Between the dream, the fear and the desire to begin: Diana, Miguel, Pedro and Tânia are the new students at Ciências

Diana, Miguel, Pedro and Tânia. What they share is the fact that, just over a week ago, they found out they are new students at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon. What sets them apart, beyond their entry grades, are the degrees they chose, the ambitions they bring with them, and their expectations for an academic life that begins on 14 September.

Diana Fernandes: when a new degree changes the path

She is 18, comes from Tomar, and numbers have sparked a special interest in her from an early age. For a long time, Applied Mathematics was the path she imagined for higher education. But the launch of the new Data Science degree at Ciências ULisboa changed her plans. “Initially it was Mathematics, but then, when I saw that Data Science had opened, it was an area that interested me,” says Diana, who ended up placing the new degree as her first choice. And she got in. Now that secondary school is over and a new stage begins, Diana hopes to find a balance between studying and everything academic life can offer: “I hope that, above all, I manage to combine fun with studying and achieve all my goals.” And there are experiences she wants to embrace from day one. One of them is joining a tuna: “It’s something I would really like.” Because for Diana, university will not only be the place where she learns a new field, it will also be a space for discovery, new experiences and personal growth.

Miguel Sá: an admission score of 195.5 and many challenges ahead

Miguel Sá arrives at Ciências ULisboa with the highest admission score among the Faculty’s new students: 195.5 points. He is going to study Biology, but the grade that brought him here is, for Miguel, much more than a number: “I believe my admission score reflects the person I am: someone who constantly seeks to improve and learn, who enjoys challenging himself and achieving more and more.” But there is another dimension he considers even more important: “I believe that, above all, my grade shows my ability to overcome obstacles,” he explains, recalling that his secondary‑school journey “was not made only of successes.” It was through resilience and motivation that he managed to overcome difficulties and reach university. And it is precisely that attitude he wants to carry into the coming years. The main challenge he sets for himself is “never stopping trying to be more and better”: continuing to get involved in projects, fighting for his goals, refusing to settle for what does not fulfil him, and not giving up when faced with the hardest paths. His passion for knowledge will, he guarantees, be one of the hallmarks of his journey. But Miguel wants that knowledge to have an impact beyond the classroom. He speaks of the desire to learn and, at the same time, to help ensure that other people have access to scientific knowledge and global health: “I don’t know where the future will take me, but I know my path will be marked by the pursuit of learning more and by the desire to speak about inequality, justice and accessibility in the context of scientific knowledge and global health.”

Pedro Silva: between enthusiasm and apprehension
Pedro Silva is also beginning a new chapter this year at Ciências ULisboa, where he will study for a degree in Geology. Just a few days before classes start, he is experiencing the arrival at university with a mix of enthusiasm, nervousness and some apprehension. “First of all, a lot of stress,” he admits. Leaving secondary school and entering university represents “a big change”, especially because of everything a new stage entails: a different environment, new responsibilities and a whole world still to be discovered. But Pedro does not look at this change only with fear. On the contrary, he sees it as an opportunity for growth. “I’m seeing this as a chance for progress and personal development,” he explains. Enthusiasm therefore coexists with a certain fear of the unknown. It is a new journey that begins and, despite the apprehension, Pedro is ready to discover what the coming years have in store for him.

Tânia Chen: a new faculty, many paths to discover

Tânia Chen is starting the Biochemistry degree this year and is also preparing to discover a faculty she still knows little about. “I’m excited. I don’t know the faculty well, but I’ve already realised it’s very big and that there are loads of courses,” she says. The scale of Ciências ULisboa was one of the first things that caught her attention. But more than the spaces or the diversity of degrees, it is what she might find in this new stage that excites her. “I think it’s going to be a fun experience, and I hope to make lots of friends,” she says. Between discovering a new field of study and building new friendships, Tânia is getting ready to begin a stage filled with many firsts.

Four students, four stories and four different ways of looking towards the future. What will happen in the coming years is still unwritten. But one thing is certain: the new academic life begins on 14 September. And Ciências ULisboa is preparing to welcome a new generation of students.