Adaora Nwandu

St. Hilda's College 1996, Psychology, Physiology and Philosophy

I am a filmmaker – a director, writer and producer – running my own production company called Muka Flicks Ltd. I’ve made a few short films and one feature film called 'Rag Tag'.

I chose my degree course because I enjoyed both arts and science at school, and I liked the idea of a degree that combined both. 

I would encourage young people to apply to study this degree themselves because it provides so much scope for you to pursue the areas you find most interesting. I did quite a bit of neurophysiology, but also spent a few terms buried in philosophical ethics, as well as the modern languages department, while I was studying animal behaviour. I rounded up my degree with an independent research project on the characters from Neighbours and how much other people think we're like them.

I learned how to think a little differently when I was at Oxford. I didn't do any philosophy until my second year, and by then I was in full scientific swing – everything had to be proven with rigorous experimentation and analysis. Philosophy changed my approach, and taught me the value of ideas in and of themselves, without the necessity of practical application.

When I was at Oxford, St Hilda's was single-sex. It is beautifully situated by the river, so easy access to punting in the summer was a bonus. However, even without these added comforts, college life was one of the best things about being at University. It meant you made friends really quickly. Almost 15 years on, some of my best friends remain people I met in my first term. You have your course mates metres from you, so there is always someone to help, or complain to, when the work throws up challenges.

You're surrounded by people who are the best at what they do: your course mates were the best students at the schools they came from. It raises your game, making sure you do your best work. You may not ever get the opportunity to really think and decide how you feel about so many things ever again.

While I was at Oxford I worked a lot with a film company based at my college, and did quite a bit of film reviewing for the student radio station and newspapers. By the time I left university I was pretty sure I was going to do something film related.

Oxford was great – mainly because it's a concentrated and safer version of the wider world. I can't think of a single thing you can't try your hand at while you're there, and if it's not already there, you are given the tools and encouragement to do it yourself.