Olivia Page

What did you enjoy most about your degree programme?

I love the modern and open-minded attitude that the Classics department takes towards the subject – whether it be through the Creative Project module in my third year that some of my friends took part in that allows alternative modes of exploring our subject, the depth and understanding with which questions about gender and sexuality in the ancient world are addressed, the willingness to dive into historically unpopular texts, the Classics course at Exeter is really unique and what drew me here in the first place.

Some of the students we are profiling have been awarded a departmental prize or award in recognition of their exceptional achievements. If this applies to you, please can you tell us about this and what it means to you?

I received the Robin Mathewson Memorial Prize for Outstanding Academic Performance in Classics and the Department Commendation Prize for my role as Classics Soc President. Achieving these awards means so much to me as I have truly put my all into my time at Exeter (some would say I have tried to do too much!) and it is an honour to have that hard work recognised.

Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?

I was the Vice-President of Classics Society in my second year and then President in my third year! I also got involved in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Society, which my lovely housemates were in charge of.

What was the highlight of your time at Exeter?

 This is so hard to choose! My degree has been really academically rewarding; I remember receiving my first 1st class mark back in my first year during reading week and running to the end of the garden to tell my parents because I was so proud! I have also had many extra-academic highlights, such as the night I said goodbye to Classics Society at our summer ball and one of my committee members bought me flowers and wrote a speech about my work that year, or the end of the two Grand Challenges Weeks that I helped to run where the team all got together to take photos and congratulate each other, or even when I was teaching Latin and one of my students would tell me that they finally understood a particularly difficult topic that we’d been working on! I have had so many amazing experiences and made so many wonderful memories so a bit of a cop-out answer from me on that one.

What will you miss the most about University?

This is a bit of a cliché but my friends! One of the most amazing things about university is that you can build a really tight-knit community and it makes me so sad that we are moving to different places all around the country – I did cry a little bit the night I left. This is why it is so important to take advantage of every opportunity because you can meet new and exciting people everywhere you go! I’ve met amazing people not only in lectures but at society events, as part of my job, while doing volunteering – all over the place!

What advice would you give to current and future students? (If you are an international student what would you like to tell future students from back home who might be thinking about applying to study in Exeter?)

 As I said, taking the opportunities when they come but I would also add the importance of seeking them out! There is a wealth of opportunities for professional development (I worked for the careers team for two years while I was here so I am very well-versed in these now), for gaining employment and volunteering experience, to explore your interests, and to find out who you are. The first few weeks can be overwhelming in terms of information but it is worth taking the time to explore all the ways that you can enrich your time at university.

What are your plans now that you have graduated?

I am off to study an MSt in Latin Language and Literature at the University of Oxford which I am super excited for! After that, we’ll have to wait and see…