Kalpana Khatri (BSc Psychology)

I joined The University of Buckingham in September 2019, for its small tutorial sizes and accelerated courses. I completed my undergraduate studies in December 2021, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Psychology; First Class Honours.

Like most students, my undergraduate experience was not as smooth as expected. I had no academic confidence and struggled with reading as well as writing academic papers. This is when I was screened for dyslexia, which although gave me a sense of clarity, also fed into the lack of confidence. Fortunately, the university has specialised individuals who support students and equip them with multiple skills to achieve their academic goals and overcome setbacks. The University is extremely supportive of their students by providing counselling services and academic support, as well as events to educate them on effective revision strategies.

Additionally, I enjoyed working with my supervisor and personal tutor on my final project. The project was aligned with my interest in cultural differences and the limited current knowledge in the area of perceptions about male sexual assault victims. The project allowed me to gain knowledge, skills as well as research experience, which has proven to be valuable in terms of transferable skills on my cover letters.

However, one thing I regret not doing is gaining work experience related to psychology by asking the career department at the University. This is something I would advise every future student to look into in their first year. All you have you do is ask your personal tutors or even module tutors.

And finally, always ask for help when needed, because it is always available.