So you want to be a sociologist?

There is no such thing as a wrong reason to choose a university. Remember Duffy’s song Warwick Avenue? That’s exactly what has led me to the University of Warwick. And the fact that, as far as all those charts and tables go, the local sociology department is one of the best in the country. Plus I can choose from more than 200 clubs and sports here. To say nothing of the fact that a quarter of the University is made up of international students.

Well, a month and half later, I know that Warwick Avenue has about as much in common with the University of Warwick as Paris, Texas has with the Eiffel Tower, but the school has not disappointed me as far as the rest is concerned.

Put in figures, that’s 4 subjects, 4 lectures and 4 seminars, amounting to 11 lessons and some 50 pages per subject per week. I have completed two essays (not graded) and will have to hand in two more plus do a presentation before the end of the semester. But Warwick is not unique for perusing lengthy books and academic articles and writing essays; it is so rather for its very hands-on approach to studying. We conducted a content analysis of matchmaking ads as early as at the fourth Research seminar, and they threw us in at the deep end of structured observation at the fifth.

In addition, Warwick – like other UK universities – believes that if the diploma is all you bring back from your studies then something is wrong. So I have to admit that, even though it may come as a surprise to some, I AM NOT involved in 150 of the aforesaid 200 organizations. I do admit that my worst spent money was the £6 for Taekwondo lessons, though. On the other hand, I am proud to be on the preparatory team for the TEDxWarwick conference, the first and one of the largest TEDx student events in the UK. As part of the marketing team, I was in charge of managing the Home Grown Ideas Taster Session, or ‘we believe in the University’s potential and want to prove that our students have inspiring and innovative ideas too!’

At Warwick STAR, a volunteer organization focusing on immigrants, I help teach English at the Coventry refugee center. Not only do I get to leave the Warwick stew and breathe some fresh air once a week (yes, seniors and children still exist) – I also do something I enjoy and explore the world from a different side. To say nothing of helping with chopping down trees with an environmental organization a few weeks ago – now that was a different angle for sure.

But the experience that I have valued the most so far is taking part in the students’ national protests against the education budget cuts in early November. I would love to say that I was so conscientious an activist, but I will not conceal the fact that one of my main reasons was that this was by far the cheapest sightseeing trip to London – a return ticket for £5 and a 4-kilometer route including Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, the Royal Court of Justice and the City of London banking empire, with a London native willing to provide an extensive instruction for a snack. And the experience of a creative crowd yelling “You’re sexy, you’re cute, take off your riot suit!” at 4,000 policemen putting on armor is just plain priceless.

And that’s just six academic weeks. What awaits in the next four? The Warwick International Development Summit, a jazz dancing contest, a charity dinner, some more tree chopping, and also countless coffees, teas, chocolates, films, and theater shows with new friends.