On 29 October, third year business economics student Matt Walker made national television, representing the University of East Anglia on University Challenge. Matt recounts his experience of being team captain in our latest blog and talks about how studying economics has made him a better quizzer!
“Fingers on buzzers… here’s your first starter for 10” is a phrase that many families will, almost religiously, sit down to on Monday nights. When it happens for real looking down the lens of a TV camera, the rush of nerves and excitement that I felt was something I never expected to experience while a student at UEA.
The next Monkman?
Varsity competition is something that is rarely given attention to in the UK media. The only obvious example is “The Boat Race”, an annual competition between Oxford and Cambridge. This makes University Challenge unique in the opportunity it gives students to represent their institution, something I was extremely proud to do. Despite our defeat to Oxford, the UEA team posted a respectable 115 points (mainly down to the exceptional efforts of Maddy Forde-Roberts) on its first televised appearance in 11 years.
Making the cut
The application process for the show started approximately this time last year. The Student Union selects 5 candidates (4 team members plus a reserve) to attend an audition in London with the producers. The audition process is two parted, a 40-question bombardment and a more informal interview; including a question on your degree choice. It certainly felt strange talking about Economics in front of the LSE team, who were part of our audition group. Having the confidence to talk about Economics in such an exposed situation is a skill that I’ve been able to develop whilst studying the subject at UEA.
Another distinguishing aspect is the opportunity provided by Quiz Society, which was instrumental in helping us perform as well. The diversity of societies at UEA, no matter how niche played a significant role in getting the team off the ground.
How did Economics help?
Studying Economics, an interdisciplinary subject, encourages an adaptable outlook which is useful for both the working world and quizzing. One of my favourite quotes about the subject epitomises this idea;
The master-economist must possess a rare combination of gifts …. He must be mathematician, historian, statesman, philosopher—in some degree. He must understand symbols and speak in words. […] He must study the present in the light of the past for the purposes of the future. No part of man’s nature or his institutions must be entirely outside his regard. He must be purposeful and disinterested in a simultaneous mood, as aloof and incorruptible as an artist, yet sometimes as near to earth as a politician.
John Maynard Keynes
In this quote, Keynes emphasises the importance of being able to understand concepts from multiple disciplines, a skill that University Challenge values. For instance, an economist creating a detailed model relating to BitCoin requires an understanding of the mechanics of Computer Science. The more of ‘the world’ an Economist can understand, the less like a caricature the models they build appear to be. Furthermore, the ability to hold multiple facts and figures simultaneously makes spotting trends that explain the world around us an easier task. In a recent assignment, a recall of world population densities assisted me with spotting a pattern when examining refugee intake data. Something that might have taken weeks otherwise. The two examples above highlight the interdisciplinary nature of Economics, and demonstrates how anybody with a natural inquisitiveness might find both Economics and quizzing exciting.
And at the gong…
Appearing on University Challenge was certainly a highlight of my time at UEA and a sign that ‘do different’ can sometimes mean ‘accomplish extraordinary’. From a surprise meeting with Paxman in the make-up room (he’s lovely really) to watching the show in a lecture theatre with friends cheering every answer, it’s certainly a memory I’ll cherish forever.
Next stop, bring on the UEA School of Economics Student/Staff Quiz!
Matt Walker, 3rd Year Eco Student University Challenge Captain 2017-2018