Jessica Kay

What was it about your programme that appealed to you?

I knew that I wanted to study within the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR), but I didn’t know which programme. So I attended their applicant morning where we did interactive activities, which I enjoyed. I hadn’t got to do that at any other universities.

I asked a lot of questions about choosing a course and the lecturers recommended that I do a joint honours, to keep my options open. Both the Sociology and the Criminology lecturers were there at the open day to talk things through. They were all reassuring that it was a course I could do, and would enjoy.

What have been the highlights of your course?

In second year I did a module on criminal justice in Britain. For one of the assignments, we had to go to court, observe proceedings and report back. It was really interesting watching a real court case proceeding and I enjoyed writing the assignment.

What’s student life been like since the March 2020 lockdown?

It all happened very quickly. As soon as lockdown was announced, I went straight home. One week we were in classes, the next week everything was online.

Our lecturers were quite good, they adapted quite quickly and it was a bit trial and error. For the most part, we still got the teaching we got earlier. They were good and responsive with emails. Anything they knew, we knew.

How are you finding the teaching and learning this academic year?

All of my lecturers are online and the majority of my seminars. We had a few seminars in lecture theatres, at a social distance, [when that was permitted] and it’s been good to get on to campus.

Now, if anything, things have improved. Over the summer the academics have established a set up. A lot have moved from Zoom to Microsoft Teams and are now familiar with sharing screens and setting up breakout rooms. It’s definitely improved from March. It’s very different to physically being in university but I think the level of teaching we’re getting now is similar to face-to-face, or as similar as it can be.

How are you keeping in contact with other students? And making new friends on your course?

We were talking about this in a seminar the other day, about how that five minutes of chatting before a lecture makes a big difference when it comes to making friends.

In one of my modules, the lecturer assigned us a group presentation. That’s been good because I’ve had group video chats with people I didn’t know before, and have made new friends.

Are you involved with any societies? How have they adapted to Covid-19 restrictions?

This year, I’m the President of the Ballroom and Latin Society. What a year to become President! Last year I was the Vice-President. That was really good and a huge part of my social life. We had classes three times a week and we were going out twice a week. That was a good support system.

This year is obviously a bit up in the air. Our funding body has said we’re not allowed to meet up to dance at all currently, but we’re hoping that might change in 2021.

We’ve got new members who are first years, or second years who didn’t join in first year. They want to get to know us, and we want to get to know them, and it’s hard because half of joining a society is nothing to do with what the society is about. It’s about establishing friendships.

We’re keeping in contact with each other in the meantime by posting on Instagram and Facebook. We’ve had a lot of interest from people who want to join and we’ve been messaging them and keeping them updated.

What employability activities have you been involved with?

I’m a student ambassador for SSPSSR, and was last year too. Last year, we worked on open days, meeting prospective students and parents and we’d take them to lectures and talk to them about the degree programmes. This year, we did an online open day soon after the A level results came out.

I was also a student mentor last year, giving help and advice on the academic side of things and sometimes on the social side too.

What do you want to do in the future?

I’m applying for a Master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and would love to do a PhD at some point. I’m very comfortable with academia. I’d also like to work with charities. I’m doing my dissertation on housing routes for female ex-offenders, so once they leave prison what’s available to them. There’s lots that needs to be done to improve that situation, and there are jobs in that field.

How have you changed and developed during your time at Kent?

I moved down to Kent from near Manchester, in the north of England. That was the first time I’d ever been away from home. Moving to university is one thing, but moving away from all of your friends to another part of the country is another.

Most of my friends went to university together nearer home, and they’re still in those groups, whereas I went off on my own. So my independence has grown a lot and nothing much fazes me.

My academic capabilities and knowledge have improved. Obviously, they do with university anyway. But I feel a lot more comfortable producing academic work.

What advice would you give someone planning to do the same degree programme?

Keep up with the recommended reading. There’s a big distinction in essay grades between people who’ve read around topics and people who haven’t.

And for university life I’d say take all the opportunities you can. In first year I didn’t really take those opportunities then in second and third year I threw myself in. Even if an activity doesn’t seem to be for you, you won’t lose anything from trying it. Many of the friends I’ve made, and the good experiences I’ve had, have been through extra-curricular activities.

And enjoy university, because it goes so, so fast!