Jack Pearce
Jack Pearce
BA Politics with Advanced Proficiency in Spanish (2017)
What has been the highlight of your time at Exeter?
The three freshers’ weeks I have worked on as a volunteer for Welcome Team. It was fantastic to help new students and their parents feel welcome at Exeter and help them to get settled in the first few days of their time here. I enjoyed working as part of an enthusiastic team where I made some great friends across the three years and I loved the leadership responsibility of being a senior member for the past two years. Although the tiring days and long night shifts were exhausting, it is an experience I will never forget.
What will you miss the most about University?
I think I will miss living with my best friends and having friends so close by. From my first day at Exeter I have lived with some brilliant people who have gone on to become some of my closest friends so not being able to see them as much will be something I miss. Also being able to easily meet up with course friends or people from sports teams will be more difficult in future, it’s a shame because I have met so many great people here!
What did you enjoy about your particular degree programme?
I loved the seminars in Politics, IR or IAIS modules, especially during my final year. I enjoyed meeting with other people who were genuinely interested in the topics we were studying and wanted to contribute to the class discussions. Even though I didn’t always agree with them, it was always good to have your point of view challenged and take on suggestions for new ways of thinking about things. The tutors always facilitated these discussions really well.
What advice would you give to current and future students?
University is the same as anything else in life, you get out what you put in. I would say get involved in as many things as possible (without burning yourself out!) because it’s a chance you might never get again. Try something new or continue with your old hobbies, but make sure to get involved because clubs and societies are where you can meet some of your best friends. Plus any events you’ve organised, volunteering you’ve done, or teams you’ve led will look fantastic when applying for jobs.
What are your plans now that you have graduated?
I’m currently applying for jobs in the political, charity and NGO sector in the London area. I’m hoping to get into an organisation where I can use the skills I developed in my degree and apply them directly to help other people. Meanwhile, I’m working for my dad’s roofing company to earn my keep at home!