Of course, a PhD can be stressful and demanding at times, but overall, the lifestyle of being a PhD student suits me very well. Loughborough University is world-renowned for being a research-led university; to be a part of that culture was really important to me. The facilities are excellent, and your supervisors are always there to guide and support you, but you quickly become independent and manage your own deadlines. Best of all, when you have a burning interest in an area, you can pursue it.
In the future I would ideally like to stay in academia and either become a research associate or explore the avenue of lecturing. As a PhD student at Loughborough University, you can teach undergraduates in practical lab classes, which I have really enjoyed doing. I would like to gain the qualification of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and pursue a career in lecturing alongside research.