Ancient words to modern contexts - Dominic

Why did you decide to study Classics, and why Edinburgh? 

Classics’ mix of subjects were the ones that really interested me at school. I loved the language aspect of Greek and Latin, and was fascinated by the picture of an alternative civilisation that – for better or worse – our own has so often tried to emulate. It’s rare to have such depth in a language degree – and such an astonishing wealth of scholarship from nearly every time period since the material was originally written. There have always been pedants. 

As for why I chose Edinburgh – I really couldn’t say. I knew very little about the city, apart from a vague idea of its beauty, and I only knew that the university was highly regarded. I hadn’t actually visited the city before I arrived in my first year. I was incredibly lucky that Edinburgh was everything I could have hoped for. 

How did you get to where you are? 

I currently work for Mark Allen Group as a journalist for two trade magazines. I put in a short stint as an intern at one of their local offices in the summer of second year, and after graduation, I applied for their graduate scheme. I was successful, and have been with them for 3 years, receiving an on-the-job qualification. 

A highlight for me has been the opportunities for travel. In September, I went to Las Vegas by myself to cover a big print show, Printing United – and tacked on a few days to drive through the desert and explore. 

I’ve had a look into a few different parts of the business, and have settled on a career in editorial. I’ve realised it’s always good to try something new – you may or may not enjoy it but it’s important to understand what you do and do not like in your career.  

If you’d have asked me in fourth year what I’d be doing post-graduation, I’d not have had an idea. There are plenty of journalists out there who knew from the start it would be their life’s passion – it’s not that way for me. I just like meeting new people, and asking questions. 

 What did you gain from your time at the University and were there any experiences during your time at university that particularly helped prepare you for life after graduation? What skills did you ​​gain? 

All of the skills that I use in my day-to-day role very much were developed at university. My close-reading ability, language, writing ability and research skills – these were all developed at Edinburgh. Classics was an incredible degree, and I miss very much having the time and resources to study it. 

It taught me a real appreciation for language and the way it's used, in far greater depth than most people would ever imagine. There’s something luxurious about focussing on such minutiae, that really – in the grand scheme – don’t matter at all. 

Hosting a radio show on FreshAir with friends would also turn out to be a bonus – it taught me the audio skills I now use to produce and edit our magazine’s podcast. Perhaps that’ll be a new area for my career once AI pinches all of the writing jobs! 

I had the opportunity to do a year abroad in my 3^rd year at the University of Turin, and would recommend that if you can go abroad, do it. It was by far one of the biggest opportunities for my own personal growth at university, and really, fundamentally, changed me. There are very few opportunities in life that can make such a powerful difference in your life.  

Studying at an entirely culturally different institution was an experience. It was quite something having to do all exams orally – and your grade is given then and there.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 hit in March of my year abroad. I decided to stay in Italy and I lived with some lovely Italian girls who became like sisters. It was an incredibly liberating experience. To anyone considering year-abroad, I’d recommend not sticking solely with your fellow foreign students – get out and about and find your own community. It’s really about what you can gain and the opportunities you make for yourself.  

In your opinion, what is the biggest value of studying a degree in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences?  

You can be a real person! I’m only kidding – but in a world that is so heavily centred around purely mechanical processes it’s even more important to be able to understand people. There is nothing like a degree in the Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences. 

These degrees help us understand and have empathy for the people around us. It’s not necessary to study them to be this way, obviously, but it really helps to make thoughtful people. 

These degrees give a certain confidence in being able to understand the information you're being presented with and why it's being presented to you. This is a mindset you have to practice and the humanities enable you to develop this skill.  

Do you have any highlights or a favourite memory of your time at the University? 

I was very lucky that I met some very close friends within the first couple of weeks of university. I didn't have a tight bunch of friends from school, but almost immediately upon arriving in Edinburgh I made these wonderful friends that I still talk to nearly every day. We're incredibly close, and I owe the city and University a debt for it. We bonded over looking out over the city from Arthur’s Seat after a heady night in Cowgate or having a Ferris Bueller moment at the National Gallery with Lady Agnew of Lochmere, or any of those most nearly-mundane, gorgeous minutes just existing in the city. My time in Scotland was full of the most beautiful moments – we just happened to find them. 

What advice would you give future students who are considering studying in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology at Edinburgh? 

There's always going to be a balance between a subject that's useful vocationally, and one that is useful to you personally. I would always go for the one that is useful to you personally. The subjects that people tend to do well in – the ones which actually change how they think, that build up the stuff people made of –  are always ones that they are actually interested in. And not just a passing interest, but one that that they can develop and grow with.  

Carefully consider your outside courses - take the ones which you're never ever going to be able to study anywhere else, or the ones that will make a difference. I chose Italian, and nearly regretted it – until I went to Italy for my third year. That’s life!