Jessica Jeakings

Hi I’m Jessica, but feel free to call me Jess! I’m a final year undergraduate student studying BA English and History of Art.

Having grown up in a small town in Lincolnshire, I was itching to try new opportunities at the University Leeds after completing my A levels. What attracted me to the university was the amount of choice I had in my course, since, as a joint-honours student, I could decide whether I wanted my studies to be more English or Art History oriented each year thanks to the number of optional modules available – during some years I even added a discovery module to the mix! With such a diverse course, I really appreciated the number of optional modules I could take to cultivate my current interests, such as the power of portraiture, or discover something new, like Shakespeare in the context of global cinema. Not to mention, receiving newsletters on academic and career-based opportunities form both schools has been a huge bonus!

Another highlight which I love about the university is the range of facilities at hand! Laidlaw library has easily become one of my favourite study spots with its bookable seating, silent study areas, a Caffe Nero at the entrance and Skills@library to help improve my academic writing skills. Brotherton library on the other hand, has a fascinating Special Collections where it houses hundreds of year-old texts and manuscripts that students can (carefully) handle, as well as two galleries to get lost in on the ground floor. Most importantly, the Leeds University Union has been a wonderful place for me to take a break from studies and try somehting new by attending various clubs and societies. With over 300 available, I’m so fortunate to have met so many friends by generating discussions on story themes thorugh Book Club, nerding out in D&D campaigns in DiceSoc, practising my figure painting in Art Society and sipping tea with the English Society (fun fact: I have previously been secretary and treasurer for ArtSoc and the English Society respectively)!

What I am most proud of however, is having completed a Year In Industry at the University of Leed’s International Office. For one year, I got to put my organisational, project planning and communication skills to the test in an office environment by managing multiple email inboxes, leading creative tasks, exporting and manipulating large quantities of data as well as representing the University at international fairs. My confidence as an individual and as a member of a team has significantly grown because of my Year in Industry, and now I have a greater appreciation of how the university operates as well brighter outlook to finding work after graduation.

Leeds as a city is so different to my hometown in Lincolnshire. It’s a busy city with a high student population, jam-packed with a variety of cultures! I always love trying new foods, so being able to experience a diverse range of international cuisines in one place has been an absolute highlight for me. Having lived in Devonshire Hall during my first year and in private accommodation onwards, I was pleasantly surprised at how I could easily take a 20-minute walk or a 15-minute bus journey to the city centre (at a discounted £1.40 for students)! From there, I could engage in activities that I wouldn’t have immediate access to at home, such as watching a play at the Leeds Grand Theatre, getting lost inside the Royal Armouries Museum and buying a menagerie of items at Kirkgate Market.

I’ve really come to love Leeds as a home away from home, and my time at the University has been an absolute blast of a journey, so if you have any questions about the Leeds life, please email me at J.L.Jeakings@leeds.ac.uk or message me via UniBuddy.

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