Niamh Stevie

3rd year

Niamh, from Northern Ireland, is studying Modern Languages (Interpreting and Translating) with French and Spanish.

What made you choose Heriot-Watt University?

At the time of UCAS applications I was already pretty set on studying in Edinburgh, I had visited the city a few times before and quickly decided that it was the perfect university city for me. However, in terms of choosing the University itself, I was very undecided between Heriot-Watt and the University of Edinburgh. In the end, Heriot-Watt won me over for two main reasons: the campus and the course. When researching language courses in the UK it seemed as though I was being offered identical courses from every university; language learning focused on literature, politics, and history. Heriot-Watt was different, they offered a more specialised and practical course that focused on interpreting and translating; with top-notch facilities, professional-standard interpreting booths, and various accreditations, I felt like I could graduate from this course with all the necessary skills and techniques to integrate seamlessly into a career, rather than just knowing the theory. Heriot-Watt's campus was another deciding factor, with everything in one place, the university seemed to have a closer community feeling than other universities, making it a lot easier to integrate and settle in.

What programme are you studying and what's your experience been like so far?

I am studying MA (Hons) Modern Languages (Interpreting and Translating) with French and Spanish as my language combination. I absolutely could not fault this course at all, my experience so far has been excellent. The lecturers at Heriot-Watt do everything in their power to prepare you for an interpreting career in the professional world; from simulating various business and tourism situations in liaison practice to using actual EU material to learn conference interpreting. In just 3 years, I have learned a variety of essential skills such as public speaking, shorthand note-taking, and, preparing for specific briefs, all whilst improving my language levels. Additionally, Heriot-Watt has a wide range of electives to choose from, I was able to reach an intermediate German level through my 1st and 2nd year electives, whilst many of my classmates took up Mandarin or BSL as an additional language. As a 3rd year student, I am currently in the middle of my year abroad, where I partake in two semester-long university placements, one in each country, this is another benefit of Heriot-Watt, as many other Universities only allow their language students to have a year abroad placement in one country.  

How did you find transitioning from high school to university?

Given that my 1st year was still somewhat affected by COVID, my transition to university was a bit different as most classes and exams remained online until the middle of the second semester. Though learning languages through Teams calls was not ideal, I was quite lucky as my first year was more or less an in-depth recap of content I had covered in A-levels. The lecturers heavily focused on revising and bridging the gaps in grammar knowledge that differed between various Higher education systems across Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England. I thought this was very beneficial, as it allowed everyone to begin the more advanced second-year content at the exact same level.

What extra-curricular activities have you gotten involved with?

If I could give incoming first years any advice it would be to make the most of the Sports Union! Heriot-Watt offers almost every sport imaginable at all levels, so there really is something for everybody. I am part of the Cheerleading club, which (not to be biased) is one of the most welcoming and encouraging clubs out there; I went to the taster sessions in my first year knowing nobody and immediately felt welcomed, 3 years later, I have friends for life. Although I did join with previous cheer experience, this is absolutely not a necessity as the first month or so is spent going over the basics. University life can get stressful so it's nice to have a place you can go to after class to focus on something else, competitions give you a non-academic goal to work towards, and, to top it all off, the Wednesday night sports socials are always a highlight! The Sports Union also offers opportunities to get involved in the club itself through sports ambassador and club committee roles; for example, the sports union partly financed my coaching qualification, allowing me to gain volunteer hours by doing something I love!

How did you find settling in at university?

I came to Heriot-Watt with some of my friends from home which made settling in a lot easier, but making friends at university is really not as daunting as it seems, especially in halls, where everybody is in the same boat. Funnily enough, I never felt very homesick because there is a massive Irish community in Edinburgh, it was so nice to meet other people in the same situation as myself and bond over our experiences; now, some of my best friends are Irish girls that I met at cheerleading, and I often spot Heriot-Watt students on my flights home!

What was it like living on campus?

Living in halls in my first year was so much fun and something I definitely did miss in second year. With my friends living on campus too we were only 2 minutes away from each other; we would meet for early morning cheer practice, make dinners together, and of course, have flat parties! Although the campus is a bit far from the centre, the transport from campus is amazing! There are 25, 34, and 35 buses into the city every 10 minutes, and for nights out, the N25 takes you right back to campus at all hours.

What's your experience of going to Edinburgh city centre?

Edinburgh is such a good student city because it has everything! In first year, my friends and I spent our weekends playing tourist; visiting famous streets, monuments, and making the most of the shops that we didn't have in our hometown. Living in the center in 2nd year was a whole different experience; we studied in cafés, frequented Grassmarket and Stockbridge markets, and thrifted at the charity shops. The city centre is amazing for nights out too, especially with so many Irish pubs (Dropkicks and Finnegans are the best). Also, make the most out of the free travel while you are under 22, the young Scot card works on all buses even to Glasgow and the airport! In the summer, get the bus out to Portobello for a beach day or have a BBQ at the meadows.

Did you travel home often?

I usually travel home for Christmas, Easter, and summer; but, with flights to Belfast being so quick and regular, it's nice to know that you can easily get home at any time if need be. You can get good deals on flights home if you catch them at the right time, I recommend booking far in advance. Normally, I fly to Belfast Intl because it is easier to get back to Enniskillen that way, but I know some people who get insane deals by flying Ryanair or Aer Lingus to Knock or Dublin, so it is definitely something worth checking out. Another option would be to get the Ferry, it is a bit more expensive but could be useful if you wanted to bring a car/lots of luggage over.
 

What advice would you give to someone looking to move away from home for university?

Go for it! I know it can seem super daunting and scary, but I promise it is 100% worth it! Moving away from home (especially Northern Ireland) really opens up your course options, you can choose something more specific to your career plans, meet many like-minded people, and significantly expand your opportunities. At university, it is so easy to make friends regardless of where you are or where you come from, so you will end up making friends for life either way. Don't let the financial aspect put you off either! It's no secret that staying in NI (and paying NI fees) is a lot easier on your bank account, but student finance is a great help and there are various grants and bursaries that you can apply for. I would say, if you are undecided, it is worth giving it a shot, home is one 30-minute flight away, and you are never ever too far away from a fellow Irishman in Scotland. My experience of moving away for university has been incredible, I have absolutely no regrets and would now consider Edinburgh a second home.