Humans of Portsmouth - Natasha's Story

Natasha grew up in coastal Essex, and when exploring universities, she knew she wanted somewhere close enough to home and still by the sea. During an open day at the University of Portsmouth, a sunny walk through Southsea, the course and the facilities convinced her that she could see herself living and studying here. She went on to study architecture at undergraduate level. A challenging course that she ultimately really enjoyed. During her time at Portsmouth, Natasha was involved in sports clubs (especially Rugby!) and spent two years as a Welfare Elected Officer. Today, she works as an architectural assistant. Let’s learn more about her journey 👇

One of Natasha’s favourite moments of Portsmouth was going for sunrise swims with her friends. This quickly became a weekly ritual, even in winter 🥶: ‘In the winter it was freezing, we were wearing woolly hats but we still went to swim at 6am. It was so silly but a good motivation to get out of bed’. 

Natasha was involved with the Students' Union long before becoming an Elected Officer. She helped two friends campaign for Officer roles and served as Welfare Secretary for the Sports Exec. During lockdown, she supported students who were struggling with motivation, something she was also experiencing herself. Towards the end of the year, Natasha realised she might need to resit some of her modules. The Development Officer at the time suggested she run for Welfare Officer. Her first reaction was hesitation: ‘Nah, I have to get on with my degree’. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Her committee experience, combined with her own challenges as a student, made her feel she could genuinely contribute to the team. With encouragement from her friends and parents, Natasha nominated herself, with the idea that: ‘nominations are a gamble and I might lose, but by not applying I’ll definitely miss the opportunity to win’. 

Natasha describes the application process as straightforward, but the manifesto required careful thought: ‘you get 12 months to make an impact, so you really have to think about the promises that you can keep and achieve within that time’. Her first campaign took place during lockdown. Her strategy was to use her network and create content that would make people stop scrolling. It was stressful and intense (‘there were plenty of sleepless nights’), but she enjoyed experimenting with different communication channels. Her second campaign was in person, which required a different approach. She had to think tactically about how to reach people face-to-face. One of her most memorable campaign moments involved a bold and playful tactic: ‘I wore a big inflatable purple costume with a QR code to my election campaign. A silly idea, but an effective one’. 

Looking back, Natasha speaks about her time as an Officer with genuine fondness: ‘I loved it! I was going through pictures earlier today and I was just smiling. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a stressful two years, but it was worth it; you get to develop yourself so much’. As a Welfare Officer, she dealt with sensitive topics, including mental health policies and serious incidents, often working with external services such as the police. Balancing those responsibilities with delivering positive events and initiatives required constant emotional switching. She recalls the steep learning curse as the start of the role: ‘a few weeks of training, followed quickly by trustee meetings and high pressure responsibilities. It’s a quick increase of pressure, but there is a lot to learn.’ Alongside the serious work, there were fun and memorable projects that Natasha had the opportunity to work on, such as Shagfest (Sexual Health and Guidance Festival) and Dogs on Campus. 

Initially, Natasha worried about taking time away from her architectural studies, as becoming a qualified architect is already a long process. Looking back, she has no regrets: ‘it was 100% worth taking a career break. It's weird saying it at the moment because I’m not yet a fully qualified architect compared to my peers. Sometimes I feel a bit behind, but when I look back at what I learned and the skills I developed, I realise how transferable they are’. The Officer role gave her structure and discipline, which helped her return to her degree with a new mindset that shaped her academic interests: ‘as an Officer, I looked a lot into campus accessibility. When I resumed my studies, I wanted to implement what I learned into architectural design. It’s not just about aesthetics, but also ensuring that everyone has a positive experience and feel included’. 

Being an Officer opened a lot of doors for Natasha, including winning the Chancellor's Awards of Excellence for her work as Welfare Officer: ‘I never would’ve won that if it wasn’t for my role, which taught me how to conduct myself and open a lot of doors for employability opportunities’. She also highlights the value of being surrounded by senior professionals: ‘you learn how to conduct yourself and speak to others. Being around successful people, you learn to strive for excellence’. 

For students unsure about nominating themselves, Natasha’s advice is simple and reflective: ‘picture yourself in the role and how you’re implementing the changes you’d like to make. See how it feels, and that should convince you to apply. You miss the shots you don’t take’. 

Natasha’s journey shows that taking a detour from your original plan can sometimes define your destination, and that saying yes to opportunities can shape both your career and who you become.