Iain McKechnie

Profile

What programme did you study and why did you choose it?

I initially studied Actuarial Science, before transferring after my first year to Mathematics with Physics and then transferring again to Mathematics after third year.

Can you tell us more about the support you received during your time at University?

I had quite an unhealthy lifestyle for the first three years of University following the start of the pandemic, as I was not eating properly and doing minimal exercise, and as result I wasn’t performing well in my courses. By the time I reached third year, I started really struggling with depression and come the end of the first semester, I had all but dropped out of University.

I spoke to my personal tutor, Robert Weston, to figure out if there was any way to stop this happening and he gave me the advice to take a temporary suspension of studies, which turns out might have been the best decision I have ever made. He also gave me a huge amount of advice on topics like whether I should change programmes and career advice based on his own experiences, which had a positive impact on my confidence.

My family have also been there every step of the way. My mother was the only reason that I could beat depression and helped me with my eating problems, while my dad helped me get back on track academically.

What prize did you receive and how does it feel to be a prize-winning student?

It felt incredible to receive the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) Prize for the academic session 2024/2025. I wouldn’t have imagined being in this position two years ago, and I have to thank my course mates immensely for their support over the last three years, without whom I would never have ended up here.

What advice do you have for current students?

The biggest piece of advice I can give is to take advantage of opportunities and to speak to someone when you’re struggling, as if I hadn’t done this, it is very likely I would have dropped out of University. Especially in the first two years, it is crucial to try and maintain the right work life balance for you. I didn't spend quite enough time on academics, and it did make things more complicated later, but at least I didn't burn myself out too early in my studies and had more capacity when the workload increased.

It’s important to remember that everyone works differently, but try and take pressure off yourself, and if you put in the work, it will show. It is a rule of life that something will go wrong eventually, but not focusing on those things is crucial as they can’t be changed, and it can only hold you back to dwell.

What are you planning to do after you graduate?

My plans after finishing exams were to take a step back and relax, as I had been at maximum capacity with my workload for such a long period of time. After graduation, I want to start searching for graduate jobs or internships, so far mostly searching for finance related positions. I have also spent a lot of time with my family, as I didn’t have much of a chance to do that while studying.