Ava Burns
- Course: BA Cultural and Media Studies
Hear from Ava as she discusses her time at Leeds.
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Please tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
Hi I’m Ava, I am 21 and I am originally from Liverpool. I am in my last year of study in BA Cultural and Media Studies. My main areas of interest within my study are music, fashion and football culture. I am currently writing my dissertation on The Hillsborough Disaster and its effect on the city.
What has been the best aspect of your course so far?
I’ve loved the freedom to tailor the course to fit my interests and to cater to any future job opportunities. I was able to pick and structure my own answers to essay questions with topics I found interesting. For example, I wrote an essay on fangirl culture and another on drag queen and LGBTQ+ culture.
In my second year of study, I did a module titled Bodies of Difference; the module was really interesting and covered a number of topics concerning feminism in the arts. The lecturer for this, Elspeth Mitchell, was really engaging and made the topics even more interesting. We had numerous conversations and she really aided me in writing my coursework for the module.
What is Leeds like as a city?
The minute I stepped foot in the city I fell in love. Leeds is such a beautiful city that boasts a plethora of activies for every kind of student. There are many amazing pubs, clubs, places to eat and cafes. Every time I visit the city centre I find something new to do and find something new to fall in love with. As a third year I live in Headingley, which is a little quieter than the city centre but is equally as amazing with plenty of activies near by.
What do you plan to do once you graduate?
Once I have graduated, I intend to stay in the area, using the contacts I have made during my time studying to get a job in my desired career.
What would you say to students thinking about studying your course?
To anyone thinking about studying my course, all I can say is do it! The course is so adaptable and there is genuinely something for everyone.