Jessica Kaye (2020, History and Politics)

Jessica Kaye is in her second year studying History and Politics at Univ. 

Why did you choose to study History and Politics at Univ?
I chose to study History and Politics simply because I have always loved politics and been a highly political person and I think history goes hand in hand with that. The political impact of historical events is one that just can’t be overlooked and so to gain a deeper understanding of both, the joint honours was always the one for me! As for Univ, it was just the friendliest college that I visited on the open day and I knew that I really needed somewhere that was going to feel like home.

How do you think you have changed since walking through Univ’s doors for the first time?
I am hopefully more at home in Oxford than I was when I came here, as I have gotten to know the College and the city I have become much more relaxed in this environment. It’s so different from my home in Manchester so it’s amazing that I feel just as comfortable here as I do there.

Why did you get involved with the ball committee? Any challenges/favourite moments?
In all honesty, I joined to support my friends after one of the original committee members dropped out. There were a lot of challenges including furniture not arriving on the day of the ball! But the best part has been getting to work with all of the other amazing people on the committee and seeing all of our hard work pay off when everything came together and hopefully people had a good time.

Do you have any advice for current or prospective students?
The only advice I can really give is to relax and be yourself. If you are already a student here, you were chosen for a reason so relax and enjoy the experience. If you’re a prospective student, I was always told that the tutors just want to see you being yourself because that’s how you and they know if this is the right place for you. Sounds cliché but it’s worked for me.

Has anything surprised you about Univ/Oxford/your course?
I’ve only had one major surprise – the amount of numbers in my politics course! I naively thought that I was leaving maths in high school but there is a lot of data concerned when it comes to political science. However, I have had great tutors and lab teachers who have guided me through.

Describe Univ in three words
Pretty, friendly, old

Published: 25 July 2022

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