A space designed for the growth of its students
I’ll be honest: I arrived at the University of Nottingham to begin my PhD in Critical Theory and Cultural Studies with a great deal of fear. Although years earlier I had completed a master’s degree in the UK and already knew what it meant to study abroad, the doctorate felt like a much bigger leap—with an entirely different exigency. In a cold January, I packed a suitcase with my warmest coats, a generous supply of Mexican food, and, above all, my fear.
To my surprise, the fear stayed folded away between the clothes. From the very first day, Nottingham showed me that academic rigour does not have to mean exhaustion, and that quality is not synonymous with impossible expectations. Being in a demanding programme also means being in a space designed for the growth of its students: with resources available, with structures that encourage research, and above all, with a community that listens, engages in dialogue, and cares about the development of each of its members.
The University of Nottingham has given me a place to explore my voice, to test my ideas, and to grow as a researcher without losing sight of the human dimension. Here I have discovered that excellence does not suffocate—it inspires; that rigour does not paralyse—it propels; and that fear, after all, can remain in the suitcase.
- Gabriela