Jade Leah Pilling

MA student, Shakespeare Institute

Studying at Leeds Trinity University was such a great experience that I encourage others to try!

Why I chose to study at Leeds Trinity

Initially, I chose to study at Leeds Trinity University because it was close to home in the north of England, but far enough away from home for it to be a new adventure. I didn’t attend an Open Day for any of my university choices so my moving-in day was not only my first time in Leeds and Horsforth but also my first time visiting the University. Immediately, I was struck by how at home I felt, the community at Leeds Trinity reminded me of my secondary school and sixth form and I felt at ease.

A home away from home

Sometimes, with moving away from home you want it to feel like you’re taking on a new city and sometimes you want to find a home away from home which is how I felt at Leeds Trinity. I would say to any prospective student to embrace this feeling of homely community and satisfy your need for the bustling city by having a day trip or night out in Leeds which is only a short train ride away!

My best memories

I loved studying English Literature and took a particular interest in modules that focused on Shakespeare or plays and poems in general. Some of these modules included looking at ‘blood and magic’ in Shakespeare and another that focused on Elizabethan erotic verse. In another module, I remember researching the different actors who played Othello in the past compared to the present and what consequences that had on racial debate, and I also discovered my love for Shakespeare’s use of history (using Holinshed’s Chronicles, for example) when studying Richard III.

Shaping my further learning

Before studying at Leeds Trinity I didn’t really know which areas of English I liked more than others, and only chose English Literature because I enjoyed the subject, but my university experience shaped this interest and helped me pursue it further.

Life after Leeds Trinity

After completing my degree at Leeds Trinity I went on to undertake the Shakespeare MA at the Shakespeare Institute and University of Birmingham. I was so excited when I was accepted onto the course because it was like a dream come true. It is an MA that incorporates all my special interests with literature that I discovered during my time at Leeds Trinity, and it is based at the Shakespeare Institute in Shakespeare’s own birthplace Stratford-upon-Avon.

My advice to other students

Studying at Leeds Trinity University was such a great experience that I encourage others to try! There is something for everyone in the courses, social clubs and the people that study there. I would not be here today studying an amazing MA if it wasn’t for Leeds Trinity and especially all those in the English department.