HCAU: Hi Megan! We want to know all about your university experiences, some of your likes and dislikes, and just generally more about you as a person! How are you feeling?
Meg: Hey, I’m great, thank you! I actually can’t tell you how excited I am to get back into the routine of uni again after everything that’s happened over the last year. I’m about to start my fourth and final year *cries* studying MA English which is absolute madness because it feels like I started my first year yesterday. Once I’ve graduated, I’d love to go into publishing and/or journalism, so I basically feel like a walking stereotype of my degree when I tell people I want to read and write for a living, oops.
I really just love all things true crime, anything written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and procrastinating by creating dramatic main character playlists.
HCAU: I’m glad to hear that, let’s jump right in and get started! What made you want to join HCAU?
Meg: So this is my third year in the society and my second year on the committee! I came across HC at the beginning of second year and it just sounded like part of me. Once I met everybody, I immediately felt so welcome! HC really feels like a family, and I think everybody needs that support network while you’re in uni. It also gives me the chance to be creative with my writing AND enjoy the best nights out/in. Being in the society has completely changed my uni experience for the better!
HCAU: What about being President? What made you decide to go for this role? Any exciting plans up your sleeve?
Meg: Putting my name forward to be president was scary and way out of my comfort zone, but I thought hey, it’s my last year here so why not just give it a go and I’m so excited to be back on the committee with the best group of people! I think we’re all even more excited for this year because Covid made it quite tricky at times last semester to do things the way we really wanted to. I’m hoping to encourage more people to write and join our socials as well as working more closely with charities the society feels strongly about supporting.
HCAU: We can’t wait! We hope you’ve been enjoying your summer, have you been up to anything interesting?
Meg: Summer has felt so strange with the easing of restrictions, but I’ve loved just socialising with the people closest to me and spending some quality time at home in North Wales. I was lucky enough to go on a few short trips around the UK and abroad, so I definitely feel well rested and prepped for uni to start.
HCAU: All good things must come to an end, and the end of summer starts with going back to university. Any advice for newcomers coming to Aberdeen University?
Meg: The only advice I can give, and it’s so much easier said than done, is to not let fear get in the way of trying something new or different. I’d encourage everyone to make the most out of it in every way possible. Challenge and encourage yourself, but also don’t feel pressured to do something you don’t want to do. I’ve learned there’s always a place for everyone and you’ll soon have it all figured out so just be patient and trust you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
Also, my God, please stay on top of your reading and seminar prep. You’ll blink and you’ll find yourself feeling like you’re about 3 weeks behind. Just accept your sleeping pattern will fall all over the place and you’ll never learn to fix it.
HCAU: We’ve got a few quick-fire questions for you; we hope you are ready!
Dinner OR Drinks?
It’s going to have to be drinks. Who doesn’t love an overpriced cocktail???
Favourite Movie?
It depends on my mood but my top two favourites that are very different from each other lol are About Time and Parasite.
Main meal OR Dessert?
Main for sure. Savoury over sweet any day.
Favourite Aberdeen night out?
There are so many and probably more that I have no recollection of, but I’m going to go with the pink t-shirt bar crawl during freshers because that was the first HC social I ever attended and I really felt like I’d finally found the group of people I was meant to be socialising with!