Resourcefulness and initiative: The ripple effect of personal growth

By Rochelle Waldman , 4th MSci Marine Biology student?

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You don’t need to be the smartest in the room to get to where you want to be, you just have to be the most resourceful. This realisation has inspired me to start a podcast aimed at assisting fellow MSci (Integrated Master’s) students in navigating their futures, while I navigate my own. Reflecting on the ripple effect of my growth experiences, I see the opportunity to create a positive impact by sharing stories, strategies and advice to empower others.??

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Setting a Concrete Goal?

I was never a student who excelled in every class. Growing up as an athlete, diligence and hard work was never an issue I had. I never handed in a late assignment, I spent several hours after every one-hour lecture making detailed notes – all to merely get B's and C's. As cliche as it sounds, I was working hard, but I wasn’t working smart. When I heard about the Integrated Master's (MSci) program, I knew that I had to fundamentally change the way I was learning to get the grades to even be considered.??

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Revisit your motivations?

It’s hard to excel in something you’re not interested in, so I had to remind myself of why I chose to pursue Marine Biology. Instead of solely relying on the lecture-content, I improved my learning by expanding the source of it. I regularly watched David Attenborough and National Geographic documentaries. I read books by Charles Darwin, Lucy Cooke, etc., and made notes on the topics that stood out to me. By immersing myself into my academic passions, I had a clearer direction of what I wanted to do and how the MSci could help me get there.?

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Ask for help?

Embracing my gaps in knowledge, I started asking questions during lectures. Prior to exams, I approached top performers to practice questions together. Despite a modest GPA, applying for the MSci seemed ambitious. However, post-interview, I realised my proactive approach had clarified my goals and the role the MSci could play. This shift in mindset bolstered my confidence and academic drive. Soon, peers were turning to me for advice, a role I initially found surprising yet fulfilling.?

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Just the starting point??

Although getting into the MSci was my initial goal, I came to know that getting into the programme was just the beginning. Convincing professionals in the field to accept an undergraduate student – with close to no research experience – into their lab was a daunting task. Thankfully, the years of working in hospitality and retail provided me with the skills to promote myself.?

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Getting a placement?

Although the self-guided and self-driven process of securing a placement was a useful exercise, the learning curve felt unnecessarily steep.?

After discovering that my peers shared these challenges, I wanted to make the programme and placement process more transparent. Additionally, I wanted to help my peers discover and pursue their academic passions, because it felt so good to finally be doing it myself.??

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MSci Alumni Podcast?

As there is no blueprint for securing a placement, I created a podcast consisting of Interviews with MSci Alumni.?

The podcast demonstrates to prospective students the many benefits inherent in the MSci program. Secondly, it offers guidance and support to current students, aiding them in navigating their academic journey effectively. Additionally, it provides a platform for alumni to reflect on their experiences, offering insights and support they wish they had received during their time in the program. Finally, the podcast aims to foster a strong sense of community and networking among current, future, and former MSci students, creating a valuable and interconnected network within the MSci community.?

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The ripple effect of my proactive academic approach cascaded through my peers in the form of a podcast. By sharing the insights gathered from my own path, I aspire to support fellow MSci students.?

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P.S. If you are an MSci alum and feel similarly about your experience, please feel free to contact me :)?