Constance Cheetham
In Latin classes, we read through a text together and take a lot of time to discuss elements that we find difficult or interesting, and share our own insights or theories.
Covid lockdown was a tough time for Constance Cheetham who was studying in her first year of college in Paris at the time.
Living in a different country far from her home in Canberra, Constance was looking forward to making new friends and enjoying college life experiences. However, the lockdown during the pandemic changed everything.
“It was a tough time for me as I was in a new city and could not make friends. It wasn’t a great experience for me studying in Paris during the COVID-19 lockdown. I stayed at home all day and watched old movies,” Constance said.
She then decided to return to Canberra in 2022 to live with her family and continue her studies here. Back in Canberra, Constance visited her friends studying at the Australian National University (ANU) and loved the campus.
“My favourite part about studying at ANU is the libraries here. Be it Chifley or the Art and Music Library, they all have a great collection of books,” she said.
“I love to read from physical copies of books while looking up any topics. Here, the extensive collection helps me look up any topic and I can read the monograph about it instead of having to go through online articles constantly.”
Currently, Constance is a second-year student studying a Bachelor of Arts degree with major and minor in English and History respectively.
She is the recipient of the Rachel Dorph Memorial Prize in 2022 at ANU. The prize is awarded each year to the candidate for a bachelor's degree who in that year submits the best essay on a topic prescribed as part of the requirements of a first-year English course.
Advanced Latin is one of her favourite subjects at ANU. “The teachers have chosen texts for the course that interest me immensely. I have done three texts in Latin and they have all been related to Emperor Nero. It is an excellent opportunity for me to take a broader look at the subject. In Latin classes, we read through a text together and take a lot of time to discuss elements that we find difficult or interesting, and share our own insights or theories,” she said.
“In English literature, I find the tutorial discussions in classes fun with all of us sharing ideas around. I am always coming up with new stuff because it’s an open atmosphere and an excellent way to get feedback from other people.”
Constance encourages those interested in studying Classics at ANU to come and experience the interactive learning environment.
“My advice to future students would be to get involved in student societies. Two great examples are the ANU Classics Society and Sapphic Literature Club. They are wonderful because you can get enthusiastic about things you are interested in with other people without the inevitable pressure of exams afterward,“ she said.
