'Studying in the UK has always been my dream'

After completing my high school education in India I chose to study in the UK and to pursue my studies in business management. I wanted to study in the UK because it has always been my dream, as it is a centre of excellence that provides quality education.

The reason I chose the International Year One course at the University of Huddersfield International Study Centre (ISC) was because I had little background experience in business, so I wanted to learn more about the subject to prepare me for university as a second-year student. 

I arrived in the UK last September. As it was my first time visiting a foreign country, I was a bit nervous. However, once I arrived in Huddersfield, I knew I had made the right choice, as it is a small town and I found it quite peaceful compared with other places in the UK. After exploring the town, I was surprised to find out that the UK has lots of varieties of foods available and I enjoyed going to the many different restaurants in the town centre to try different cuisines.

Another of the things that I soon realised about the UK is how wet and windy it can be. Therefore, one of the first items I had to purchase here was a raincoat. It took a lot of time for me to get used to the rainy weather, but now it feels normal. I also learned that people in the UK are generally very polite and respectful.

I noticed that people here sometimes use different words from the English words that I learned to use in India. For instance, “loo” means bathroom and “ta” means thank you. I was also surprised that you could travel only an hour away to a different city and the people would speak with a totally different regional dialect. 

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International perspective: an Indian student in the UK

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I’ve been in the UK for almost seven months now and I’ve learned a lot through living independently. I have found that I really enjoy cooking for myself. My cooking has definitely improved, although it was a disaster at first. 

Living independently has also taught me how to manage my finances, making me careful about what I spend my money on. Although it is not easy having to do everything for myself, it has helped to boost my self-confidence and self-esteem, as I have shown that I am capable of caring for myself.

On my first day at the ISC, the staff members were friendly as they helped me with the registration process and made me feel welcome. I was very homesick at the beginning, as I missed my family and friends, but after my course started I met my classmates and I made many new friends. This helped me to get settled and I’ve met many international students and got to know more about their cultures.

All my modules are interesting at the ISC. As well as learning more about my subject, I’ve also developed academic English skills, which I had never learned at school. All my teachers are friendly and helpful and have done everything necessary to make us understand and improve every single day so we can achieve higher grades.

Another important thing I have learned at the ISC is teamwork, as we often have group assignments in which I get to work with different people and it has made learning more fun and interesting.

Apart from our studies, my classmates and I often organise trips to try to explore many different places in the UK. We have been to London, as well as other historical places including Stonehenge, Windsor, York, the Roman Baths in Bath and many more.

My advice to any new students coming to the UK would be to not worry about anything; you will get all the help that you need from the staff. Sure, it is hard to settle at first, but you will get used to it and make new friends and your experience will keep getting better.

I'm coming towards the end of finishing my first year now and I’m excited to reunite with my family and friends back in India during summer break. I have thoroughly enjoyed studying at the ISC and will have so many amazing memories to look back on. I’m looking forward to continuing my education in the UK. 

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