Athlyn

"I was born in Toronto, Canada and moved to the Nottinghamshire countryside 16 years ago. At the time of applying for university courses, I didn't really know much about Sociology as a discipline, but I was invited to meet with a senior lecturer at Goldsmiths; she really sold it to me and I made my mind up on the spot. In fact, the senior lecturer I met back in 2009 ended up being my 3rd year personal tutor and dissertation supervisor, Nirmal Puwar!

I absolutely loved my course. I found that the combination of Sociology and Politics complemented each other so well, and I loved how they intertwined and I was able to bring in a bit of each discipline in the work I submitted throughout my degree. After 1st year, I started to hone in on certain topics which I really enjoyed, and I was able to tailor my essays and projects to suit my personal interests. In the second term of 2nd year, I took an urban visual sociology module called 'London', which I found fascinating, introducing me to a discipline which I continued to explore throughout my time at Goldsmiths (and beyond!).

Goldsmiths campus is surrounded by such vibrant life and culture, so I decided to situate my final research project on Deptford Market, a space which I had become familiar with during my time living in South East London. I investigated the importance of the market in the formation and solidarity of feelings of 'sense of place' and connectivity in the area. Through the project, I spoke to several market traders and visitors to the market, who shared their experiences of Deptford, illuminating the ways in which people attach meaning to place, both personally and collectively.

I can't really pinpoint one main thing as my highlight of studying at Goldsmiths, but the array of events, lectures, conferences, performances (etc) that go on at the college is really wonderful - I've attended some great talks, and seen some excellent shows involving staff and students."