Anna Mitchell - Psychology

My name is Anna Mitchell and I am an Ad Astra Performing Arts Scholar entering my second year studying Psychology at UCD. I have always been interested in how the mind works and Psychology was a subject that appealed to me from a young age. As someone who does not necessarily know what profession they want to pursue, I know that studying Psychology is a good foundation for any career. Whatever I end up doing, I know that studying Psychology will be of great benefit.

After studying the subject for a year, I know I have made the right decision. In my first year, Psychology students had to study two other subjects. I really enjoyed this as it gave me the opportunity to explore other subjects I wouldn’t have otherwise explored. I had four Psychology lectures a week and in addition a tutorial which offered more focused learning in smaller classes. In first semester, I studied the modules of Brain & Behaviour and Social Psychology and in second semester I did Research Methods & Statistics and Perception & Cognition. These modules gave me a broad outlook on the subject and I now have a good feel for what studying pure Psychology will be like next year.

The main reason I chose UCD was for the vast amount of opportunities it offers. Music plays a major role in my life and it is something I don’t want to let go of – especially since I decided not to study it professionally. I have been playing the violin since the age of 7 and imagining life without it is impossible. The Ad Astra Academy here at UCD fully supports my ambition to keep up my interest in violin. I can study my chosen subject while improving and focusing on my music. This is an opportunity that UCD alone offers. As well as this opportunity, the Psychology department at UCD is known for being one of the best in the country. There is nowhere I would rather study.

Everyday life in UCD for me feels like a dream. Most of my lectures are in the Newman Building – the hub on campus. The atmosphere there is incredible! It’s always buzzing. Seeing the same faces everyday makes UCD seem much smaller than it is. Being a member of the Ad Astra Academy has definitely enhanced life at UCD for me. I get to meet so many like-minded people who I collaborate with not only through music, but through the other Academic and Elite Sports strands. The Performing Arts scholars regularly perform in recitals and receive masterclasses from top-class musicians. We also had the opportunity to travel to Canada this year. I am also a member of the UCD Symphony Orchestra which has been a great opportunity to meet people, to travel and to play different kinds of repertoire.

Currently I am unsure of what I see myself doing after my degree but I know that I would love to continue Psychology into post graduate studies. There are so many areas I could go into with Psychology – educational, clinical, organisational, research, etc. At the moment, social psychology is the aspect I enjoy the most – I love learning about people. I would also be interested in combining both my passions of music and psychology, but I am still working out how!