This year is a tough year for everyone.
For most students in the University of Manchester this year, all lectures are recorded and workshops are online in the first semester. So we have two options to either study on campus or learning remotely from home. There are both pros and cons. The reason why I chose to learn on campus is that it is easier for me to concentrate on studying on campus and I want to meet new friends. So I took the charter flight from China to Manchester provided by the Uni. It is definitely a more comfortable and safer flight during this pandemic time. I recommend to any Chinese students who want to come to the Uni next semester to take this service! You will love it!
While this is my fourth year in Manchester, the experience of this year is extremely different from previous years. First of all, when I come back to Manchester, the lockdown has started and I also need to self-quarantine for 14 days. So I spent my time not only watching lectures and self-studying but also on cooking and baking with my flatmate and chatting with my friends and parents. Secondly, I struggled with online learning in the first few weeks. Because the difficulty has levelled up compared to my undergraduate study. But the lecturers are supportive and they opened drop-in sessions later to answer all of our questions.
Last but not least, I want to give you some tips on moving to Manchester and moving in with new flatmates:
1. Consider which type of flats you’re in. If you are renting your own apartment, you may need to check the utility bills. Provider: are they giving you the cheapest deals? If not, then you could find and switch to the provider who offers the cheapest deals online. One reminder is that most energy providers provide free switch between themselves
2. When meeting your new flatmate, one topic that always works for me as an icebreaker is talking about food! Who doesn’t like food? After you guys get along with each other, you can always study, exercise and cook together. Like what I did with my flatmate;)
I hope everything will get back on track soon!
