Romanda Dillon

When I first started to think about going to school in the UK I started researching all the schools with Sports Courses, of course Loughborough University came up in the search. I applied to Loughborough unsure if I would get a place just because of the high standards that are here. However, I got in and as they say, the rest is history! So always believe in yourselves folks.

Before I came to Loughborough I did my undergrad degree at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). It was a bit of a culture shock to see how UK universities differ from Stateside universities. Everything from length of degrees to term times are different. So it took some time to get use to.

For me what I have enjoyed most about Loughborough is meeting the people who have become my family while living in the UK. Hosting dinner parties where subwardens of other halls would come and hang out was great in helping me deal with any homesickness I may have. The friends I made as a subwarden has truly become my family, even stepping in for my real family when they couldn’t attend my wedding in 2016.

Also the fact that London is close is awesome. I have loved going to see shows on the West End, it also allows for easy travel to anywhere in the world when you need an escape from Loughborough.

Doing a PhD in Sports Biomechanics has taught me so much about doing quality research and what it takes to work in academia.