August 18, 2019, by Shweta
Being an International Student at University
Congratulations to everyone who received their results recently. And for those of you making your way to Nottingham this September; we can’t wait to have you here at the beginning of the rest of your life.
For some of you, university may be a 30-minute drive away from home. For others, like myself, home is much farther away. A long time ago, I wrote a blog post about moving to university as an international student and fortunately, it was very well-received. However, as you will soon learn, university is a dynamic experience. You learn every day. Over time, my experience as an international student in Nottingham has morphed into something spectacular and I couldn’t be prouder to share it with you as incoming international students.
Leaving your family and friends behind is difficult for anyone but it’s particularly hard when it’s compounded by leaving behind the city you may have called home for at least a couple years, if not your whole life. But don’t look at it as leaving; instead, embrace it as a welcome change. A step forward. Soon enough, Nottingham will become home too and how lucky are those who have two places to call home instead of one!
Nottingham has been known to be incredibly diverse which means you’ll always find someone who makes you feel closer to home. With a separate welcome week for international students and cultural societies representing populations from across the world, there is always plenty of support available. My tips? Book on to the welcome program where you will receive help setting up bank accounts, buying sim cards and completing visa procedures. This will help you settle into life in the UK with minimal distress. Additionally, make use of Fresher’s Fair to explore cultural and/or religious societies alongside sports and hobbies. They will help you meet people like yourself to celebrate important holidays or enjoy some good home cooked food with.
In about a month’s time you will be making arguably the biggest move of your life and while it may start off scary, Nottingham, with its cobbled streets and wonderful restaurants, will find its way into your heart. Good luck and I hope you love Nottingham as much as I do.
Until next time,
Shweta
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