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My name is Sophie.

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I studied English Language and Linguistics
with a year

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abroad, and I graduated in July 2024.

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I'm about to start working
as a Research Assistant

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in a social and public policy
research agency.

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I'm really excited
to start working in research, particularly

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because I've received a lot of research,
training and experience

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at Warwick, and I'm really excited
to see how I can translate that into

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into real world impact.

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I decided to study my course at Warwick,

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because I really liked the strong sense
of community that I found,

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at the open day and kind of welcoming
and supporting culture,

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and because it has a really strong focus
on using research

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and using linguistics
to have social impact,

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and that was really important to me.

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I think one of the most useful
skills for the role will be

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the communication skills I've gained
through the linguistics degree,

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and the strong understanding
I have of language in society.

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I also think the focus on impact
in my course and learning to problem

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solve in different ways
will really help me in this role.

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The professors in my department
were consistently supportive

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throughout the degree.

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With regards to my post-grad plans,
whether that was giving guidance

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or just showing
consistent belief in what I could do.

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So when I went to them for advice,
I was receiving really tailored support,

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that to be honest,
has continued beyond graduation for me.

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For my year abroad
I studied Gender and Diversity in Amsterdam

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and it was one of the best
years of my life.

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I had so much fun,

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and I gained so much confidence
and independence throughout that year,

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as well as a really strong network

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of friends
who I'd have never met otherwise.

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I also took part in the Undergraduate
Research Support Scheme,

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where Warwick funded me over the summer
to conduct my own research,

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I had full control over the data
collection and analysis,

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and so it gave me a lot of confidence
in what I could do.

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I loved getting involved in the extra
curricular opportunities in linguistics,

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and there were so many,
I ran the linguistics society,

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and I enjoyed that so much
because I got to be a part of,

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a really tight knit community.

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Unexpected opportunities do come up,

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and you have to trust that what you've
learned at Warwick is going to help you,

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and all the skills you've gained
will be incredibly useful, even

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even if it takes you
on a slightly different path

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from what you might have intended.