As an elite athlete, I was very excited to be a part of Loughborough University because of its sporting reputation. The facilities are also second to none, and the fact that it’s a campus university made it easy for me to navigate when I first arrived.
I was also very grateful to be accepted onto the Psychology with a Foundation Year for Elite Athletes programme with other ambitious student athletes. In my first year I had the Under 19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, and since I was going to be heavily overloaded with sport, I needed the extra support and facilitation that the Elite Athlete Foundation Year provided.
The World Cup was in January so it clashed with my exams, but the support provided by the Foundation Year team made it possible for me to sit the exams while being supervised over in South Africa. This meant that I didn't have to repeat them in August, which was a huge relief for me. Because I had good relationships with my lecturers, I was able to inform them when I would miss lectures due to training or matches. This eased a lot of stress throughout the year and ultimately helped me perform on the pitch and with exams.
One thing that surprised me (but probably shouldn't have) was the sheer number of eager and talented students that are in Loughborough from a sporting standpoint. When you’re a fresher, you start from the bottom and earn your way up through squads; for most of us there were no special privileges for being on the Elite Athlete Pathway. For me, this created a nervous energy as some people didn't get into competitive clubs despite being very good at their respective sports. However, it’s a great system to be in as it makes everyone lift their standards – that’s what makes Loughborough so successful.
During the Foundation year, I hadn’t expected to get the chance to study such a wide range of modules. It was an enjoyable experience as I got the chance to form better connections with my lecturers and got to know most of the people in my classes, as numbers were obviously smaller than in part A of the full degree.
Transitioning to the full Psychology degree was pretty smooth. Already knowing some of the people around and having a better idea of where I had to be for lectures made things a lot easier. Being familiar with the set-up and LEARN also made my workload feel easier to manage.
My Foundation Year definitely made it clear that I chose the right course in Psychology. Because of the variety of modules I studied I was able to get clarity on which subject areas I liked and which ones weren’t for me, so it was helpful in that regard.
My favourite thing about studying at Loughborough is the atmosphere. Especially in summer, the vibe in every corner of the campus is so good – everyone is in similar spots enjoying the weather and the sport.
To anyone who is thinking about studying at Loughborough, the most important thing to remember is that everybody is going to have their own unique university experience, so do what you want to do, branch out and meet as many people as you can, because this is the best time of your life.
If you’re wanting to do a Foundation Year, don’t underestimate the work you have to put in! Also, definitely make an effort to get to know your lecturers and course mates because you will bump into them all the time throughout your time at Loughborough.
I plan on doing postgraduate medicine back in Dublin when I finish my degree. Coming from a different country, I’ve noticed that people have subtle nuances in how they operate, so learning from this slightly different culture gives me a new perspective on how to go about things on and off the pitch. I know that being at Loughborough will be the very best time I will ever have in my life for sure.