Selecting a university and a course is always a big decision, and there are many different ways to approach it. For me, I was always certain that that I wanted to study something relating to drama and dance, as that has been a great love of mine for many years. For my A-Levels I studied Drama, English Literature and Maths. I also did a BTEC in Performing Arts, which I loved. The most important thing for me was to do a degree in something that I enjoyed, and that this degree would also lead me to a career which I enjoyed in the future.

Bethany performance picture

I’m from Doncaster, and it’s only half an hour away from Leeds on a train. This meant that I’d visited Leeds on many occasions prior to making my university decisions, and so it was always my first choice of city for university. It’s a great distance from home – it’s close enough for me to easily go home at the weekend, but far enough away that I can have my own independence. There are so many opportunities to indulge in the arts in Leeds. Being in the city really is such a dynamic, cultural experience and I love the creativity of the people here, and the atmosphere they bring. Spending time in Leeds feels very different to my hometown, which is something I really liked.

Bethany performance image - neon

I looked around at what performance-related courses were available in Leeds, and I spotted Leeds Beckett. I decided to come to an open day, and this really excited me and solidified my decision even further that Leeds was the place for me.  I loved that the Performance course here at Leeds Beckett gave me the freedom to explore my own practice, with the help of lecturers who were still performing themselves as artists. The course also offered opportunities to perform at various festivals (such as Edinburgh Fringe and Latitude), which I was so excited about.

We are Emily performance image by Bethany

I decided to make Leeds Beckett my first choice university, and I was invited to an audition/ interview. I was accepted onto the course, and the rest is history! It’s been great to meet like-minded people, and to have the opportunity to create and learn about contemporary performance work.

Bethany

I'm Bethany, a third year Performance student here at Leeds Beckett University. I'm from Doncaster. My interests outside of my course include going to see live art work, whether that be a dance performance, performance art or installation work. I also love watching live music, as well as trying out all the cuisines available in Leeds with my friends.

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