Page 8 - Hull's School - Alumni Magazine 2023

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by Ilaria Ravazzolo Steps
Almost three years have passed since I graduated from Hull’s School in June 2020 – time really does fly! When I was asked to write an article for the Alumni Magazine, I was delighted, as it is an opportunity to look back at the
path I have gone so far and what I have learnt along the way. I’m currently in my final year studying Economics and Global Sustainable Development at the University of Warwick with another graduation approaching soon. What better time to reflect on how I got to where I currently am?
I started Hull’s School in early 2017 when I joined EC1 after having spent six months learning French in Paris. I was excited to experience a different education system, but I was also nervous about joining a new class halfway through the year. My classmates were genuinely nice and welcoming though and even though it was my first time studying completely in English, I quickly adjusted to the environment. I was already familiar with most subjects, but I had never studied economics before Hull’s. At first, I was worried about keeping up with it, especially as I was a whole semester behind, but I soon realised that I find it quite interesting. In fact, it quickly became one of my favourite subjects.
Overall, I enjoyed the teaching style at Hull’s and valued the approachability of my teachers a lot. I have always enjoyed widening my knowledge and broadening my horizon. During my time at Hull’s, I particularly
enjoyed my History, Economics and English Literature
classes and was increasingly curious to learn more about them outside of the curriculum. However, it was not just about the dates of important historical events, the impact of externalities, or which themes are prominent in Frankenstein, that I loved. I developed and improved my writing skills and learned to think critically about what was being taught. I remember already being challenged to think critically in the English Language classes in EC2 when we were analysing various texts. This has always been something I have enjoyed and the ability to think critically has come in handy in my time at university as well.
When deciding on what subject to do a Bachelor’s in, I considered a variety of courses. It was hard to decide on just one subject, as I had (and still have) many interests. Initially, I was interested in studying linguistics and briefly considered an English Literature degree as well. Later, while looking at different London-based universities, I started considering International Relations. During my research, I came across a course called ‘Global Challenges: Social Cohesion’, which focused on sustainability and how to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. I was instantly fascinated and decided to make it one of my UCAS choices. As I was looking for similar courses to apply for as a back-up option, I discovered the course I am now studying – Economic Studies and Global Sustainable Development. It would have been possible to study it without economics, but given that I was so fascinated by the subject at IGCSE and A level, I wanted to continue with it at university. However, I did not want to study only Economics, so choosing a transdisciplinary degree seemed perfect.
HULL’S SCHOOL
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