‘This school ignited my interest in psychology’

Her time at Apeejay’s IB School, Apeejay School International, Panchsheel Park is full of fond memories, but the moments that particularly stood out for her were the preparations before each school event. “Whether it was Teachers Day, Annual Day, Sports Day, or the Diwali fair, we worked with the teachers together to make the events happen. It did seem like a lot of work, but doing it together always made it fun. The school CAS trip in DP-1 was also a core memory for me and contributed a lot to the relationships that I built with my classmates and teachers,” says this alumna.

Meet Vedha Jangir, who shares the challenges she faces and how to overcome them while studying abroad.

What inspired you to pursue a career in psychology?

Psychology has always piqued my interest. I think ever since I was in Class VI and first heard about it, I knew that it was a subject I wanted to study. Even during the lockdown, I spent a lot of my spare time reading research or studies that I found interesting in the field. As I continued to study it in DP, my love for it grew, and I switched from wanting to pursue culinary arts to wanting to pursue psychology.

Why did you choose the UK?

In the process of applying, I learnt that the UK has the best universities and facilities to study psychology. I came across the University of Birmingham while researching and found the variety of courses it offers. While I had an offer from UBC, Vancouver as well, I preferred the course at Birmingham. Knowing that it was one of the best institutes to study psychology both in the world and the UK, I decided to come here for my undergraduate studies.

Can you share some insights into the application process? 

Applying to foreign universities necessitates extensive experimentation. It begins with shortlisting the universities to apply to, especially in the UK because we can only include five in one application. This was a challenge because I was recommended to several universities. As an IB student who wanted to study psychology, I did not have Biology or HL Math which many universities required. I also spent a lot of time writing and editing my Statement of Purpose, and it took almost one month to finish it.

How did your time at this school shape your interest in psychology? 

I had initially entered this thinking I’d pursue culinary arts and chose my subjects. Psychology was one of the subjects that I took purely for my interest. My time here helped me develop that interest. We were given opportunities to explore the subject and taught in a way that urged us to learn more. Our facilitators were approachable, and I found myself going to them for a lot of doubts and questions I had. Every answer I brought in for feedback was responded to within a day with personalised feedback for what I could do to improve. I completely owe it to the school and my teachers for the good grades I got in my psychology IAs and EAs.

Were there any particular teachers, projects, or activities that influenced or supported your journey?

There are several skills which need to be highlighted in the application while applying for Psychology, like analytical skills, research skills, writing skills and empathy as a trait. Studying psychology involves studying and researching theories and giving your perspective. Tasks like these require the student to have a good understanding of the subject but to also be able to think critically and research apart from the course itself. If these skills are highlighted on your application, then it’s always an advantage.

A project you are proud of.

One project that I’m particularly proud of is my volunteering with the NGO People for Animals (PFA). I volunteered for 10 months on weekends. While managing school on weekdays and six to seven hours on weekends was hard, it felt fulfilling to get even some donations for the animal shelters. My job involved approaching people in public places to get them to donate. This experience also helped me improve my communication and people skills. Experiences like this on the application help boost empathy as a trait.

Advice to students who dream of studying at a top institute abroad.

It’s important to start working on the CV from Class IX or X. I would have loved more time. For those who are already in Classes XI or XII, it’s good to take some online courses that are well-known and add to your subject-specific knowledge. Those helped my application too. It’s important to balance some time for things that you enjoy doing other than school or application work because it gets stressful if that’s the only thing you’re doing. A free mind also helps in a better application and essay.

Most students want to study abroad. What are the challenges faced?

Studying abroad does seem like a dream come true when you first come here and start attending classes, but I’d say that reality hits as soon as the domestic chores start. Managing academic workload with daily chores like cooking, doing laundry and dishes, and buying groceries becomes hard some days. Especially when we’re ill, homesickness hits the worst then.

How do you overcome them?

I try to spend most of my spare time outside of my room to keep myself busy and happy. I feel the happiest when I explore and roam around the new city. It’s also good to try and get involved in as many extracurriculars as possible; it helped me make more friends.