Graduating from the University of Cambridge

Back on A-Level results day a few years ago, I thought I was a failure and wouldn’t achieve my dreams in life after receiving a B, D and E in Economics, Physics and Maths. I remember going into Ewell Castle to being met by our Deputy Head who reassured me everything would be ok and that I had a place to study Civil engineering at Swansea University. I was extremely disappointed in myself as my top choice was to attend the University of Edinburgh.?

I spent two years at Swansea, enjoying myself and making friends, but not enjoying the course. Engineering was difficult for me, it lacked any form of creativity (which I thought wasn’t for me), and I barely scraped a pass each year. I reached out to my personal Tutor at Swansea who simply said “Looks like you chose the wrong course mate” then continued with his day – this was the moment I decided to leave the course and University.

Feeling low and anxious, I moved back home and put some ideas together of what on earth I could do. I had always wanted to be an Architect from a very early age, but the 7 years of training put me off initially. I applied to do an Art Foundation at Kingston School of Art, but they were already fully subscribed, I was asked what I wanted to study after and that is when (10 minutes after being turned away from an art foundation) I was on a call with the Course Director of Architecture, where I was instantly given a place and I accepted. I had a great time at Kingston School of Art , working extremely hard to prove I could achieve good grades, and had great lecturers and design tutors who inspired and pushed me further. I loved studying architecture here. I was at Kingston School of Art 9-5 most days and working at Wimbledon Tennis in evenings in the Members’ Dining Room (where my training started to manage the Royal Box during the tournament with Levy ). I was employed as a teaching assistant for two years, helping first-year students with their design work, running workshops and having office hours for support throughout the term.

In my final year at Kingston, COVID-19 started up, and a lot of my colleagues were worried about finding employment. We had our Final Crit in May of 2020 and many practices in London had furrowed staff and closed for the pandemic. I finished at Kingston with a First Class Degree with Honours.?

The majority of students went on to their master’s straight away, normally master’s courses require you to take one or two years out in practice as an Architectural Assistant. I was fortunate enough to find bindloss dawes in Somerset through the support of my design tutors at Kingston, where I had a Teams interview with Oliver Bindloss and George Dawes and found myself working for them one week after my final crit at Kingston. Working for the first time in an Architecture Practice remotely was challenging, having to learn the ropes virtually through Zoom, eventually being able to spend a day a week in Somerset before not too long moving down for the rest of the two yearlong placements. I looked after three residential projects while working in the office, all either in a conservation area or grade status-listed buildings. I learnt a lot about how small practices are run, the ins and outs of all RIBA stages of a project as well as how to present work to clients.?

At the end of my first year in Somerset, I started to think about my master’s as applications were ending. It was only when talking about it in the office with a colleague, Dan Ryder-Cook , who suggested I apply to Cambridge. I had never even considered this as I thought my A-Level grades would have prevented me from ever successfully applying to Cambridge. I prepared my application, a research paper, and reading lists and references, and I applied, hearing back months later with a chance to interview. I thought my interview was awful and wouldn’t be good enough to get a place, I remember ending the Zoom meeting and crying to myself in the aftermath! But, alas, a few weeks passed to found an offer to attend the University of Cambridge for my Masters of Architecture. I was excited and terrified simultaneously.?

I spent the next two years at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge studying and producing a dissertation and design project towards my final submission of the master’s programme. While completing my degree I took part in several roles within my College for the student body, including LGBT Officer, Welfare Officer, launching and Chairing a new guest speaker series, and May Ball President for two years consecutively (I was always busy…). I also volunteered as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Architecture for first-year undergraduate students. Despite having all of these roles, I still had time for my degree!?

I was extremely proud to therefore graduate (despite my poor A-Level grades) from the 英国剑桥大学 on the 19th of July this year with my Part 2, Masters of Architecture. ?