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Describe your time at UCL in three words: friendship, purpose, freedom.
Serena Celeste Romanelli
MA Human Rights
Montreal, Canada
What attracted you to UCL?
I was mainly attracted by its location in London, as I have wanted to study in London since I first visited in 2019. UCL also has a well-recognised human rights programme, which was a great plus for me.
How was UCL different to what you had known at your previous university?
I would say UCL is a lot more hands-on than North American universities. Having a personal tutor who checked in with me over the course of the year was very new – McGill didn’t have that. It felt really nice to know that the staff and faculty in my programme cared about my well-being on top of my academic achievements.
What aspects of your studies did you enjoy the most?
I really enjoyed completing my dissertation and meeting so many lovely people in my programme. I made a lot of really close friends that I still talk to, and we get along based on more than just shared academic interests. I think that is what is so great about postgraduate studies – you find people who are fundamentally like you.
What makes you most proud to be a UCL student?
I’m proud to be a UCL alumna because of the positive impact my research might potentially have on society. I am glad I had the resources from UCL to complete my research.
Describe your time at UCL in three words.
Friendship. Purpose. Freedom.
What are some of the most interesting things you have done, seen, or got involved with while at UCL?
I absolutely loved the musical theatre society and the events they put on. My department (political science) also put on a fun talent show one evening, and I thought that was such a neat way to encourage students to get to know each other.
In what way has studying in London enriched your studies?
I think having extracurricular activities that you enjoy can really enhance your studies, simply because you feel more motivated and content. I love that London always has something on, from musicals and plays to 90s dance parties every weekend. There is such an array of things to do in London that anyone can find something they like. And that makes London such a fun city to attend university in.
Who inspired you most at UCL and why?
My classmates and professors inspired me most, simply because of their passion for wanting to effect positive change. It’s difficult to find someone studying human rights at the postgraduate level who doesn’t have an ambition to change the world – so that was really inspiring to be around and made me feel so hopeful for how our generation can effect change.
What advice would you give to a student considering UCL?
Choose a programme that you are really passionate about, so that you can love what you’re learning. It makes the experience so much more special.
How has being at UCL changed you and the way you think about yourself?
Studying at UCL, particularly in the programme I chose, helped me determine what kind of researcher I want to be. I think in North America, research can be very heavily focused on quantitative methods and “objective truths.” But I enjoyed being exposed to the qualitative side of science at UCL – seeing how we could study the world with more fluidity and a little more reflexivity. I like applying those things to how I do my own research, now.
What are your future ambitions and how do you think that being a UCL student helped you get there?
I intend to complete a PhD in the near future – being a UCL student definitely helped me determine exactly what I want to specialise in. My dissertation supervisor was especially helpful, because she supported my original ideas and essentially gave me the space to investigate what really drives me as a researcher. Now I am 100% certain of what research question I would like to pursue in the future.