Phoebe Teasdale
Degree: BA Politics and International Relations
Hey! My name is Phoebe Teasdale and I’m a first year student at Lancaster University studying Politics and International Relations.
I’m in Pendle College, I’m not going to bore you by talking through our colligate system but being placed into a college really does give you a community and a base of supporters that in my experience made the adjustment to life at University much easier. I actually had quite a difficult start to University because upon arrival I quickly discovered the degree I had chosen was not the degree that was right for me. If this happens to you, don’t panic, there is a community of staff in every department that will help you make the right choice of degree for you and make sure that you are on the programme that really interests you and will benefit you in the future.
One of the key differences between school and university is that the staff at university really feel part of your community. They are there not only to ensure you succeed academically but also to empower you, give you future advice and to learn from you. Someone once told me that there is a reason that lots of academics dedicate their books to past students!
Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere
Degree: Politics MA
Home is where the heart is and the PPR department has turned into that space for me as a student. Having studied an Undergraduate degree in History & Politics at the University, I pledged allegiance to the department this year to continue with a Master’s degree. Lancaster is where I learnt not only that the ‘personal is political’, but also, I am well within my rights to carve out an academic space from this interest. I have enjoyed working with visitors, staff, and students in many part time positions to effect change for marginalised communities and taken the lessons from the lecture hall to heart.
The continuity of structure has also allowed me to thrive. As an Undergraduate student, the minor module system and interdisciplinarity of a department that combines multiple specialisms helped broaden my horizons and connect dots between different areas of scholarship.
