Anna Ouston
"I have really loved my Surrey experience, it has been an amazing few years. I have learnt tons, made friends for life, and grown so much in myself. I am a totally different person to who I was before I came – I wouldn’t even recognise myself now!"
Course
Politics and Sociology BSc (Hons)Entry year
2015"I love being able to study a combination of my two favourite subjects. It’s so great having two departments that are quite different to support you – you get the best of both worlds!
Since day one, I have always been very involved in societies. Alongside taking on committee positions in STAR (Student Action for Refugees), Sociology Society and Politics Society, I’ve also been a member of many societies over the years, including Gospel Choir, Dodgeball, Feminist Society and People and Planet. My university experience would not have been the same without societies, as they have played a huge role in me meeting my closest friends, having amazing experiences, and gaining great employability skills. I will always be so grateful that I got involved in so many different things.
The best thing about living in student accommodation was how close I was to all my friends, as the majority of them also lived at Manor Park. I’d pop to the upstairs flat in my PJs at 3am to have a chat with my friend Laura, and we could do that because it was so close! Or I could go to the block down the road where my other friends lived and see them within 5 minutes. Having everyone living within 5 minutes of each other made it so easy to socialise.
I’m from the Isle of Wight, so I was quite scared about moving away to somewhere quite big and unknown, but I think Guildford was the perfect transition for me. Being so close to London is also amazing, as I often pop back and forth to see friends or go see shows, or anything really! The most important thing to me when choosing a university was going somewhere that felt like home, and Surrey is most definitely that for me.
"I was in the same room as the Prime Minister a few times, and even got to visit 10 Downing Street!"
I did my placement year at the UK Parliament, working for their Outreach and Engagement team. I got to do a lot of travelling around the UK, meeting many MPs, members of the House of Lords, and Mr Speaker on many occasions. I was in the same room as the Prime Minister a few times, and even got to visit 10 Downing Street! I gained so much confidence in my abilities and did lots of public speaking, which is something I’ve always wanted to get better at.
In general, doing something which I knew might inspire people to get involved in politics meant so much, and that was definitely what motivated me.
I have really loved my Surrey experience, it has been an amazing few years. I have learnt tons, made friends for life, and grown so much in myself. I am a totally different person to who I was before I came – I wouldn’t even recognise myself now!"
Discover more about our courses in politics and international relations and our courses in sociology, including our BSc (Hons) Politics and Sociology.
