Barnaby Sleat MPhys Physics, 2018

Barnaby has completed two summer placements within the Physics and Astronomy department, and is enjoying playing all over Hampshire as part of the Southampton University Symphony Orchestra.

The lab technicians are the kindest, most helpful people I've met, and are great fun to be around whilst using the lab equipment. I now have an extensive knowledge of lab procedure, and can set up and run my own experiments.

Choosing Southampton

I chose to study at Southampton because there’s a very open, friendly feel to the city, and the University campus does not feel like it's in the middle of a city. There’s a lot of open space – lots of parks in the town centre, and Southampton Common. However, there’s always something going on. Also we're pretty good for physics!

Before I came to Southampton, I was concerned about meeting new people and making new friends. But everyone else was in the same boat as me, and the way our first few days were organised by the University and the Students’ Union meant that we were getting to know one another almost immediately. It also helped that Physoc (the physics society) was there in our first week to set up support networks for us, and welcome us into studying physics at the University through the physics parenting scheme.

Supportive academics and a friendly atmosphere

I love studying here. Though the course can get tricky at points (as expected), the lecturers, course coordinators, PhD students and my tutor have always been helpful, and always been available if I've needed a hand with something. The atmosphere on campus is very friendly, and mirrors the atmosphere of the city in general; there is always something interesting going on!

Labs are great fun too. The lab technicians are the kindest, most helpful people I've met, and are great fun to be around whilst using the lab equipment. I now have an extensive knowledge of lab procedure, and can set up and run my own experiments, which I wouldn’t have been able to do before I started at university.

Southampton ‘highlights’ so far

I've really enjoyed the two summer placements I've done in the Physics and Astronomy department here. It's been really interesting to be able to talk to lecturers about their work/research outside of lectures. I've also loved playing the French Horn as part of the Southampton University Symphony Orchestra. Performing some incredible pieces all over Hampshire with some of my now closest friends has been a fantastic experience that has greatly built my confidence.

In fact, I'll be taking a module in instrument acoustics as part of my fourth year. Not so traditionally ‘physics’, but it links in with my love for the orchestra, and so I thought it'd be really interesting as an alternative to a physics module. I've got friends also doing physics who have taken language modules (French/Spanish), and one even looking at doing a film studies module this year.

My Southampton experience in one word…

Incredible!