I have never been particularly decisive. In my second year of university, asking me what I would pursue after graduation seemed like an incomprehensible question. After one lecture, I would decide to be a developmental research psychologist, then after the next, I would choose to work in neuroscience or marketing. However, after seeing the SPRING placement advertised, I made my first certain decision; to go for it. Here is what I have gained from it. 

Firstly, placement has offered me the sense of direction I desperately required. I found that studying at university consistently provided me with opportunities to expand my knowledge of psychology; however, I have no idea what it would be like to work and apply what I had learned. The SPRING placement has allowed me to continue to grow my comprehension, learning a great deal about schizophrenia, psychosis and bipolar disorder, while also working and gaining practical experience shadowing researchers. This supported gaining insight into how this knowledge from my undergraduate degree could be used. Engaging in a research work environment has allowed me to refine my interests and has given me direction to strive for, which in turn will help to guide the remaining of my academic journey. 

Placement has also given me a greater sense of organisation and structure, which has been highly beneficial to my productivity. In my undergraduate studies, I found myself lacking a strong sense of structure and having poor time management skills. I was unable to appropriately delegate my time and was working to an unhealthy schedule. Getting on a 9-5 work routine not only saved me from gruelling library all-nighters but also put me on a productive schedule that benefited my work-life balance. I aim to carry this routine forward to benefit my future studies as I have noticed an improvement in my levels of productively and my overall mood. 

It is essential to recognise the profound impact that the SPRING placement has had on my confidence. In my first and second years of university, I struggled to understand academic writing and was also not confident in leading any group projects.

During my SPRING placement, I learnt how to take charge of a project in a warm, supportive environment. I took charge of running Coping Creativity workshops by creating the advertisements, setting up and taking down the events, running the events, and logging the workshops once they were complete. I have become very comfortable leading these events and have begun to take pride in this role. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to write the measures section of a paper and conduct full-text screening for a meta-analysis, which has significantly increased my confidence, as I can now not only understand academic writing but also apply this skill in my writing. This increased confidence should help me approach future opportunities more enthusiastically, as I know I can take on more tasks than I gave myself credit for. 

Critical thinking is an essential skill that I have significantly developed throughout the SPRING placement. Working in research has led me to carefully evaluate and analyse scientific papers. This skill was particularly developed when doing screening for a meta-analysis. For this meta-analysis, we had to learn to read papers critically and efficiently, with specific exclusion and inclusion criteria in mind. In my undergraduate studies, I found skim and critically reading papers to be near-impossible tasks. So, getting used to reading numerous papers with a clear criterion, as well as receiving useful advice and support from my superior, has been remarkably beneficial to my critical thinking and reading skills. 

Finally, I have learned how to be a useful and harmonious collaborator. On placement, I have had the opportunity to work with many different individuals, both within and outside the University of Southampton. I have learnt to communicate my ideas clearly and efficiently to colleagues whilst handling a great deal of administrative work, relaying other colleagues’ ideas to the team. Additionally, I have learnt how to appropriately tailor the way in which I communicate information depending on who I am delivering the information to, which is highly valuable and transferable skill.

Overall, completing placement has been one of my greatest decisions yet. It has completely altered the way I tackle tasks and perceive the field of psychology. I am exceedingly grateful for the warm environment my year in employment provided for developing essential skills. I have gained much necessary clarity on the future career path I wish to pursue and now understand the applications of my degree. I certainly hope I provided value to my placement team, as placement has certainly given back to me more than I could have ever hoped.