Page 54 - Future Leaders Magazine

Stormzy’s humility humility

and kindness has

truly inspired me

Fiona Asiedu, 21, from Tulse Hill, South London, graduated from Oxford in 2017 with a
degree in Experimental Psychology. She made national headlines when a crowdfunding
campaign she set up to raise £12,000 to do her masters degree at Harvard passed its
target in just 24 hours, thanks to a surprise £9,000 donation from grime star Stormzy.
Here, she shares how she got to Oxford, what it was like to study there, her advice for
those looking to follow in her footsteps, and meeting Stormzy to say thanks.

What was the spark that made you apply to the 4 Be yourself, because it requires the least energy and e ort
Q University of Oxford in the rst place? – energy and e ort that is necessary for many, many other
I initially didn’t want to apply for Oxford – I thought that it wasn’t a important things!
space where I would t in and be comfortable. I am black and from
a working class background. I was brought up in south London, What was your Oxford interview like?
around majority black and ethnic minority and working class Q The usual procedure is that you have an interview at the
people. Those were (and still are) my people and these were the college you applied for (New College, in my case), and one other
people who I never imagined at Oxford. college. My rst interview at New College wasn’t bad, I was nervous
I genuinely thought that I wouldn’t get an interview or an o er and at rst but got settled in eventually. They asked me to discuss
didn’t want to deal with the stress and various emotions of putting things that I had written on my personal statement such as why
e ort into something which was unlikely to be successful. However, I had chosen to read a particular book or watch a particular lm,
I was convinced by my head of year and university co-ordinator that as well as what my general interests in studying Psychology were.
I would be a good candidate and that I should just try it out – they There were no trick questions, thankfully. My second interview,
emphasised the fact that I had nothing to lose by applying. however, delved a bit deeper into the world of Experimental
Psychology – I was being asked technical questions about things
What advice would you give young black students that I learnt in my second year of university (and can
Q who aim to get to Oxford – how should they approach fully admit that I still don’t really understand!)
their studies? However, I had been told that in my interview,
1 Don’t listen to people who say that some exams aren’t important they do not expect me to know the answers, but
– no matter how much or how little an exam is weighted, it’s all just want to see how I think, what questions I
about the work ethic. If you practise an ethic of hard work and ask and how I approach something that I have
doing the best that you can in every (or at least most) of the exams no idea about. They wanted to identify whether I
you do, this ethic will stay with you and will help with every exam was teachable.
that you will do. I actually had a third interview, which made
me feel uneasy because only a select few have
2 It is important to use your background and your culture to your three interviews. Luckily, that interview was
advantage. If you have any coursework of which you can choose quite conversational and was probably my best
the topic or when writing a personal statement, relate it back to interview. Overall the experience was nerve
things that you care about – it is not a lie that you do best at what wrecking but not terrifying – I left the
you enjoy. This is also the case when picking subjects to study at interview knowing that I did the best
A-levels and at degree level. that I could.

3 ASK QUESTIONS – if you don’t understand, ask questions. If you What lesson would
need help, ask questions. If you need a contact, ask someone. Don’t Q you most like to share
be afraid of asking questions. about your time at Oxford

52 FUTURE LEADERS | 2017-18