Rachel Kitchen

Meet Rachel. Inspired by her love of myth and legend, Rachel enrolled on to the MA Folklore Studies course at Herts. She is now working at the National Lottery Heritage Fund and is finding more ways to express her love of folklore.

Myth and legend

Rachel has always been drawn to myth and legend - to tales about ghosts and witches. She is also fascinated by the role storytelling plays in folklore, and how tradition and ritual are created in families and communities. Rachel says, ‘I wanted to study this topic, which I love, and I never thought I’d be able to until I found the MA Folklore Studies course at Herts.’

Making friendships

Whilst at Herts, Rachel became close friends with her flatmates and coursemates, and she credits them with supporting her throughout her studies. Rachel adds, ‘I would meet with my coursemates weekly in one of the study rooms at the de Havilland LRC to discuss the reading and share interesting folkloric tales we had discovered.

‘One of my favourite memories from Herts was when it snowed heavily in December 2022. My flatmates and I played in the snow with other students. With the Christmas lights on, the evening had a magical feel to it.’

Rachel continues to remain in touch with her flatmates and coursemates. They met up after completing their dissertations and Rachel often shares folklore-related quizzes with her cohort. ‘I look forward to seeing them all again at graduation.’

Since completing her course, Rachel has accepted a role at the National Lottery Heritage Fund as a Legal and Governance Office Coordinator. Rachel says, ‘This role is a perfect combination of my previous professional experience and my love of British heritage, history and folklore.’

She also writes for folklore magazine Rooted. She hopes to continue this and discover more avenues to share her work.

Her advice

Rachel’s advice for those who decide to take the MA Folklore Studies course is to, ‘Keep a list of your favourite topics throughout the first semester, as this may help you decide what to base your dissertation on. And don’t be afraid to discuss your list with your tutors and other students – there is so much knowledge to be found amongst Herts folklorists!

‘I’d also recommend getting involved in events and activities across the University, particularly societies. They are a great way to make friends and learn new skills or hobbies. I enjoyed my time as the Secretary of the History and Folklore Society, particularly the events I went to with other academic societies.’