Integrated PhD in Economics - Economic History and Political Economy

University of York

York is a great place to live, although I do miss my hometown, London quite considerably. At university I play lots of sport such as football and squash which has been a great way to make new friends. At the moment I am treasurer of the Investment Finance society.

The best aspects: The support. There is always someone you can contact, communication throughout the university is excellent and everyone is super friendly and helpful. The facilities - the library in particular has a plethora of extra activities that you can partake in, whether it be creative (for example creating something on the 3D printers) or educational (digital Wednesdays which provide exposure to softwares you may not have come across) it is a great place to chill and develop beyond your course. Life at York! Absolutely beautiful, I love walking the walls and visiting the Minster. It has an amazing atmosphere with the permanent markets and tourist hotspots, as well as lots of events to check out throughout the year (food festival was definitely a highlight). People. I have met the most amazing people during my time at York, lifelong friends who I couldn’t imagine life without. The worst aspects: The work-life balance. There is a lot of content and it constantly feels like I am not doing enough (even though I’ve been committed to doing a 9-5 every Monday-Friday). This paired with the constant reminder that the degree itself isn’t enough, and that I should be getting volunteering/work experience, can sometimes feel a little overwhelming. I feel I got lucky with my housing situation, however I am also aware that there is a serious lack of affordable student off-campus accommodation in York.