For the final blog, I wanted to give you a few more tips for your year as a student in the University of Manchester.
- As soon as you get your university email, set up an account on amazon prime student, which will get you free delivery and access to prime video. Also, download the UNiDAYS app, where you can find amazing discounts for students. And always ask if you can get a student discount on physical stores.
- Do not wait till the last minute to set everything up here, meaning: apartment, bank account, official documents (for example: transcripts from your previous Uni), Tier 4 visa arrangements, and so on.
- Try to take advantage of the exposure you are having to so many different cultures. You will meet people from all over the world, use this to make new friends, network and learn about new cultures.
- Make the most out of the services the University offers. If you need help, they will help you, you just need to ask.
- Start your preparations to get a job as soon as possible. You can always ask for the career services' help. There is so much informative material that it can feel a little overwhelming at the beginning, but you will manage. Start by figuring out what type of jobs you are interested in and then prepare your CV, LinkedIn and cover letters. Bear in mind that if you are a tier 4 visa holder, you will probably have to work a little harder to get a job as not all companies sponsor working visas (I would recommend you attend the talk dedicated to this topic, if you are interested in working in the UK).
- Try to go over the slides, of the courses where you have exams, on a regular basis; this will facilitate enormously the preparation for the exams.
- Do not stress so much about Uni, you will manage to get everything done. Try to set some time apart to relax and travel.
- And finally, ENJOY! The experience of living in a different country and meeting new people is amazing, get the most out of it.
Here are some recommendations from some of my classmates:
- "Get your student card as soon as possible and ask for the bank account letter as early as you get here. Also, try to make friends with people from different countries" - Norberto
- "Don't fly back home too much, try to enjoy Manchester" - Marian
- "Don't stress out about reading EVERYTHING, focus on the topics that are most important for the lecture and for your essays. Also, try to meet local people so you get to know the local life that you as an international student wouldn't know" - Maria
- "Leave being the person you were and embrace the one you will become. You will be surprised how much you and your ideas will change and evolve, just embrace it" - Eleni
