Five things wish I’d known as an International student
Starting university in a new country comes with a learning curve, Rhea shares five things to remember as an international student studying away from home.
Moving to the University of Birmingham as an international student was exciting, but it definitely came with a learning curve. There were a few things that caught me off guard (in a good way) and if you’re getting ready to start at University of Birmingham (UoB), here are five things I wish I’d known beforehand.
1. The campus is much bigger than you expect
I knew UoB was a big university, but I wasn’t prepared for it to feel like a small town! The campus is made up of lecture buildings, study spaces, accommodation, innovation hubs, cafes and so much more, all spread across Edgbaston.
You will walk. A lot. Sometimes you’ll even have classes on opposite sides of campus and find yourself speed-walking with half your course. As a Biomedical Science student, most of my classes are in the medical school, so choosing accommodation nearby was one of the best decisions I made. For the better part of my first year, Google Maps and the UoB Map were genuinely lifesavers. Give yourself time to learn the layout and it gets easier eventually!
2. The weather can affect your mood
I used to think people were exaggerating when they said grey weather affects your day. Coming from somewhere sunny most of the year, rain and cloudy skies sounded ideal to me. I was very quickly humbled when the days started feeling colder and darker particularly in the winter - it can really impact your motivation. The best thing I learned was to keep structure in your day, stick to a routine and enjoy when the sun does eventually make an appearance!
3. Opportunities won’t magically come to you
One thing I’ve realised is that UoB offers so many opportunities, but you have to go looking for them. Whether it’s internships, part-time jobs, society roles or career events, they won’t just fall into your lap because you’re on campus.
The Careers Network is a really helpful place to start and there are plenty of university resources available. The students who can benefit the most are the ones who actively apply, attend events and put themselves out there. It can feel intimidating at first, but it’s worth it.
4. Low contact hours doesn’t mean less work
If you’re not familiar with the UK university system, one of the biggest surprises might be how relatively few classes you actually have. Compared to school, you can have a lot more free time in your week and that sounds great at first - until you realise that most of time is meant for self-study, coursework, revision and staying on top of assignments.
It’s very easy to feel like your day is “done” after one lecture, but managing your time well makes a huge difference. I found it helpful to treat weekdays like working days, even if I wasn’t physically on campus all day.
5. You’re not the only one figuring things out
This might be the most important one: whatever you’re struggling with, you are definitely not the only one. Whether it’s learning how laundry works, figuring out groceries, adjusting to public transport or dealing with homesickness, always keep in mind that so many students are navigating the exact same things.
Talking to other students helped me more than anything, especially a mix of international students and home students because everyone offers different kinds of helpful advice. And if you need more support, the university has plenty of wellbeing and academic services to help too.