Treading a creative path

Bangalore boy Arka Basu, who is pursuing his second year of Bachelors in English Literature from the Loughborough Unversity, wants to live his dream of becoming a creative writer and considers studying at the University an agile step towards it.

Chasing your passion for a successful career is a dream everyone foresees. But those who work towards making it possible are considered among the lucky ones. I consider myself one such lucky person.

Born in Trondheim, Norway, I moved to India shortly after I was born. Like most modern families, I also belonged to a nuclear family in Bangalore and went to two different schools.

 During this period, I acquired a knack for creative writing, reading novels and poetry.
Among these, poetry started consuming a major portion of my time and little by little I began composing my own amateur verses imitating established traditional forms.

Unfortunately in India, arts have always been given a second preference after science, be it academically or professionally.

To pursue arts on a full time basis is not usually encouraged owing to its fewer opportunities.  Following this common trend in India, I also decided to pursue a course in engineering once my schooling was complete.

I opted for Automobile Engineering at Manipal University and continued my degree course for almost two years before realizing that my heart wasn’t into it. I decided to rethink my decision and follow my dream of studying English literature as otherwise I would never have got another chance.

Thus, I decided to apply for the same to a number of universities in UK through the UCAS system.

I juggled through several universities but the moderate entry requirements for Loughborough University in comparison to other universities exhibited the university’s all round student development approach as opposed to unidirectional academic improvement.

This disparity between entry requirements and ranking in the top 15 Universities of UK also displayed a certain level of academic advancement awaiting a student at Loughborough University.

What truly attracted me towards choosing Loughborough University were the excellent student reviews across several undergraduate forums.

Carrying the title of The Best Student Experience for six consecutive years guaranteed that my student life at the university would be more than just an academic development.
Moreover, after hearing the concept of a degree program entirely based on the graded system of marking, I was quite impressed.

Loughborough University was one of the few universities that offered such a program and this seemed perfect for me.

My initial experience at Loughborough was lukewarm. Coming from a country where the environment has always been loud and everybody knows everyone, I took some time to adjust to the new culture. 

However, the staff and the student committee of my hall were extremely helpful and friendly and they also organized ice-breaking activities for new students.

Gradually my social life began once I made a few friends in my course as well as outside it and life at university was never the same.  What is remarkable is the fact that here I have had the opportunity to mix with different cultures from all around the world.

Offering a perfect balance of academics and extra-curricular activities, the University has taught me a lot and helped me develop as a person.

 In terms of academics, I have been lucky to be taught by some of the best professors and have immensely benefitted from their rich knowledge in the subject.  At the University, I have also had the opportunity of being a part of many societies.

Here, I lead the Lip Reading Society 2013 – 2014 (Action Project) and I am also an active member of the Archery Club 2012 – 2013.

Meanwhile, the university conducts unique events like International Day,
Universal Thursdays, World Cuisine Day, etc throughout the year to engage the students of different nationalities together.  

I hope to stay in academics in the years to come and wish to continue my ventures with creative writing in the future.

 Therefore, my future plans are to pursue even a Masters Degree in English Literature from here, following which, I wish to achieve a PhD in the subject.

I believe that Loughborough University, with its academic programs, sport ethics, emphasis on equality and fair play, helps a student develop into a complete individual who is ready to face the professional world of tomorrow.