Lighting the Spark at UCL Open Days

Learn all about how exciting an Open Day can be with UCL Chemistry Digital Student Ambassador Mayukh. Find out more about lab tours and exploring the campus - be sure to wear your comfy shoes!

Picture this: it’s a crisp morning, the sun peeking through the Georgian facades of Gower Street. I was clutching my UCL map, already feeling like a rookie treasure hunter. My first stop? The Wilkins Building. As I slipped inside, I was greeted by a sea of purple-clad student ambassadors, ready to guide me to everything from Statistical Science to Physics and Astronomy. Right away, I knew unheard-of acronyms like “GC/MS” and “NMR spectroscopy” wouldn’t stay mysterious for long. 

Lab Tours and Lightbulb Moments

Next up was the Chemistry lab tour in the Christopher Ingold Building. Tight-fitting lab coats, safety goggles, and the faint hum of instruments: I practically floated down the corridor. A PhD researcher let me peer through a microscope at fluorescent molecules, those glowing dots were my “aha” moment, convincing me that this was where I belonged. Along the way, I bumped into prospective students curious about Mathematics, Physics, and even Earth Sciences. The vibe was open and collaborative: I overheard a conversation about quantum computing just feet away from someone dissecting ancient rock samples. 

Beyond the Beakers

UCL’s MAPS Faculty isn’t just pipettes and periodic tables. There were demos showing how mathematicians visualise complex topologies, and at a pop-up stall by Physics, you could try your hand at balancing an equation on a giant touchscreen. There was even a mini-lecture on machine learning applications in astrochemistry, because here, disciplines bleed into one another like hues in a watercolour painting. 

Chatting with Staff and Students

The best part of Open Day was the candid chats. I had the chance to sit down with some current students in the Roberts Building café (those espresso shots are lifesavers during revision season), and we talked goals, research projects, and the infamous London rent. Then I joined a student panel where current MAPS scholars answered everything from “How heavy is the workload?” to “What’s the best pub around Russell Square?” Their honesty was gold: yes, you’ll work hard, but you’ll also swap stories about the spontaneous bake sale you organised in the quad, or the impromptu stargazing night on the roof terrace. 

Exploring Bloomsbury and Beyond

UCL isn’t an island, it’s woven into the fabric of Bloomsbury. On Open Day I wandered into Senate House, browsed rare books at the Main Library, and even caught a flash mob dance by the UCL Dance Society under the archway. Feeling peckish? The Student Centre on Gordon Street dishes out curries, burgers, and fresh-pressed juices, fuel for those long lab sessions. Everything feels within walking distance, whether you’re heading to lecture theatres in the DMS Watson Building or enjoying a study break in Gordon Square Gardens. 

Your Turn to Discover

If you’re considering UCL’s MAPS faculty, my advice is simple: let your curiosity run wild. Talk to everyone, from the admissions team to the final-year students balancing chromatography experiments at midnight. Sign up for the sample lectures (I still quote lines from my first Physical Chemistry talk), and don’t shy away from the hands-on demos. You might arrive thinking you know exactly what you want to study, but trust me, you’ll leave with new passions you never even considered. 

So pack your comfiest shoes, bring questions that keep you up at night, and get ready to be inspired. UCL’s Open Days aren’t just about ticking boxes, they’re about lighting that spark that could lead you to your next big discovery. See you on campus!

Author: Mayukh Das
Photo Credit: James Tye (header image); Mayukh Das (inline image)