March 25, 2020, by International students

International Student Ambassadors: Fareeha from Pakistan

Fareeha is a Pakistani student who is studying MSc Marketing

Why did you choose the University of Nottingham?

I chose UoN because of the accreditations of the business school, the additional certifications available to me through my course, and the cultural diversity the university offers. Additionally, UoN provides many opportunities for students to work part-time and offers support and encouragement for future jobs. I visited UoN in 2018 before I applied for a Masters, to see and decide which university I would choose. The accessibility of residential halls, on and off-campus, the ease of transportation and more importantly Nottingham itself is widely known as a student-friendly city.

What is your favourite thing about the University of Nottingham?

My favourite thing about the university is the constant availability of free food and coffee. Whether it’s in the graduate centre, the Halls, or the brands offering food in Freshers week. On a serious note, the sprawling fields are my favourite part about the university. I love accessible, open spaces and the multiple walking/cycling routes in the university, more particularly the Downs are my favourite thing about the University of Nottingham.

What is the best thing about your course?

My course, Msc. Marketing, is not merely just professors speaking at us, rather utilizing seminars and activities to make the subjects more interactive. There is also a lot of sessions with industry practitioners to give us not only a theoretical knowledge of marketing but also allow us to learn from people working within the industry and build contacts.

What do you do with your spare time, and what are your hobbies?

I like to read and my favourite place to read is popping down at the local Waterstones and spending hours there browsing, reading, and chatting with fellow booklovers! (Fun fact: If you’re a bit of a Literature geek, D.H. Lawrence was born in Nottingham and you can go visit his house in Eastwood which has now been turned in to a museum, and then pop in to The Lady Chatterly for the best hot chocolate in the world). If you couldn’t already tell, I also love discovering hidden gems across town in my spare time, whether it be pubs, bookshops or just picturesque spots!

What do you like about Nottingham as a city?

Nottingham is widely known as a student city with 2 university right in the middle of it, so it is a really friendly city for students. One of the best things about Nottingham, as a student, is the nightlife. Whether it’s a weekday, or a weekend, there’s something going on every night and it never gets boring! There’s multiple events happening across town for everyone if you’re interested in clubbing, quiz nights, stand up comedy, speak easys, pub crawls etc. Another thing I really like about Nottingham is the diversity of cuisine available. From Indian to Korean to Turkish, you can find authentic cuisines all across the city so there’s something for everyone! However, one of my personal favourite thing about Nottingham is that nearly everything is within walking distance so taking a leisurely stroll down to the city centre or Wollaton Park or Trentbridge is very much possible if you like to walk!

What would be your top tips for a new international student starting at the University of Nottingham in their first year?

One of the best things an international student can do, is get the discounted bus pass on their student ID in the beginning of the year. It ends up saving you a lot of money spent on bus passes and makes transportation so much easier! Also, try to take as many try-out sessions for different societies and sports in the beginning of the year to see what you’re interested in. Most importantly, don’t stress too much during the beginning of the year, it gets better.

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