Hello everyone! My name is Janina and I have come here to Manchester in September to start the MSc Business Psychology programme. I am originally from Regensburg, Germany but have always dreamt of living in the UK! I am very excited about the chance to attend AMBS this year. My hobbies include reading (lots of catching up to do on English literature!), Kundalini yoga and crocheting.
September 16th, 2021 – the day I never thought would come finally arrived! I boarded the plane in Munich and, after just two hours, arrived in my new home that I haven’t ever seen before. I can’t believe this was almost three months ago already!
Since after a couple of weeks have passed, the question I was asked the most by far was if my Masters here turned out exactly as I had imagined it to be. That’s a tricky one to answer!
On the one hand: No. As an international student, I not only left my loved ones behind but also most of my possessions boxed up in the attic of the relatives who, to be honest, drew the short straw. I arrived with a single suitcase in a room that didn’t even have a wardrobe for the first couple of weeks. So, for the first days, it was my main mission to step by step rebuild a household and make a home out of this room. Also, it is my first time living with roommates, which can bring on its own unique set of challenges. Eight of them, to be exact! But still, I would not have wanted it any other way as it was a good mental exercise to take a step back and check what I really need. And I was lucky – all of my roommates have turned out to be lovely!
But on the other hand… Also no. Manchester has become a home for me much faster than I ever could have imagined. The first couple of weeks I spent mostly wandering around and trying to find out as much as possible about the city as possible. After five years of living in the same place, I have almost forgotten how exciting and magical it is to just allow yourself to get lost in a strange place and be completely carried away by all the new impressions. With classes starting, I have less time to explore now but walking about the city is still one of my favourite pastimes. I still spot something new on my way every single day! But of course, it’s not only about the city. My classes at AMBS are fascinating and well-taught to a degree that I have not seen before. Every day, I’m excited and happy to be a part of the university and the bustling life that surrounds it. I cannot wait to see what the next year will bring!
