel free to do so: UP895045@myport.ac.uk.

If you are you are interested in reading about a dissertation which took a different perspective on King Charles I, read about Connor Scott-Butcher’s dissertation here.
March 17, 2022
The UoP History Society welcomes new faces

Below, third year UoP history student Reiss Sims encourages new students to join our student history society.

The beginning of a new academic year brings multiple opportunities: the chance to start new modules, to meet like-minded people, to take up a new sport or skill, or perhaps to join a society. Last year, during the height of the pandemic, a few second and third year students decided to take up the task of reviving the university’s History Society. The aim was to simply provide a space which offered students the opportunity to meet an array of people and to discuss the ups, downs, and curiosities of university life. More importantly, as it turned out, the society attempted to tackle the feeling of isolation and loneliness that the COVID-19 pandemic brought upon many of us – if there is anything that we have learnt from lockdown over the last eighteen months, it is that everyone needs someone, or somewhere, to talk things through with and have a laugh.

Over the course of the year, we started as a small group of second and third year students, but quickly grew into a lively group of seventeen spanning three year group sand multiple different subjects. Whilst we had to contain our events to Zoom, we still managed to host weekly catch-ups, history themed games, movie nights, and the “occasional” coffee or beer.

With university life returning to normality, the academic year of 2021-2022 brings immense opportunity for both University of Portsmouth students and the societies that are available. The aim for the coming year is to continue the weekly meet-ups, themed nights (namely Halloween…), quizzes, but to look at the possibility of group visits to historical sites and museums. Additionally, developing a strong bond with the university’s history department is crucial to maintaining a healthy work/life relationship – who knows, maybe some of the lecturers might join us for a drink, coffee, or a quiz night?..

UoP History Society meetings are not quite like this.

Whether you’re studying history or not, there is something for everyone at the University of Portsmouth’s History Society. We pride ourselves on our informal and relaxed environment, and would love to see a load of new faces. There are no joining fees, no formalities, and no commitments … but plenty of bad jokes and dodgy coffee.

Feel free to get in contact with me directly (email address is below), or send us a message via our Facebook page, and we’ll get you added to the WhatsApp group ASAP. We really hope to see you soon!

Reiss Sims: up940784@myport.ac.uk

@UoPHistorySociety: https://www.facebook.com/UoPHistorySociety/

See Reiss’s post about his experiences in his first year studying history at the University of Portsmouth here.

October 8, 2021
History Film Club – having a conversation about history and film
Our level 5 students have taken over running the UoP history film club, which launched in January. Below Emily, Kieran, Harry and Ben tell you about their exciting plans.

Hi there – hopefully if you’re reading this blog piece you are interested in our student-run History Film Club (and for good reason)! Four of us who are studying History have started a film club that is run through our Discord server (more on that later), for which we have so-far received positive feedback. We would like to extend our invitation to any student who is interested in attending – you don’t have to come to every screening, just when you’d like to. Let me explain how it works…

Through our server on Discord we play the films in rooms, and we also have a chatroom for any questions or discussions while the film is playing. We also have a short discussion afterwards to talk about the themes, technical aspects, and generally what we thought of the film. However, this is optional, and you’re free to leave once the film is complete if you would rather. Regarding movie choices, we also have a room for film recommendations where you are free to suggest any film you might want to watch, as well as comment on those other members have suggested. We’re always happy to take into consideration the input of film club members.

However, our Discord server is not only just for the film screenings. We also have rooms for listening to music, general chat, talks about history/a revision room, as well as one for sharing photos of our cute pets! We are always eager for more of those photos! Our goal is to create a community space where students can come together to not only to enjoy a variety of films but to interact with each other on a regular, social level. In order to do this successfully, we have also included a ‘Club Suggestion’ room where members can give us feedback for anything they want, and we will take each suggestion under advisement. The link for our Discord server will be at the bottom of this page.

In terms of films, we are limited in that we can only access those available on Box of Broadcasts (BoB) which are often a little bit older in terms of release date. Other streaming services, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, have a blocker in place so we can’t mass stream through Discord. We do have a list of films we, as admins, would be interested in showing, but as mentioned before – we are always open to film suggestions. This past week we screened Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), directed by Guillermo del Toro, of which there will likely be another blog post going into more depth.

Our first meeting went well, with 5 attendees – but we hope to have this number grow! We had a few people stay to chat afterwards regarding the film, with the general consensus being that the film was well made, with references to both history and mythology that intertwined enough to make the story interesting. One member even shared a link to a website that talks more in depth about certain archetypes the movie exemplifies in an article written by Jessica Davidson. While the conversation we had once the film ended was interesting, unfortunately some members were not able to stay on, and had to leave early. As I said before, the post-movie discussion is optional, but we always encourage extra participation from film club members.

In our upcoming screenings, we have a number of options us admins are enthusiastic about showing that are available on BoB. These are:
- Downfall (2004)
- Amadeus (1984)
- Schindler’s List (1993)
- Full Metal Jacket (1987)
- Billy Elliot (2000)
- The Elephant Man (1980)
- Cleopatra (1963)
- The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)
- 10 Rillington Place (1971)
- Little Women (1994)
- The Social Network (2010)
- The Sound of Music (1965)
- Chicago (2003)
We sent out an initial survey to gage people’s interest, and when the responses came back, it showed modern history (i.e. the 19th – 20th centuries) as the most popular time period to watch, with social issues (regarding race, gender, class etc.) as the most popular theme. Most of our film choices fall into these categories, and with the seeming popularities, it stands to reason that most of our initial screenings will abide by them, however, if you have any suggestions for films you would be interested in watching, please let us know! We will be more than happy to add them to our list.

We don’t necessarily expect your attendance at every screening, but we would love it if our numbers went up, so if you’re interested please feel free to join! So far our feedback has been positive, so I’m sure you won’t regret it. As we’re a student led club, we enjoy a laid back atmosphere which would be a nice break from your studies. You will also have your own input in the club as we’re open to suggestions as well as film recommendations for our screenings. You could also decide individually on your level of participation, e.g. you don’t have to stay for the optional discussion, you can stay and not speak, or you can be an active participant – it all depends on your comfort level. Also, despite being a History Film Club, with the films being historically based, we’re open to students from other subjects as well, so if you have any friends they can join too.

It would be great to see some more members attending, so please come join if you’re interested!

Discord link: https://discord.gg/C2QvdTpuxm

-The History Film Club Team – Emily Winslade, Harry Haines, Ben Hessey, and Kieran Walsh
April 19, 2021
Coping with your second year of history studies – time management is the key

Charlotte Lewis chose the History with Politics pathway in her second year of studies at Portsmouth. She found the second year to be a ‘step-up’ from the first year, and gives three suggestions for ways to meet the challenge.

This time last year I began my second-year studies in History with Politics at the University of Portsmouth. I remember very clearly the intense anticipation of increased workloads and importance of essay submissions as they now counted towards your final grade. So I write this blog with the intention of allaying the fears and worries some new second year students may have by recounting my experience and offering a few tips to help you get started on your journey through second year.

It is widely acknowledged by university students that you should expect your second-year studies to be much harder in comparison to first year. However, whilst to some extent some students may find second year to be a greater challenge, you should expect that your skills have also developed substantially, in parallel with the challenges you will face. In my personal experience, I certainly found second year to be a ‘step up’ in terms of the significance of the work I was submitting. As second year grades count towards your final grade, this obviously places more pressure on the quality of your work, inevitably causing more stress. However, I discovered early on in the year three ways to counter this stress. Firstly, purchasing a planner helped me greatly to organise and plan my time. Using this planner to make lists and schedule my work load, helped me to have a realistic appreciation of what I could achieve within a given period of time and to organise my days effectively. Time management is vital to ensure you are working as effectively and efficiently as possible and, in all honesty, planning saves you a lot of time and most importantly pressure in the long run. I found that planning my daily tasks prevented any last-minute panic or unforeseen decisions having to be made; this meant that my work was of a higher standard as I allowed myself ample time to get the task done and to do all the necessary checks, amendment and alterations. Trust me when I say that if you plan your time effectively, you will most certainly feel more in control of your life academically as well as socially.

Charlotte found playing lacrosse gave her a scheduled time for exercise and an opportunity to make friends.

Secondly, when planning your schedule, allow ample time for non-academic activities also, such as sport or socialising. It is so important to take time away from your studies and focus your mind on other things. Personally, I joined the Lacrosse society which not only gave me a scheduled opportunity to exercise through training sessions and games, but it also allowed me to make more friends so I would definitely recommend that if you haven’t already joined a society, you try one out as it is a great way to relieve stress and take your mind off the academic side of things. Your second year is a better time than ever to branch out and experience new things!

Thirdly, I cannot stress enough the importance of communicating with your tutors when you need some guidance. Your tutors are there to support you in every way possible so you must use this to your advantage. I did find in my second year that I needed more support as I wanted to ensure that my submissions were of a high standard and with the help of my tutors, as well as the learning development team, I did just that. As you will probably be aware by now as you enter your second year, moving to university results in a much greater degree of independence; for some this will be welcomed, and for others… not so much. However, it is important to realise that you must not leave it too long before you ask for help if you need it. During the first term of my second year I regularly visited the learning development team and my tutors for advice when planning and writing my essays. This was extremely beneficial as it enabled me to understand what is expected of me and it also helped me get back into the swing of things, especially after the long summer we have had. This is going to be even more important this year as the UK lockdown has meant that we have had even longer time away from the university environment. There is never any shame in asking for help so if you feel like you need it, just ask and support will be there.

Lastly, in your second year, you should begin thinking and exploring your potential dissertation topics. This mainly became significant for me after Easter as I began thinking about what I have enjoyed studying and what I have found the most interesting since studying History at University. It is so important to select a topic which you find interesting as ultimately you are going to have to motivate yourself to do the research and write the words and choosing something that you enjoy will certainly help alleviate some stress in the future. When my tutors first began mentioning our dissertations, I was nervous and shocked by how quickly time had gone as I knew my dissertation marked the end of my undergraduate studies and time at Portsmouth University. The thought of writing a 10,000-word dissertation honestly intimidated me and I began doubting my abilities to complete the task. However, if, like me, you feel intimidated by the prospect of writing a dissertation, you must remind yourself that you are more than capable and that your skills as a historian will have vastly improved by the end of your second year, more than you probably even realise. Whilst it might seem that the level of difficulty in work increases throughout university, your skill level also increases in tandem and so you can always meet the challenge. At this stage in the year, it is a more important time than ever to start contacting your tutors and asking for advice as this will certainly be unknown territory.

The second year was initially very daunting for me and so it is my hope that these few tips will help guide you through and let you avoid some of the pitfalls. Of course, everyone works differently and so you will need to find what works for you but hopefully this might be a starting point.

Good luck – you will succeed!!

October 5, 2020