Alexander Fanshawe

BA Geography

1. What has been the highlight of your time at Exeter?

The second year field trip to Seville was the highlight of my degree. A week in the frying pan of Europe led by the legendary David Harvey, escaping drizzly March in the UK, was a huge treat. Seville with its complex history was a fascinating place to visit. Alongside the long Spanish evenings, great food and the hotel pool made it a week to remember!

2. What will you miss the most about University?

I will never forget the fun I have had living in Exeter and exploring the South-West. I am a keen cyclist and I can’t imagine a better place than Devon to have spent racing and training with my friends alongside getting a degree. I will miss Exeter and my lifestyle down here hugely and look forward to returning to the South-West one day.

3. What did you enjoy about your particular programme?

I loved the freedom we were given in coursework assignments to take the course material and apply it to anything we liked. My favourite essay to write was on the imaginative geographies of Israel perpetuated by the stage maps of the 2018 Giro D’Italia. I still can’t believe I was able to write about cycling for my degree. But that’s what is so brilliant about the Geography modules, they were so relevant that you could apply the academic theories to almost anything you were interested in.

4. What advice would you give to current and future students?

Make the most of living in the South-West, you are after all living where a lot of people choose to go on holiday. Academically, try to apply your course to your interests. This will allow you to write on things you are passionate about and things that lecturers won’t necessarily have come across. Originality is key to a good mark in my experience. 

5. What are your plans now that you have graduated?

I plan to do a masters in Geopolitics before hopefully securing a career in Government, political consultancy or international relations.