February 18, 2019, by International students
International Student Ambassadors: Gbemisola from Nigeria
Why did you choose to study your specific course and what are your favourite aspects of the course so far?
I choose MSc Public Health (Global Health) because I wanted to develop my skillsets and gain more knowledge on how to effectively carry out Health Interventions in my home country, with Nigeria being one of the countries with the poorest health indices globally and with its rising population growth, we really do need more experts to combat this health challenges.
It’s been an intense semester so far, my favourite courses are the Global Health and Health System Strengthening modules, because they have both provided insights on how health systems function across several countries and the best approaches to attaining health for all.
How do you hope your course will impact on your future career?
I believe the course will position me better to positively influence the existing structure of health system in my home country of Nigeria and the International Humanitarian space. I am certain that with the completion of my programme, I will be adequately prepared to use the knowledge, skillsets and networks I would have gained and built to improve health worldwide irrespective of the work environment I find myself in.
Describe your experience of the teaching on your course at the University of Nottingham
It has been sessions of in-depth teachings with experts from different fields, with so much to share from their wealth of experiences, so many resources to enhance my understanding of the topics are available via the e-learning resources and several textbooks, journals available in the libraries, often the materials are so enormous, it’s a struggle to finish going through them all. I feel so elated to be taught to such high quality standards.
What attracted you to the UK?
The United Kingdom has maintained the niche of high quality education among countries of the world over several centuries. The career prospects that follow having a UK degree on my CV were something I had always wanted.
I read about the ground-breaking research that has originated from the University of Nottingham in the field of medicine, the rich multi-diverse pool of students from several countries of the world and got wowed by the eco-friendly scenes I see while navigating through the school’s website. I knew this was a school I would like to study in.
What was your experience of arriving in the UK/in Nottingham?
The immediate sting of a cold breeze upon arrival at Heathrow is something I won’t forget easily, the long queue at the immigration desk which moved so fast and was gone before I knew it. The orderliness of activities was really amazing but I must agree that London is such a busy city.
For me Nottingham is a quiet and peaceful city, settling in was quite easy after a couple of weeks, I have however lost my way several times but Google Maps came to my rescue on occasions when my phone battery wasn’t messing me up.
What has been your experience of making friends with people from other countries?
It has been an amazing experience making friends from several countries of the world as the school has a diverse multicultural student population, I have made friends on the hopper buses (our inter-campus shuttle), I made some friends in the city centre when lost my way back to the campus when I first arrived as I was putting on my lanyard I comfortably approached them asking how to find my way, they were very helpful as they were 3rd year students at the University. I have maintained those friendships to date. I sometimes feel like I have friends in every continent of the world and I can never be stranded anywhere I go from here.
If you were awarded a scholarship, please give details of the scholarship and the impact it has had on your studies
I’m a recipient of the Developing Solutions Scholarship which has provided me with the opportunity to study in a world class university, I wouldn’t have been able to afford the fees on my own. I feel so honoured to have been selected as one of only 30 recipients from over 1,000 applications for the category of the 100% tuition fee scholarship.
If you have used the Careers and Employability Service, describe your experience of this service
I took advantage of an opportunity to attend the International Organisations Day (IOD) careers day event at the London School of Economics which was opened my eyes to several career opportunities available in international NGOs.
The experience was really mind-blowing; and I now know how best to position myself for a future career in those agencies. The trip and ticket fees were all expenses paid by the Careers and Employability service, I sure still be visiting them again for more help on structuring my CV and how best to prepare for interviews before the end of my course. There are so many resources available for career advancement at the University of Nottingham.
What tips do you have for managing your money as a student in the UK?
Setting priorities has helped me manage my finances, I make my budgets monthly, plan my outings and minimise eating out to reduce cost. There are several discount offers available for students by many shops and service providers, you get to enjoy these cuts with just the show of your student ID.
Do you have any tips for adapting to the academic environment in the UK?
The rigours of studying can really be demanding but setting priorities and planning ahead of time to meet up with deadlines will enable one to cope. Asking questions of the tutors (They are always ready to help) will provide clarity to grey areas, organising discussion sessions with peers has been time-saving and most importantly creating time to study personally has also been helpful for me.
How have you adapted to the climate?
Upon arrival I experienced a tough battle coping with the weather, as I come from the tropics which is very hot, to a colder atmospheric condition, it was a mini-crisis settling in, I remember rushing out of my apartment about 3 days after I arrived to go to school, forgetting to pick my overalls, and by the time I returned home, I was extremely cold and had bouts of sneezing and a runny nose. I haven’t gone out without my overalls since then. Now, I can say I’m faring well with the weather I believe the adaptability of the human nature enables us to cope no matter where we find ourselves.
Tell us about your experiences of food in Nottingham. Have you been able to find food from your home country?
I got to know about African shops in Nottingham, I have had to visit them a couple of times to pick up some food items. So my taste buds get nourished with the taste of home-made delicacies quite often J Yes, I’m a foodie!
If you have any questions about studying at the University of Nottingham as an international student, you can get in touch with our International Ambassadors via email.
No comments yet, fill out a comment to be the first
English
Leave a Reply