(MPhys) Physics with Advanced ResearchTana Bonner
My name is Tana Bonner and I’m a Year 2 MPhys with Advanced Research student at the University of Strathclyde. I grew up in California, but decided to move to Glasgow a year ago as I wanted a big change in my life.
Moving to Glasgow and attending the University of Strathclyde was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I take full advantage of all the opportunities at Strathclyde, including being an athlete on their competitive cheerleading team, participating in the rock climbing society, and taking snowboarding lessons with the snowsports club.
Why Strathclyde?
I decided to study at Strathclyde because of how welcoming the Physics Department was. Since I had no ties to Scotland, I knew next to nothing about the culture and environment surrounding the different universities. However, when I reached out to several universities to discuss my application and issues with my test scores, the Strathclyde Physics Department was the only one that responded, amended my offer, and warmly welcomed me to the university.
The kindness, understanding, and expertise of the staff at the university cannot be understated.
I felt truly welcomed and at home with the university, despite never having lived in Scotland.
I think very highly of the University of Strathclyde. The passion and love the staff have for the university is extremely apparent, and there is never a day that goes by that I don’t appreciate my opportunity to study here. In addition, there are so many resources available to students for work and internships. Since the staff-to-student ratio is so small, I get a lot of opportunities to talk directly to my professors. This has helped deepen my understanding of the subject and allowed me to make a lot of connections within the industry.
Physics
Physics has always been my favourite subject.
I find that the way the laws of physics work in harmony, on scales infinitesimally small to unimaginably large, to be extremely fascinating. I love getting to study the core mechanics of the world around us, and I find even the simplest of kinematics to be interesting. In addition, so much of physics is applied maths, and I love the satisfaction of solving equations. I hope to specialise in theoretical physics or quantum mechanics one day, as those fields have always been the most fun to learn about for me.
At the University of Strathclyde, I like that we are taught a wide variety of physics. From kinematics to electromagnetism, I learn about so many different fields of physics studying at university. It has allowed me to discover what fields I enjoy the most and gives me a better idea of what I want to do in the future. In addition, although our labs were simple during 1st year, I still loved the process of completing an experiment and making a lab report. In addition, I don’t find the pace of my classes to be too fast, and even when a subject is difficult it is still fun to learn about.
Opportunities for the future
I am getting a fun, fulfilling study out of my degree. Although I chose to study physics out of my love for the subject, having a physics degree opens up so many opportunities for the future. A physics degree is universally respected in STEM fields. This means that if I end up deciding I don’t want to go into research, I still have plenty of career pathways available to me. Studying physics also requires constant critical thinking and is extremely rewarding to study.
After I get my master’s degree, I am planning to get a PhD in quantum mechanics or theoretical physics; eventually going into research. I plan to either stay in the United Kingdom or move to another country in Europe, but have no intention of returning to the United States. I also hope to keep up my hobbies outside of academia, such as rock climbing, snowboarding, and crocheting, or even pick up new interests. Regardless of where I end up or what I end up doing, I know my time spent in university will be a formative part of my life.
Studying in Scotland vs US
In the United States, universities require you to take many 'common courses' alongside the classes related to your course. This means I would have been required to take English, history, and likely an extra language and science such as chemistry. All these extra classes seemed pointless to me when I knew all I wanted to study was physics and maths. If I had stayed in the US, I would not have been able to learn physics in-depth for several years. In addition, tuition for US schools is extremely expensive compared to university tuition in the UK. My tuition for university in the US would have been at least double the tuition I pay at Strathclyde, which meant that surprisingly, going international was cheaper.
Life in Glasgow
Moving to Scotland was incredibly fun. I'm the kind of person who loves big changes in their life, and after getting bored of the US, I decided Scotland would be that big change for me. While it was difficult adjusting to living in a new country at first, nearly everyone I met was extremely friendly and welcoming. The Glaswegian accent was definitely hard to understand for the first couple of months, but I picked it up eventually. The Scots are charming and you can never have a dull day living here.
Being a student in Glasgow means being surrounded by other students. With the University of Glasgow, Strathclyde, and GCU all located in the same city, Glasgow is full of university students. This means that the city has a big scene for student activities, cafés, and clubs. In addition, Strathclyde’s campus is intertwined with the city centre. My classes and favourite places to eat, shop, and drink are all in the same area. This makes me feel more connected to the city and less isolated like many university campuses can be.
Outside of my studies, I prioritise spending time with my friends and trying new activities. I spend a lot of my spare time cheerleading for Strathclyde’s competitive team, rock climbing, and snowboarding. I also love crocheting plushies, baking, and getting drinks with friends. I try to maintain a healthy balance between my academics, friends, and hobbies to make the most of my time at university.
I love how lively Glasgow is. The city is full of life and love, there are people everywhere you go, and the city always feels like it’s buzzing. It’s easy to meet new people when there are so many opportunities to do so. In addition, the architecture is gorgeous. I’ll be running errands or simply going to class and end up casually seeing buildings more beautiful than anything I had seen growing up. There is so much history embedded in the architecture and it’s amazing to get to see it every day.
Although I’ve learned a lot of Scottish words and phrases, my favourite is probably 'scran', meaning good food. Even though I had never heard of it until a year ago, I use it all the time now. Whether it be after class, the gym, or clubbing, 'getting scran' is always my go-to phrase and activity for getting something scrumptious!
Choose Strathclyde
I would say to consider what you want your university life to look like. If you want a life of new, exciting opportunities in the centre of the largest city in Scotland while also getting a degree, choose Strathclyde. Attending the University of Strathclyde is more than just about getting a degree, it includes making lifelong memories, best friends, and connections in the industry you’re studying.
If you’re on the fence about making a big, life-changing decision (such as moving across the world for university), go for it! You only live once and you should spend that time making the most of it.
