Studying in the UK
True life story of the highs and lows of studying away from home.
Coming to university in the UK has had a lot of positives. I’ve really enjoyed the last year and a half. But like anything, it’s not without its down days, its bad points.
Since coming to university, I’ve been an elected delegate to five National Union of Students’ Conferences, sat on the Student’s Representative Council for two years and I’m going back next year as the Equal Opportunities Officer. Then there have been the two trips to Germany last year. And of course being a fresher’s week crew member and staying out till 3am every night for a week.
For the most part, it’s been fantastic. But sometimes you just want to go home. You just want to tap your heels three times and say “I want to go home”. Whether it’s the lack of food or the stress of having to worry about money or the feeling that even though you’re surrounded by thousands of people you feel very much alone, often there’s just something that makes you want to leave.
I tend to find that it happens right at the middle of each semester. At that point when you’re equidistant from the holidays either side, where your work load is bigger than Mount Everest, and your blood pressure is as high as the Eiffel tower. In fact, last semester, I came home just at that point for a weekend and didn’t want to go back. I spent the whole weekend crying.
In reality, I did want to go back; it just felt like everything was crushing me there and then.
If there’s one thing university has taught me, it’s that hot chocolate and a good chat are the solution to all the world’s problems. Then, just as now, when I felt down, I’d sit down with my good friends and offload.
That’s probably my favourite part of the city I study in. There are nearly as many coffee shops here as there are pubs.
All in all though, I’ve really found that the opportunities that I have over here far outweigh the psychological negative of being across the Irish Sea. There’s so much to do and see over here, so much to get involved in. I’m in a small city that can literally keep me occupied every day by doing something new. If that’s not a very big positive, I don’t know what is.
By: Stephen McFadden
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