Having recently completed my third-year summer exams, I have had a chance to reflect on what I have learned and the experiences I have had during my time at LSE. Of course, an unfortunately considerable part of my degree occurred during the pandemic. However, despite the COVID-19 circumstances, I can definitely say that I have had an overall positive and enjoyable university experience both academically, and in terms of personal growth and development.

Academically

Aside from having the opportunity to explore and tackle interesting areas of law, one of the most important skills I have taken away from studying law at LSE is the ability to be more selective with material and literature. It is not a secret that studying law involves reading vast amounts of literature – the quantity of weekly reading was definitely a shock to me in my first year. However, gradually, the reading became more manageable because, implicitly, I began learning how to discern relevant and important information from irrelevant and unimportant information.

Of course, as with any degree, a lot of independent studying is also required. Yet, whilst this is, indeed, challenging, it does not necessarily equate to something that is inherently negative. Before starting my degree, I was always told of the difficulties connected with independent learning, whilst the positives, such as the flexibility of time-tabling your own study periods, were often omitted. Although the dynamics of ‘independent learning’ have changed with the pandemic, it is still a valuable skill which I have developed during my time at LSE.

Personal Growth and Development

I truly believe that I have massively boosted my confidence since coming to LSE. This does not only apply in terms of being more confident when expressing my viewpoint in a discussion or debate, for example, but also with regards to having greater faith in my abilities when producing work. This has certainly directly impacted my ability to better manage stress. Oddly, in my experience, the circumstances of the pandemic have contributed towards this development: speaking up in a virtual setting seems to require a distinct type of confidence which I would not have otherwise developed.