Marine Coispeau

Course: Biotechnology

From: France

10 tips I wish I had before coming to study at Imperial

Marine Coispeau

Biotechnology

# From a current EU student to prospective EU students

If you’re reading this blog, chances are you either received an offer *CONGRATULATIONS* or you’re thinking of applying to a STEM degree. Yet, something seems to be holding you back and you’re trying to convince yourself why you should choose Imperial College London. You’re scared of leaving your home town? You’re worried that you may not keep up with the high academic challenges? What should you expect? So many questions with so few answers… I know how stressful it can be to leave everything behind, especially that familial cocoon you grew up in.

10 things I miss about Imperial

Marine Coispeau

Biotechnology

1. Friends – Highlights of my time at Imperial so far include meeting like-minded students from around the world and different cultures. Imperial is a true melting pot and with the current situation we are all back home, separated by mountains and seas. With friends from England, China, Australia, France, USA, Taiwan, I have realised how challenging it can be to catch up owing to all the different time zones. Luckily we have technology to rescue us # teams and zoom. For all those who have continuously supported me, thank you. I look forward to seeing you all in 3D soon!

From confinement to con(fun)ment?

Marine Coispeau

Biotechnology

Tips to enjoy the lockdown 

Ever since the World Health Organisation’s classification of COVID-19 as a pandemic, a new face of the world was unveiled to us. A world where countries are progressively shutting down borders and locking down. A world where supermarket pasta and toilet roll aisles are ravaged and international capital cities turning into ghost towns. A world that I took for granted.

Taking a step back from this exceptional sanitation crisis and with the social distancing, I realised how elements of what seemed part of a natural lifestyle were in fact blessed treasures: walking in to university daily, picnicking in Hyde Park with some friends, attending workshops, conferences, art exhibitions, socials and the list goes on!

Fighting through the pandemic

Marine Coispeau

Biotechnology

Corona.

Recent international, governmental and institutional decisions have truly shook the face of the Earth. The empty supermarket shelves, the lack of pasta and toilet paper, the closing of universities and borders… Currently on my way home with mixed feelings, my chest seems to weigh a ton but I wanted to share the main highlights of my second term:

I have taken part in a range on events this term: creating Beeswax films with the Ecology society, debating with FemSoc, participating in the FoNS-MAD Science competition, attending the musical Dear Evan Hansen, Biochemistry Ball, Science challenge… The diversity of these have not only allowed me to forge new connections but also engage in interesting conversations such as “to what extent do quotas reflect merit?”

Yes even a Science and technology university can do art! 

Marine Coispeau

Biotechnology

Science. E=mc^2? Fourier Transform? Michaelis Menten kinetics?

Too often people dissociate Art from Science and Technology almost as if it were a field only accessible to the white blouses, natural scientists and engineers. In fact what people tend to forget is that Art is a major driving force of advances in both Science and Social Sciences. Not only is it a mean of communication, education (figures, graphic designs) but it very much impacts how we understand and tackle modern problems. The emergence of biodesigns to promote sustainable fashion through the use of bacterial strains or adaptive building material reflect this. When exposed to the same environment daily, we often tend to forget what actually precisely constitutes it out of habitude.

Myth or reality: Reconciling part time jobs with studies

Marine Coispeau

Biotechnology

Similarly to a little bird flying away from its beloved nest, leaving home to come study in a huge city can be extremely daunting for most prospective students. Add to that the many responsibilities (for example grocery shopping, cooking, washing) of an independent life and it is easy to be terrified. However, this is something that we have all been through. Been an accommodation tour guide on the open days and post to discussions with freshers have shown me that many prospective students are concerned about finding a part time job or knowing if it is even possible to reconcile their studies with a job.

How the Grinch failed to steal Christmas in London- He’s been scrooged

Marine Coispeau

Biotechnology

Just about a year ago, I was an anxious fresher leaving home with my pots and pans, duvet and towels. I was ready to trade my cherished baguette and cheese for tea and scones. I was a fearless soldier ready to survive at Imperial. Here I am a year later after having proudly honoured that red lanyard and currently on my way home for Christmas. On top of the smell of mulled wine and roasting sweet nuts, there definitely is something magical in the London air around Christmas. Magic that is definitely worth sharing.

Christmas mingling at Imperial

For many students at Imperial, the weeks leading up to Christmas are associated to exams and coursework deadlines but are paradoxically not restrained to indulging endless cups of coffee at the library.

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