In the latest in our series of reminiscences from recent leavers, Anaïs Tang (OQ 2015) reflects on the skills she acquired at Queenswood that led her to an exciting career as an associate software engineer at a global fashion search platform. It’s certainly not the career she envisaged when she set off to read Spanish and Chinese at Edinburgh University!

During my time at Q, I had a fixed mindset about going to university and pursuing particular careers but my career so far has been unexpected and it’s fair to say that things will not be a linear path. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome! Q equipped me with the skills to succeed not just academically but, more importantly, socially and emotionally – which to this date has taken me further than my grades and background.

Having studied a languages degree (Spanish and Chinese) at Edinburgh University, most would say that a legal, teaching or translation career were my only options. However, fast forward to six years after finishing my A-Levels (time flies!) and I’ve completed several internships in Investment Banking and in Law, and even taken some time off to look after my mental health, only to now pursue a career in tech as a Software Engineer.

It may feel like there’s a lot of pressure to succeed academically and secure a place at university or even an apprenticeship (or neither!), but what I will always be grateful for are the opportunities I was given at Q such as being able to contribute to the Queenswoodian, the annual dance shows or even the odd lunch time walks with Señora Law to practise my Spanish! Having a well-rounded background and ability to be open-minded has really helped me explore different opportunities and I’m not afraid to say that perhaps in a few years’ time I could potentially find myself exploring alternative careers.