- Lawrence Edmonds
- BA Scandinavian Studies
- Graduated: 2008
- Viking at Jorvik Viking Centre, York
Why did you choose to study Scandinavian Studies in general and at UCL in specific?
I almost didn't go to university because I wasn't greatly inspired by many of the possible courses on offer at various universities. All of this changed when I heard about Scandinavian Studies at UCL, however. I knew that if I did decide to take a degree it would have to be in something I was passionate about. Many people at my school only seemed to be going to university in order to live the student lifestyle. They didn't seem to care what course they took as long as they could be students. I found this rather sad and pointless so I was lucky that I found something I really cared about. Of course, I was also looking forward to life in London and all of the wonderful experiences involved (my sister had lived there for 4 years already and enjoyed herself immensely), but I knew that finding a balance between a social life and studies was key. Scandinavian Studies appealed to me immediately. It sounded like something completely different, and it certainly was. The reactions people gave when they learned I was a Scandinavian Studies student were mainly ones of surprise. Many simply said "Well, that's different!" which always made me feel proud to think I was involved in something slightly unusual, something outside the more well-known fields of study. In addition, I had always been fascinated by Scandinavia, mainly its history and languages. This is due to my upbringing in York, a city famous for its Viking heritage. Upon discovering that I could study my interests in greater depth at UCL there was only one university I wanted to be at.
What did you like most about your degree programme?
The highlight of the programme was undoubtedly the year abroad in Scandinavia. I spent my time in Aarhus, Denmark, and I consider it as the greatest year of my life so far. Despite some early nerves and bouts of homesickness it was an immensely rewarding experience. Although studying grammar and vocabulary does increase linguistic skills, nothing beats being surrounded by the language you want to learn on a daily basis. This included such things as the classes I took at Aarhus university, spending time with my flatmates, watching television, listening to the radio, reading newspapers and novels and catching snippets of conversations on the bus and the street. All of these things helped to increase my knowledge of Danish and I returned to England a year later a lot better at it than when I had left. Of course, I made silly mistakes every now and then, but this is how you learn. I was very grateful for the amount of faith the department had in me and my fellow Danish classmates, trusting us all to take our education into our own hands. This feeling of responsibility made us all the more determined to make the most of our time in Denmark. As well as improving my language skills, actually living in a foreign country was a very important experience. I learned a lot about Denmark and its people. Even after only a short time I found that I had settled into the Danish way of life with little difficulty. I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere at home and at university and had an exciting social life. Going to Roskilde Festival was definitely a highlight (despite 4 days of constant rain!) and an excellent way to finish my time in Denmark. By the end of the year I knew that I could certainly live there because I really did not want to leave!
What was it like being a student at the Scandinavian department?
There was always a friendly, family atmosphere around the Scandinavian department. Because we were so few and the department so small compared to the rest of UCL all of us got along really well. This was mainly due to our common interests, as we could finally meet and talk with people who shared the same passions. Although our friends looked at us blankly when we mentioned the Sagas and Karen Blixen, it was reassuring to know that there was somewhere we could go to indulge in our interests. This ranged from discussions in the common room, practising language skills with each other and, of course, the classes. All of these things were extremely beneficial.
How has your degree been of benefit to you since you took your degree?
Since leaving UCL I have returned to work at Jorvik Viking Centre in York. This job served me well throughout my university years, mainly during the holidays when I earned some extra cash and passed on knowledge I had gained through my studies. When I began my degree I had a goal to help with the introduction of audio commentaries in the Scandinavian languages at Jorvik. Considering the large amount of Scandinavian visitors we receive, it is ridiculous that we have nothing translated into their languages, especially in a museum about the Vikings! During the summer of 2008 I took the time to translate the ride commentary into Danish and presented my work to the museum's management. They were impressed with my initiative and have agreed to use my translation. At the moment it will only be in the form of a written guide, but by 2011 a Danish audio commentary will be introduced at last. I have also enlisted the help of friends from the Scandinavian department to translate into Norwegian, Swedish and Icelandic. Although the introduction of audio guides is still a few years away I feel proud to have conceived of an idea that will benefit thousands of people. It is also greatly satisfying to be using the skills I have learned at UCL. It has also been fun to talk to Danish visitors in the museum, who are all pleasantly surprised to hear an English person speaking to them in their language. A number of them have said that it made the whole experience even more enjoyable.
