My top tips for student life in Leeds as an international student

First day nerves and new bffs

It’s been a while since I arrived in Leeds. Time flies really fast! Being an international student, I vividly remember I was a bit overwhelmed by all the new information that I had to keep up with in the first week- the teaching methods, time-tabling systems, digital learning platforms and so on. I thought I would barely have any time to make new friends or socialize and boy, was I wrong. 

All you need to do is step out of your room and try to get involved in a variety of student activities organized by the student union or global village. From speed-friending to Crafternoons (where students gather and do origami, paint or draw), games nights to global showcase (model shows, traditional dance performances, singing etc.), you can create wonderful memories with your potential life-long friends.

My best advice to reduce home sickness and calm the nerves for your assessments is just to step out of your room and walk around at least 15 mins a day or better so, check the university website, book social events, make new friends and check out the cute cafes, restaurants, or museums in Leeds together. Weekend getaways to nearby tourist attractions such as York or Whitby will definitely refresh your mind and become more productive afterwards. If you love travelling but don’t want to spend a fortune on transportation, you should go along to day trips, once again, organized by the LBSU or global Village since they are much cheaper!

Managing your finances and part time jobs

Well, let be honest. Most of us, international students, are always on a tight budget! I know it’s super exciting to be at a new country- especially a beautiful one full of tourist attractions like the UK. From groceries to night outs and daytrips to summer vacation, it’s so easy to lose track of your finances unless you make a note of your expenses and monitor properly.Nothing can be more stressful than the end of month grocery shopping if you accidentally splurge in the beginning. The key to get discounts is to use your student email/ID and join memberships. Almost every popular supermarket and drugstore offers student discounts.

As for the part time jobs, in addition to applying to them from websites such as Indeed or LinkedIn, it is important to give out your CV at the stores around city centre as many of the vacancies got filled up by walk-in applicants even before the employers post their job ads on the recruitment websites. Don’t forget to check the Beckett career or student union website as they also offer casual part time jobs suitable for your student visa with limitations on working hours. I personally prefer working at the university as a global ambassador, student activities program assistant for the global village team and student union since I can make new friends every single day and make an impact around campus.

Assessments

As an international student, I was super nervous at the time of undertaking my first ever assessment at LBU. From academic report writings to referencing, the study skills workshops from the library helped me a lot. Other library services I found useful were the “Request” feature from the website where I can request a new book or journal article that is not available yet in the library and “Reserve” feature where I can reserve the books I need when I do not have enough time to immediately go check the library in person. If you are lacking motivation or feeling down to do your assignments, I suggest you try group study with your friends by booking one of the student meeting rooms at the library. That really help us get into the zone for gathering ideas and we could also practice our presentations together using the large TV in the room.

Well, that’s about it for the three main aspects of university life – study, work and socialising. I wish you all the best in maintaining work-life balance as an international student. You've got this!