My name is Matthew Byrne, and I am a third-year law student at Queen's University Belfast’s School of Law. My university journey began in 2021, with me travelling from Newry to Belfast, moving into Queen's Elms Village on Malone Road. That was a daunting experience, and I hadn't even started my degree! Elms, however, allowed for a platform to meet so many new people, and I can guarantee you that no one would ever be lonely in Queen’s Elms.  

Making a start on my degree itself was a turbulent ride. The jump from A Levels to degree level, for me, was a daunting one. It sparked an academic interest which has sustained me. No doubt, LLB law is a challenging degree, but it is this test which has pushed me through to the end of my second year, now entering my third year. The module I enjoyed the most was land law. The academics of this module were unmatched. I want to make particular mention to Heather Conway, Louise Rhodes, and Ronagh McQuigg. Heather took the majority of our lectures and her discipline and way of teaching were so inspiring. She really engaged the lecture hall, unlike anyone else. I finished the module, knowing I had learnt something important. Louise always made her lectures engaging and fun with quizzes and interaction with us. She was an absolute delight. It was always a pleasure to have lectures with Louise and her kindness always kept us at ease, no matter how difficult the topic. This was accompanied by Ronagh, who took my land law tutorials. Ronagh McQuigg first taught with such kindness and patience that I always looked forward to attending her tutorial. Additionally, she always explained everything in such great detail, which gave me a boost of confidence in my knowledge of the module. Overall, the academics of the land law module are unparalleled and should be applauded for their dedication and work. I wanted to take this time to thank them. The academic staff at QUB Law make the whole experience so worthwhile.