Being an international student can be challenging in some cases but don’t be afraid. Here is my little survival guide to help you.
Fresher’s week.
Fresher’s week is the major event before your studies. Usually, it happens a week prior your studies. This week will be very busy and exciting for most of the students and here is what to expect from it. Social events like paint-balling or bowling, these help students get to know each other. Don’t be afraid to attend these events and chat with others, as they’re just as nervous as you are.
Nights out in Newcastle (probably the best part of Fresher’s week). Newcastle is full of different entertainment & incredible nights out in different clubs and pubs.
Making friends as an international student.
To have a great time while studying of course you will need friends and the best way to make them is to join societies. Pick societies that sounds interesting to you and you will find like-minded people with similar passion and hobbies. My personal advice would be to join 3-5 societies in your first year as it is very likely that you will have plenty of spare time. Besides, you can always cancel your subscription as there are no commitments!
Getting to know Newcastle.
Newcastle is a nice place to live in and there are some places to visit.
- Baltic centre is an art gallery with an outstanding view on the Newcastle.
- Angel of the North is one of the biggest angel sculptures in the world. Many people come and visit it every day.
- St. James’ Park is the place for you to have a calm moment near trees and small waterfall. I really like this place, it is so quiet and peaceful over here. (This area is also home to Newcastle United football club. Why not visit a home game?)
- Finally, ‘Crown Posada’ a real Ale pub with great meals and wines. This place is great to try best sorts of Ale and beer from best British brewers.
Keep yourself busy and Going the extra mile.
Sometimes, you might feel sad and miss your family. This is normal as it is hard to live away from your family and friends, especially in a different culture. Personally, I prefer to load myself with extra work or studies. There are many advantages of doing so: Learning new skills, improving existing expertise, and meeting new interesting people. Trust me all the extra work that you do will benefit you in the future or in your career. Employers are particularly interested in high motivational people with transferable skills. Besides all extra work you do can be reflected in your CV and therefore gives you slight advantage compared to your peers.
Tavel. Travel. Travel.
While you will be studying in Newcastle make sure you visit different places as well. You will have enough time to visit other cities and see historic art pieces. Make sure you visit ‘Glasgow’ as this city will give you a real taste of Scotland. Scotland and England have their differences in culture, food and of course the accent!
Now, I would like to spend more time on ‘How to choose society just for you’, there are a huge number of societies in a number of different areas at Northumbria. Browse through the list of societies and find which appeals to you most! Information about all societies available and how to get involved can be found on the MyNSU Website.
I hope you found this article useful. Wishing you the best of luck!
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