New students

It is always a pleasure for me to be involved in orientation days for new students, especially our internationals.  Last Friday, Jan 15th, was no exception to this rule.
After the initial welcomes I had the privilege of leading an interactive session on 'First Impressions and Expectations'. Drawing out what first impressions the students have of the UK and the university itself. 

Here are some of the positive comments ...

"Surprisingly comfortable and relaxed even though it's my first time in the UK."

"University personnel are very friendly."

"Feel very excited, like my future is going to begin here in this unfamiliar country."

"Beyond having a degree I am convinced I will learn so much about social life which will help me."

And stuff we can learn from ...

"Something that would've made life easier: having blankets for the first night after arrival"

"People in the streets are not willing to offer assistance."

"Weather is a bit unpredictable"

"People from the north of England are a LOT nicer than the south of England."

Then at the end of the day, Arshad and Basel helped with our student panel, sharing something of their own experiences. Their key advice was this ...
1.  Make friends - you need a support network around you and people you can talk with.
2.  Learn to cook - you can only survive for so long on pot noodles and fast foods will eat up your finances very quickly.
3.  Ask for help - whatever the issue (academic, financial, physical or emotional) there are support networks in place but you may need to ask.