Laura’s summer at King’s

At the beginning of 2019, I started thinking about my summer vacation. I wondered: ‘what could I do that would both be interesting and fun whilst travelling abroad?’ After endlessly scrolling through Web pages, I decided that King’s summer programme would be the perfect fit. The application process was straightforward, and since it is a prestigious and world- renowned university, I patiently waited for the admissions results.
Taking a strong interest in the legislation, I attended undergraduate-level law classes.

Throughout the two weeks, I was able to learn a lot in a short time. Apart from having lectures in the morning, we visited the Royal Courts of Justice as a group and took part in mock trials, thus we really experienced working as a barrister for a few hours. Furthermore, guest speakers having different projects gave us insight into their work. Not only did I meet peers sharing the same interest, I also engaged in group activities with students from other modules. For instance, I got to discuss with people whose career paths seemed completely different to mine and who came from a variety of cultures. The entrepreneurship challenge and free time until curfew played a key role in building an international network.

I would recommend the residential option, since I am still in touch with people from all around the world, with whom I experienced a preview of life at university. Considering that King’s campus is located in the centre of London, we took advantage of our evenings to wander around the city. Even though walking five miles at once seemed reasonable (we just stopped for pictures), we realised in the morning that we would not get through the two weeks that way. On the bright side, I can now work out which route to take by looking at the tube map without looking like a moron.  Moreover, being far from home gave me a feeling of independence and I am looking forward to going to university. The experience was truly enriching, rewarding and empowering and I believe that anyone can benefit from it!

Katarina’s summer at King’s

 

I remember walking in on my first day, not knowing anyone and thinking to myself, “This is going to be a long two weeks”. Little did I know that 12 days later, I would be crying with my friends not wanting to say goodbye. All the people that I got to know, and the countless memories built at King’s are truly irreplaceable.
The Pre-University Psychology course at King’s was one of the most inspiring and fun experiences of my life. Not only did I learn an extensive amount about topics that greatly interest me, but I was able to explore what university life is like in one of the liveliest cities in the world. Our campus was located less than 10 minutes from the “must sees” that London has to offer, and a beautiful walk along the Thames. This convenience was best experienced when my friends and I would go get a truffle burger for lunch by the river between our two daily seminars. After a total of up to 6 and a half hours of lectures and educational activities per day, we had around 4 hours (until our curfew!) to explore London and its vibrant and diverse culture. However, soon that free time was shortened by essay writing, testing out how to do laundry, and trying to stay fit from all those burgers. Yet, to me, this was one of the most influential aspects of the summer course: realising what university life might be like, and that, contrary to what mom says, you can wash black and white clothes in the same washing machine.


I think I speak on behalf of all my friends that I met during those two weeks when I say that every moment at King’s was an unforgettable one. From making long-lasting friendships and exploring London to having the opportunity to talk with inspiring professors, this course was one that teaches you to be more independent, confident, and ready to tackle the challenges that life brings. Looking back now, there is nothing  that I would change about the course, except maybe making it double as long.

Katarina Krajnovic – Pre-University Summer School