Spotlight on: Andrea Lacey

“I remember going to the freshers fair and loving all the freebies!”

Today we’re chatting to Andrea Lacey about her road to gaining a First Class Honours in Mathematics, Operational Research and Statistics. 

Hi Andrea! Now that degree is a mouthful… why did you pick it?

I’ve always loved Maths, but I never really knew what I wanted to do as a career after graduation – once I realised there were such a vast amount of career paths you could follow with a maths degree, I decided I’d study it and make up my mind what I wanted to do with my life somewhere in between!

What was the biggest challenge that you faced during your time in Cardiff?

As part of my course I spent a year working for the Welsh Government. After returning to Cardiff, I found it really difficult to adjust back into University life – the lectures, the exams; it was all so different to structured working life. However, doing a placement year was the best decision I’ve ever made because I’d developed a ‘work ethic’, and so during my final year I definitely knuckled down and worked a lot harder.

What are your plans for after graduation? Do you have a job lined up? Are you going travelling?

I have a job lined up at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in Newport, as a Statistical Officer within the Methodology department. I had my interview back in November, so it definitely took the pressure off knowing I had a job waiting for me after I graduate.

How are you feeling about graduation day?

I’m feeling really emotional! Four years of hard work and good times have come to an end. I’m also really nervous about the ceremony – I just know I’ll be the girl who falls over!

Are you planning on doing anything special on graduation day?

We’ll be going to the Maths Department reception before the graduation ceremony for lunch, but we’ll probably head home after graduation and have a family meal somewhere local – something quite low key after the grandeur of the day!

What advice would you give to students moving to Cardiff in September for their first year?

Join as many societies as possible! I didn’t really get involved in much outside of my studies, which is definitely something I regret about my time in Cardiff. I wish I’d taken full advantage of all the fantastic opportunities there are on offer to develop yourself, not just academically. And enjoy your first year – its really difficult to adjust to the University way of learning after A Levels, but don’t give up.