On her graduation day, Student Storyteller Zoe Dahse looks back over her time at UCL. A time of discovery, of embracing change and figuring it all’out, Zoe shares a true glimpse into her student experience.
" I’m so glad I chose UCL because it constantly forced me out of my comfort zone, no day was the same and I learnt a lot about who I am and what I want from life."
I hand in my last (ever) academic essay, at least for the time being, regarding LGBTQ+ politics in the US, at 11:03am on a random Tuesday before the midday deadline. With a sense of relief but also confusion, elation but also worry, I shut my laptop down. I get the overwhelming feeling that I need to pick up my pen again and start working but realise that there is no more work to be done. My undergraduate degree, four years in the making, is definitively over. There’s nothing more to do!
Marking the end of my studies at UCL, it’s time to reflect. It’s certainly not been an easy four years. I have been pushed to the limits, faced setbacks, worry, doubt, confusion and many other things, but I am so proud and happy to be able to hold all my experiences close to my chest and carry them into the future.
I actually chose UCL on a whim (is this okay to admit?) and was, just like many other prospective undergraduate students, a nervous and spritely young 18-year-old, full of ideas but with no idea how to carry them out in practice, or how to get to where I wanted to be. Looking back at photos from four years ago, I looked so young!
A time of discovery
In first year, I loved my degree but found that I had a lot of free time on my hands and wanted to utilise it, so I started working in hospitality part-time, went to Taylor Swift Soc , visited friends from home at Cambridge, Exeter and St. Andrews universities (and still cherish those experiences to this day), met the two people who would stick by me throughout my degree, tried Muay Thai boxing (loved it) and tried Skate Club (not for me). I loved exploring London with my new friends, went cycling in Hyde Park, and went to Mully’s karaoke maybe one too many times in first term.
I struggled with my mental health for the first time in my young life, but handled it with support. UCL has a lot of support services on offer, and I think that difficult experiences (which will always be a part of life) show you how strong and resilient you can be. I learnt how to be adaptable and open to change and aware that while things don’t always go to plan, they work out in some way or another.
Embracing change
In my second year, I had the good luck of doing a module with the Institute of the Americas , The Making of Modern America. My module leader Will Ranger was a wonderful and enthusiastic teacher; this module would later inform my final year dissertation choices too. I wrote my first in-depth Made by History article on the history of anti-abortion violence in the US and scored a really good mark, which motivated me to try writing articles for student journalism. I made way too many cheese toasties, tried to overcome confidence issues by working as a club performer, and realised I should try new things all the time.
I tried Stage Crew Society (hated it), continued to love Muay Thai Boxing, worked as a Transition Mentor, navigated the trials and tribulations of flat sharing that everyone will be all too familiar with, tried book club, and lived in a new area of London. I attended as many UCL careers events as possible to figure out what I want to do and hear first-hand from companies who were hiring. I embraced the changes and, in difficult times, learnt that it will get better at some point.
In my third year, I went abroad and absolutely adored the experience. Living in Madrid, I learnt a lot about myself and what I want from life. I started getting properly involved in student journalism and discovered that I really like writing and want to pursue it. I also felt homesick and confused at times in a country that wasn’t mine. Through both friends and strangers, I discovered lots of cool new musical artists to soundtrack my twenties. I learnt how to properly try to be a good friend.
Figuring it all’out
In my final year, I honestly experienced a bit of reverse culture shock when I came back to the UK, but I soon adapted back into UCL life. I took on way too many part-time jobs before realising I shouldn’t do that, and should prioritise self-care. I trained for a half-marathon (which I did in June in Helsinki!), made stronger friendships, learnt how to be alone again, missed my family a whole lot more than I ever had, navigated homesickness, and tried not to run my student journalism society into the ground. I started tutoring a girl for her GCSE Spanish and discovered I really enjoy teaching. I got this job as a Student Storyteller and loved it, dropped Spanish and started studying French, started working at O2 bars which I loved (free concert tickets to see my favourite artists) and, suddenly, finished my degree.
So, in short: numerous rejections and success stories. Failure, and the learning curves that come with failure, are part of life though, and friends and family can help. I made friends and lost friends, which is part of growing up, but the real ones are the real ones - like my friend from school who texts me words of encouragement when I get feedback I wasn’t hoping for. For someone who consistently beats themselves up and worries they’re not good enough, these words mean a lot to me. "You’re the type to tear yourself down for no reason," my friend Henry, a first-year Pharmacy student, told me - a valuable lesson in how I present myself to people around me.
I’m so glad I chose UCL because it constantly forced me out of my comfort zone, no day was the same and I learnt a lot about who I am and what I want from life. I’ve sorted my graduate job (I’m moving to Spain!), with the help of references from my personal tutor and dissertation supervisor.Best of luck to all the graduates of 2025 and your future endeavours! And, to any current or new students, make the most of what UCL has to offer and try everything. My advice would be to: chase your goals, learn to fail and persevere, and try to live fearlessly. It’s a complicated world my cohort and I are graduating into, but I hope we can all make a good difference. Some great advice imparted to me by many people around me is to not compare your journey with anyone else’s: we’re all’individuals figuring it out and life’s not a race.
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