For many of us international students, coming overseas is definitely a daunting experience – leaving all you’ve known and loved only to arrive somewhere you know nothing of. Compounded by the fact that we are apparently adults because we have graduated high school, the sense of protection and belonging is no longer there. We are all very much on our own.
Personally, I was very lost when starting the first year at university – arriving at a new place knowing no one. However, since then I’ve grown incredibly through friendships, failures and successes. I’ve become the president of the table tennis club, managed to secure some internships and met my girlfriend in the testosterone-filled world that is Imperial.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you’re reading this somewhere in the world, and you hope to come to Imperial(or any other international university), it’s okay to be scared! I’ve really realized the number of people who read these blogs (at the start I thought it would be buried in the web) when I began receiving comments and questions from people all over the world.
As the holidays came to a start- my initial mindset was, “Oh, I’ve got looaaddss of time. I definitely deserve a break. One more season of this show on Netflix won’t hurt.” It must have slipped my mind that the exam on the day I go back is not a mock. Now that I’m about 70% through my Easter/Spring break, I am filled with regret and drowning in revision. :’)
Watching a season of Hell’s Kitchen The first thing I did was binge watch as soon as the term ended. Personally a big Gordon Ramsay fan, even though he’s not a believer in Vegetarianism/Veganism cries.
Attending a university fair Got to rep Imperial at a secondary school in Bexley, London. This was actually a paid job opportunity under Imperial’s President’s Ambassador scheme. It was really cool speaking to students about our uni and life as an undergraduate student, specifically studying in central London. Sharing the Imperial loveeee.
Eating at a veggie pub in Soho I met up with an old friend who’s currently doing an exchange year at UCL (please don’t kill me.) We went to London’s first and only Vegetarian/Vegan pub! Tried their ‘Tofush and Chips’- amaaazzinggg! 11/10 would recommend- Coach & Horses near Soho Square, London. They also have two resident black cats; as I am a big cat person- this was a massive bonus! Can’t wait to go back and try their pies!
Watching a season of Blackadder and 3 seasons of Plebs Blackadder throws it back to Rowan Atkinson’s pre-Mr Bean/Johnny English days; this is described as Pseudo-historical British comedy sitcom. Plebs is where it’s at though, folks. This is a comedy about three friends/flatmates who live in the time of ancient Rome. My current favourite show- if you haven’t seen this then you’re missing out! Grumio gives me life, honestly. You can catch seasons 1-3 on Netflix, and season 4 on Mondays at 10PM on ITV2 (UK). Both shows were recommended by my boyfriend- not sure whether to be grateful or mad at him for leading me into a blackhole of more Netflix bingeing. Cheers, friend.
Seeing Fall Out Boy live So Fall Out Boy is one of my favourite bands of all time (after My Chemical Romance)- seeing them live at the O2 Arena was an absolute dream come true. They were incredible- the whole experience was unreal. I definitely think that this is one of the massive perks of living in a city like London, there are endless things to do and see for leisure! If an artist is doing a European tour, you can bet they’ll have a London date. Also seeing Ed Sheeran in June, super psyched for that!
Visiting my old school I flew back home (Macau) for my last two weeks of the break- low key a massive mistake because there were so many people to catch up with, meaning it left minimal time for revision. However, going back to the place where I spent 14 years of my life (Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary) was absolutely surreal and so heartwarming. It was so wonderful seeing all the familiar faces of my former teachers teachers and younger students whom I was good friends with. Today is the current senior students’ last day of official classes; I remember my last day like it was yesterday. Being back home is eye-opening – I see how far I’ve come, how much things have changed, and how much things have also stayed the same.
Panicking about revision but not doing much anyway This is high-key the story of my life. Most nights currently consist of me freaking out because I’m so behind on revision, then making excuses about how sleepy I am thus I won’t be able to properly concentrate. This results in me lying in bed taking BuzzFeed quizzes, e.g. Take This Quiz To Find Out What Kind Of Potato You Are, for an hour or two until I fall asleep when I could have spent it revising or writing this. Jetlag also isn’t my friend. My life is currently in shambles but oh well- I’ll figure it out. Worst case scenario, there’s always a resit in August.
Hopefully this blogpost helps you see that not everyone at Imperial is the ‘perfect student’! Or maybe it’s just me.
Hoping that your term break has been considerably more productive than mine,
Alex (:
Studying at the most International University in the UK
It goes without saying that Imperial College London is one of the most culturally diverse university communities in the world. Just walking around campus, it is clear to why we have been named the UK’s most international university by The Times Higher Education. Being one of the highest ranking universities in world and leading the way in scientific research, attracts some of the brightest students from across the globe, giving Imperial its signature incredible variety in culture.
Having lived in London my whole life and attended, what I thought was, quite a diverse school, I’m not sure what I expected Imperial to be like however, I had really not anticipated making friends so quickly with people from all around the world. Even amongst those from the UK, many actually have more varied ethnic backgrounds rather than just being British. This creates a very strong sense of community as whatever country you are from, language you speak or religion you follow, it is so easy to find others like you. Imperial proudly boasts over 70 different cultural and faith societies where people come together to celebrate special occasions such as Chinese New Year and Diwali, discuss aspects of religion and faith and simply come together to reminisce about home.
Diversity in clubs and societies
Coming to London, which is such a busy and bustling city, for the first time, can be extremely daunting. A new city, maybe a new language and not knowing many people could leave you feeling quite isolated. However, with such a strong foundation of clubs and societies within the college it is extremely easy to find people who will soon become like your family, brought together by a shared culture and language and often a craving for foods from home. This is incredibly important as it allows students to feel like they’re at at home, even when home is 1000s of miles away. By feeling like they belong somewhere, students begin to have a sense of identity and thus make the most of their time at Imperial by getting more and more involved in the community, leading to a more positive university experience.
Supporting our friends at Malaysian night
Aside from just building strong cultural ties, the diversity of Imperial allows students to experience other cultures. From trying my flatmates’ food to attending variety shows, I have been introduced to a whole host of new experiences I otherwise wouldn’t have. Between Malaysian night and the Indian society’s dance and music extravaganza, to name a
few, I have witnessed aspects of a culture one can often only experience in certain countries. However with people from almost everywhere, students at Imperial are able to share such authentic experiences with large audiences of students, keen to learn about other cultures.
Diversity in courses
Not only does this make students at Imperial incredibly culturally aware and accepting as we live, our few years within the Imperial community, surrounded by people from all over the world but it also means that we have made life long connections beyond country borders. Bring exposed to these varieties of cultures leaves us students hungry to learn more, encouraging us to travel in the future and maybe even consider working in a foreign country as we have already experienced some of what it might have to offer. High profile, international universities such as Imperial College London, therefore thrive off their international population as these students who travel so far to study here bringwith them their culture and take back their scientific knowledge and research allowing science to progress much better when people are able to work well with each other even if from different corners of the globe, as they have already been exposed to this concept at university.
Diversity in halls
For all these reasons, Imperial continues to attract countless numbers of international students, driving the university forward with their opinions and ideas within science but also by sharing their culture all students are able to leave university more enriched and well rounded and creating the lively, bustling and multicultural atmosphere that Imperial is so well known for.
This is part 2 of my placement year blog post. If you’ve missed part 1 be sure to go back and have a read (otherwise this next bit won’t really make sense!)
Paignton, Devon
My year in industry placement was at Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust in Paignton in Devon. Specifically I was based at Paignton Zoo, one of 3 zoos owned by the trust. First, a little background about my location. Devon – a place that everyone seems to have visited “when they were a child”. For me, I had heard very little about Devon, even less about Paignton. However, everyone I talked to about my placement, whether it be family friends, elderly ladies at bus stops or cab drivers, knew about Devon and Paignton Zoo. It seemed to be a place full of happy memories and summer holidays.
I arrived with my suitcases full of things, driven 4 hours by my parents to Devon. On first arrival I realised that Paignton was a classic English seaside town – it had seen better days. After settling into my new house (5 minutes walk from work – score!) and getting to know my flatmates, who were soon to be my colleagues and friends for the next year. I arrived at the zoo for my first day “on the job”, I fell in love as soon as I arrived. I walked in bright and early to be greeted by the sound of gibbons singing at the top of their lungs – what better way to start the day? The first couple of weeks was a whirlwind, meeting all of the staff, countless tours of the zoo to meet the all of the animals (over 2,000) finally culminating in keeper weeks.
My office for the next year…
Keeper weeks
Keeper weeks were, and still are, one of the most tiring but exciting experiences I’ve ever had. I spent two weeks going around different departments working alongside keepers and vets on their daily schedule. I worked alongside keepers in the Lower vertebrate and Invertebrate, Mammals and Bird departments. I even managed to have sneak peek of what the vets get up to! It was a truly insightful experience – I shovelled lots of poo and got up close to lots of incredible animals. From tiny spiders, cheeky Hamadryas baboons and orangutans to the graceful resident African elephant. Overall however, the biggest takeaway from the experience was how close knit the zoo staff family are. They deal with a lot everyday, from managing dangerous animals to hand rearing the smallest chicks. I have never met a group of people who are more dedicated and caring. Everyone was friendly, passionate and willing to help out. Most of all there was of plenty of laughter!
I didn’t get to work with the lions but here is a cute photo. Because, who doesn’t love lion cubs!
Zoo life
After the whirlwind of keeper weeks, I settled into my own department for the year – the Field Conservation and Research department. I was in a team of 6 placement students from universities all around the country. We each had our own projects but worked in the same office space – it made for a real bonding experience. I began to get stuck into my research project: Investigating the physiological and behavioural impact of UVB lighting on captive brown spider monkeys. That basically means; look at how UV lighting affects, the minerals in and the behaviour of, the resident brown spider monkey group. As with every scientific project, I had my work cut out.
In between my reading, alongside the other placement students, we would often go for walking breaks around the zoo. These could vary in length, from 10 minutes to 1 hour, and would involve walking around every part of the zoo meeting the gorillas, zebras, cheetahs and frogs. However, one part of the zoo was our favourite – the petting zoo filled with goats. We instantly fell in love with the resident goats, spending many an hour petting them and taking selfies as they lived the high life. In fact, we loved them so much that we dedicated a day of the week to them: “Goat Fridays”. As the name suggests, we visited the goats on a Friday each week to give them plenty of cuddles. If I’m honest, we did this plenty of other times during the week too, when we needed a little booster.
Me and Gonzo. Photo Creds: Nagashriya Aerasala
Zoo life for the animals can sometimes get a little repetitive. To keep them interested and active, the keepers often make enrichment for the animals. The placements students were enlisted to help make paper mache pumpkins and snowmen during Halloween and Christmas for the baboons. It was a really fun experience – hours of work destroyed in seconds as the troop compete for the treats inside. If there is one thing I’ve learnt from my placement, it’s a strong paper mache game.
Spooky paper mache pumpkins for the baboons!
As the year went on, I really got to know my project subjects – brown spider monkeys. Paignton has a wonderful close knit group, each with their own individual personality. I spent countless hours sitting observing them, noting their behaviour and location every minute on the minute. There were of course downsides to this, when it was freezing outside I still had to sit and observe them as they were in their heated enclosure. I was wearing as many layers as possible, I don’t do well in the cold, and even invested in hand warmers. Desperate times call for desperate measures. However, as time wore on and I spent more and more time with the spider monkeys, they began to recognise me – coming up to the glass to say hello and often vocalising when I approached the enclosure. For me that was a really special experience and one I won’t forget in a hurry!
Don’t tell the other spider monkeys, but Luna is definitely my favourite…SCIENCE! I definitely know what I’m doing here (cough).
Wait…It’s almost all over!?
As the end of my year began to draw closer, I reflected on what I had gained throughout the experience. I had experienced many unique things – who can say they work within 10m of exotic animals on a daily basis!? I had made great friends, colleagues and memories I would never forget. I had learnt how to work as part of a team, lead my own project and to cope when things go wrong (it turns out they do a lot during research projects). Best of all, the whole experience culminated with me presenting my work at the Annual BIAZA Research Conference at Edinburgh Zoo – a real achievement!
Coming back to London
Coming back to London wasn’t that tough, I fell straight back into the hustle and bustle. I was grateful for the constant tubes and buses – a stark contrast to Devon where it’s vital to have your own car. Adjusting to final year university was a little harder, the workload hit me like a tidal wave. Ah well, back to the grind for one more year…
Overall, taking a year out to complete a placement was an incredible experience. It taught me many skills. I made many friends and memories and it gave me an amazing insight into working life. I still stand by the fact it was one of the best decisions of my life. Would I recommend it? If you ever get the opportunity – seize it with both hands and go for it!
Summer term’s just around the corner, and what does that mean? That’s right! Endless episodes of exams. Over the years as a student at the RWTH Aachen, I have collected various tips on how to survive the intensive studying phases – all without jungle hair and mental suffering.
First, schedule your free time
Even if you plan to study 8 hours a day, I always take the time to plan my private things first in my weekly schedule. Fitness and relaxation times are a must, and there are even studies that recommend such a planning. In the critical phase time naturally gets a bit tight and sometimes your exercise suffers, but one should always strive for a balance.
Analyze the old exams
Always a good idea. Perhaps there are focal points and repetitive tasks. It is also a good idea to ask students from higher years if there are only a limited number of exams. Unfortunately, there is no online forum at Imperial College to exchange previous experiences. At the RWTH there is the so-called Maschboard, in which Mechanical Engineering students report and exchange experiences. Very helpful and highly recommended.
Build a study routine
Get up at the same time, go to bed at the same time, eat lunch at the same time. Even on weekends. Man is a creature of habit, and it also builds momentum that helps you get into the ‘flow’ channel. This is where you have the feeling that it’s working and that you’re quite productive.
I always study through the weekends, but every 2 weeks I take a day off where I don’t do anything at all. Relax, take a trip somewhere or just chill out in the park all day as a reward for hard work.
Good luck and happy Easter!
I’m finally back from the dead lol. But seriously, it’s been such a long time since I last blogged. Sorry about that, I’ve been busy procrastinating studying.
Anyway, it’s been a little more than a week since my first real field trip to Dorset (not counting the one to Leicestershire in Welcome Week, that is). Before that trip, I was very much psyched about it because,
1) We’re going to the beach, how cool is that! (it’s my first time going anywhere near the seaside since I came to the UK),
2) I get to travel free (okay fine, it’s not really free actually… but I still don’t have to use any of my own personal funds so I’m happy), and
3) This is my chance to get closer to my coursemates and everyone yosh ganbatte erynne-chan! (that’s literally what I thought when I heard the word ‘fieldwork’. Don’t blame me, I told you I was shy and I’ve always wanted to experience one of those cliche outdoor bonding stuff ‘ 3’)
PACKING
I agonised about how many bags to bring for one day before I really started packing. I knew I could fit everything into one bag but I also knew that I was NOT going to lug all my possessions over hills and mountains. And I thought bringing a luggage was a bit too much, especially since I didn’t have a small one at hand (and was too lazy/ shy to borrow one). Finally, I decided to pack everything into my rucksack and put all my geo tools in a small waterproof drawstring bag (which actually was a bag for a sleeping bag) which I will carry around. Monday would be a trial; if I could manage with that bag (aka it didn’t limit my movements or anything), I’ll continue to use it for the duration of the trip. If not, I’ll unpack my rucksack Monday night and use that to carry my tools on Tuesday onwards (BTW if you’re wondering, I just used the drawstring bag for the whole trip).
So, moving on… we spent 3 days 2 nights (Monday-Wednesday) frolicking looking at rocks of Jurassic to Cretaceous age and staying at Premier Inn Weymouth.
DAY 1
7:30 am Monday morning, everyone was gathered in front of the RSM (a lot of sleepy faces, a couple bright-eyed and bushy tailed ones) to board the coach. We had a half-hour stop somewhere along the way and after that, there was a lot more chatter on the bus.
Around 1 or 2 pm, we finally reached our first locality: Blue Lias Formation, Lyme Regis. We walked down a hill and stopped for lunch. My first impression? “It’s going to be such a pain to climb back up that hill later.” Yeah, me and climbing aren’t exactly the best of friends unfortunately. Going down is easy, getting back up… haha not so much. But I tried to put that aside, we’re finally here and the least I can do is enjoy myself, right?
Sadly, that wasn’t exactly what happened. The weather was… well, let’s just say it definitely wasn’t the ideal weather for a picnic. It was so windy, my fried noodles were flying everywhere (I so regret not bringing a simple sandwich lunch) and my safety helmet actually flew down a cliff onto some muddy sand down below (seriously what is up with me and hats? I keep losing them because of the wind>.<). Anyway, let me just say that it wasn’t the best start…
After lunch, we went to see the Blue Lias Fm; a blue-grey rock full of fossils (mostly ammonites, but also some crinoids, bivalves, etc). We did some sedimentary logging, which is basically a graph of grain size (but we used limestone % in this case as there isn’t much/ any variation in grain size) VS height. Usually I would be geeking out over the size of the ammonites or something, but that day it was beyond freezing. Not to mention, my hard hat, which thankfully was rescued by Matt Genge, was filthy and covered with mud (looking back, it seems hilarious but back then, it certainly didn’t felt like it) All I wanted to do at the time was get it over with and go to the hotel.
We then went to another locality at Bridport (just some boring sandstone cliffs which have been known to fall down and kill people, nothing much…) It wasn’t as bad here because the wind had stopped and the sun (finally) decided to show itself but it was still too cold to swim and I was still slightly shivering. We wrapped it up after 5 pm-ish and drove to the hotel. There was supposed to be 2 person per room but since there’s an odd number of people in our year group and being the last name on the list (my surname does start with a Z after all¯\_(ツ)_/¯), I got a whole room to myself. To be honest, I was kinda disappointed about it ’cause now I’ll miss the #TopClicheBondingChance but staying alone does have its perks. For one, I can take a bath for as long as I want to or watch cartoons without having to worry about being considerate or someone judging me. And I can take the big bed and leave all my stuff on the smaller one so I guess I still win?
After freshening up a bit, I went for dinner in Brewers Fayre attached to the hotel at 7. We’d chose our dinner (main + starter/ dessert) in advance through ESESIS (the dept web-thingy). I picked fish pie and trio of pudding because why pick one dessert when you can have three 😉 I was definitely satisfied with my choice but I’ll confess it miffed me slightly to see everyone devouring their starters when I was famished. It was free time after dinner so I took a long hot bath and decided to have an early night. After all, we’re going to have a looong day ahead of us.
DAY 2
I woke up in time for breakfast before we left at 9 am. We managed to leave on time this time and after picking up our packed lunches (a sandwich, a bag of crisps, an apple/ orange and a chocolate bar), we left for Man O’ War Baywhich is simply the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I didn’t quite manage to snap a pic because I was too preoccupied figuring out what colours I’d need to paint the scene (and also ’cause I’m such a lazy ass) but here’s a pic I stole took from the ESE webpage.
It’s gorgeous, right? But trust me, it’s better in person when you can see the whole landscape including the sun glitter and the sky *sigh*
We got into a bit of trouble getting down the cliff because the steps were busted so we had to go down the hard way but I’m not complaining. It was such a pleasant day; the sun was out and it was too cold and we’re in a picturesque place so a little mud wasn’t so bad. Plus, I consider myself lucky in the mud area since I was still relatively clean other than my boots and the ends of my pants. After everyone had safely arrived at the bottom of the cliff, we spent the whole day exploring the rocks on the coast. We also did some geological sketching (a sketch of where the rocks change in age/ type from one to the other) and calculating grid references (using a compass and a given map).
Favourite part was dripping acid on the rock to see if it fizzes. It’s kind of amazing how much information you can actually get just from observing if a rock reacts with acid, especially if some parts fizzes more than others or not at all.
Favourite geological feature of the day: a slickenslide in the Chalk Fm and the folds in the Purbeck Group.
Izrynne’s thought of the day: Geologists sure are obsessed with cliffs (and also probably have a death wish).
Note to self: Do not leave your clipboard just because you were disappointed that you didn’t need it yesterday + BRING EXTRA SHOES.
The rest of the day was a bit rushed as we were slightly behind schedule. We needed to be at the conference centre (a church somewhere which I’ve forgotten the name) by 7, so everyone was back on the coach after changing. Dinner was fish and chips or if you didn’t fancy some (or you didn’t manage to grab one), pizza. I was looking forward to having some fish and chips so I was lucky I could grab one in time. It was literally the last box on the table and it was just sitting there and no one was paying attention to it… so I glance left, right, left, snatch, acts normal, quietly goes away
The two sessions were 45 minutes each and were fairly relaxed. The first was a briefing on the mapping we were to undertake the next day and the second was some feedback on our note-taking and sketches. By the end of the day, my leg muscles were sore from the hike back up that cliff earlier.
DAY 3
The last day of the trip. Oh, the mixed feelings I had… relieved that it’s finally over, sad that it’s over, excited for the mapping, tired physically and emotionally, thinking “I definitely need to shape up before the next trip”, all of those and more were going around in my mind, turning me into an emotional wreck on the inside. Ofc you won’t see any of that on that outside other than a maybe slightly annoyed look on my face.
Anyway, this was yet another rushed day. In the morning, someone had overslept probably from exhaustion so we were a bit late heading out. When we got to Lulworth Cove, we moved in groups of 3 to 5 (or was it 3 to 6?) and had 4 hours to produce our first geological maps. Being amateurs, this was hardly enough for us to cover the whole area and we were barely running from one locality to the next. Thankfully, the weather was rather agreeable and even warm enough for me to not wear a jacket (although that might have been all the climbing and running) We didn’t even have time to stop for lunch so it was a good thing I’d stuff myself during breakfast that morning.
At 2 pm, time was up so we all handed over our maps and notebooks ( which BTW are yellow and waterproof so it’s fine if you accidentally dropped it in the sea… unless you used water-soluble pen to write in it in which case you’re screwed) and boarded the coach again, ready for our ride back to the RSM. With this, the trip was officially over and so was term.
So, wow that was long… but anyhow, that was how it went. Was it tough? Sure it was. I mean that’s how life is, isn’t it? It’s not always an easy ride and like I said, there were times when I felt like giving up or just cry because I’m cold and tired and grumpy and dirty but hey, it wouldn’t be fun (or life) if it wasn’t like that. That’s just how humans are. And one thing to take from that is, we will never be fully satisfied because humans are greedy. We always want things to go our way and we complain (even if you’re just thinking it and not voicing it out loud) when they don’t and we’re so very fickle. And it’s okay. As long as you don’t give up, and keep moving forward, or you do something/ take action about whatever it is that you don’t like, then it’s fine. Just remember; always take responsibility for everything you do, say or think and that’s good enough. On a different note, I so need to exercise/ get in shape before r trip to Spain in May so that I won’t suffer/ be a burden to others/ be able to enjoy it more.
But, I’ve written way too much. I hope it’ll be useful for any prospective geoscientists who might read this (although I doubt that many people read this anyway¯\_(ツ)_/¯) Anyway, thanks so much for everyone who took the time to read this, I know I tend to write too much. Bye. See you guys soon <3
“Joining cheer was the best decision I’ve ever made”
“I was not proud of the bow, nor the uniform. I was proud of what it meant”
“When I initially message the president asking to join cheer late in the term, I hadn’t really left my bed in three months. I was then in hospital for about a month in December. After that, cheer was the only time I left my house for in a while. I just want to thank all of you so so soooo much for being so lovely and welcoming from the start, and just overall amazing people. I know it seems a bit weird, but being surrounded by you guys has really helped me this year so much and I am so much better than I was before so I’m extremely grateful for all of you!!!”
“Left me with inexplicable desire to wear red lipstick everyday”
“I would say it is hard work but satisfying, rewarding even”
“fivesixsassyeight Titans! [After nationals] We did so well yesterday and hope you all have enjoyed not just nationals but regionals, training and socials… the whole season! We all have improved so much individually and as a team! I am so proud of everyone that has learnt new tumbles, perfected challenging stunts and even those who have overcome personal fears. We have really been a dream team! It has been a perfect start and end :'( with you! Watch out… Titans coming through in the res white and blue!”
“I still find glitter everywhere”
“Highest point in my life”
“Thought I was going to turn 20 alone in hospital, but my mummy came down, my friends surprised me with cake and balloons, and I was discharged just in time for my party… Ended up turning 20 while doing tequila shots in the union!! Also, [a friend] had to bring her pjs to Spring carnival because she was fully ready to stay the night in hospital with me, so yeh I have the best friends ever and I love them all xxxx”
Dieses Jahr habe ich Deutsch gelernt!
I successfully completed my German Horizons course last week!
Imperial’s Horizons programme provides optional, free of charge, extra-curricular courses for undergrad students. The classes for all courses are two-hours long and take place once a week on campus. Mine were on Tuesdays from 4 to 6PM in the School of Medicine (SAF) building- I’m still grateful I didn’t have to trek my lazy butt half way across campus for them.
The course is split between two terms (Autumn and Spring term); some options last one term in duration whereas others, like languages, last two. The different courses on offer fall under the following categories: Business and Professional Skills; Global Challenges; Languages and Global Citizenship; and Science, Culture and Society. From Entrepreneurship to Exploring Democracy, Creative Thinking, Philosophy, Psychology and Science Fiction- there’s a lot of variety. In terms of languages, some of the options include Chinese, Korean, French, Italian and Russian.
Now German is a language I’ve wanted to learn since I was about 6 years old- the roots of my admiration are 100% unclear. So I jumped at the opportunity to take the course! I placed German as my first choice, Russian as my second and Spanish as my third. To my dismay, I was initially assigned Russian due to German being full- there went my hopes and dreams crashing straight to the ground. :’) I proceeded to withdraw from Horizons, but received an e-mailed about 2 weeks after the Horizons courses had begun offering me a place for German. So it came down to whether I wanted to just take it the following year from week 1, or put in the effort to catch up with what I had missed out on. Unsurprisingly, I opted for the latter.
I honestly found myself really enjoying learning the language. I actually had the most amazing lecturer/teacher; she was filled to the brim with enthusiasm, which was highly contagious! I confess that I actually had my crap together for German, whilst wandering around cluelessly for medicine. My roommate questioned me at some point, “Are you doing German with Medicine?” She’s so funny. :’)
Something I’ve observed about Horizons, for first years anyway, is that most people don’t go on to complete their course at the end? Take for example my German class; we started the academic year with about 20 pupils and when the final exams came around, there were less than 10 of us left. Quite a few older years I spoke to were surprised I stuck with it until the end, as they also recall a significant number of people dropping the course within the first couple of weeks.
I suppose embarking on a Horizons course is definitely time-consuming and a bit of a nightmare if time management isn’t your strong suit. It can be really easy to decide to just drop out when the work load on your university course surges, and your motivation to show up for the evening classes drop.
However, the thing with Horizons is that if you pass (or get a Merit/Distinction)- this will show up on your transcript; but if you fail the course, it won’t show up at all. It’s a great chance to learn something different, and it’s not the end of the world if you change your mind about it and decide to withdraw. With that said, I would fully recommend enrolling in a Horizons course at Imperial if you find a subject/language that interests you!
Liebe,
Alex (:
Current mood during Easter/Spring break. In dire need of starting revision but like, Netflix. Hope you’re having better luck.
P.S. Some courses accept Horizons courses as either degree credit, or extra degree credit. Not medicine, though. 🙁 P.P.S. From what I understand, some courses with year abroad require you to take the respective Horizons language where applicable. For instance, some of the host countries (i.e. Germany and France) deliver teaching in their native language.
One of the things I love best about London is the flat that I share with my wife in Maida Vale. It’s small but it’s got enough room for the both of us with its loft design. It’s in a lovely area with amenities all around. And it’s a 7-minute bicycle ride to school. Can you blame me for liking it so much?
Finding the perfect place to rent, however, wasn’t exactly a cakewalk. I saw 18 different flats, trekked all over London, lost sleep and definitely grew a few white hairs over the two weeks I was house hunting. I learned a few things in the process and hopefully sharing them here will make the private renting process easier for you.
The apartment my wife and I share before furnishing
1. Get a head start, but not too early
Websites like RightMove, Zoopla, GumTree, OpenRent and Imperial Home Solutions are great for checking out potential places before you even arrive in London. However, if it’s still more than a month from when you hope to move in, don’t have your heart set on those saved places just yet. The market here moves so fast that most of the good flats/rooms (i.e. nice, reasonably priced) are gone in a few days. According to a housing agent I spoke to, many of their listings on RightMove are snapped up before the professional photos are even ready. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t start getting a sense of the market beforehand and that’s where those housing websites really come in handy.
2. Get in with the agents, or find a service that will do that for you
Most of the time, letting agents quite literally hold the key to your dream home. Few of the places I found online were available when I sent an enquiry. Instead, I got a call from a letting agent who took down my requirements and budget, then arranged several viewings from his/her list. These “letting tours” allow you to cover a lot of ground at once and all you need to do is show up and hop in their car. The larger letting agents like Foxton’s, Dexter’s and Black Katz are especially helpful as they have big networks and can show you a wide range of options. Smaller ones will be more neighbourhood-specific. You can also try a service aggregator such as Homie, who set up multi-agent tours, so you don’t have to deal with 10 agents at once like I did. Homie is free for Imperial students and I really wish I’d known about them when I was house hunting.
Case in point about the importance of letting agents: I found my current flat only because a letting agent brought me to see it before it got listed online. I quickly made sure it never did.
3. See it with your own eyes
I learned first hand how properties can look very different from the pictures posted online. I viewed a 1-bedroom flat on Edgeware Road that looked great in pictures but turned out to be located in a crumbling building on a dingy back alley with graffiti all over the stairway. The online images were accurate, no doubt, but they didn’t say anything about the flat’s surroundings. Another place I found on OpenRent had no pictures but turned out to be a beautiful large studio in Shepherd’s Bush. The bottom line is, if you haven’t seen it with your own eyes, don’t even think about settling.
4. Take time to weigh the costs and benefits
Halfway into my search, I very nearly sprung for a flat directly opposite St Mary’s campus, literally a 100 m walk to school. However, after taking time to talk it over with my wife, I realised it was much too small and also, located right above a kebab shop’s kitchen. We eventually settled for a place that was further away but in a much nicer location.
That said, transport is a key consideration in London. Taking the Tube to and fro every day is very expensive and it may turn out to be cheaper overall if you find a place within walking distance from school.
5. Understand the terms and costs involved in renting
Using an agent typically comes with a bunch of administrative fees on top of the rent. These can vary a lot from agent to agent so always read the terms carefully. The ones on my contract are:
Six months rent upfront: This is standard practice if you’re an international student without a local guarantor
Admin / Referencing fee: Each person moving into the place needs to be vetted by the letting agency. Besides the fee, you’ll need to send in contact details of your former landlord or anybody who can vouch for you, plus a bank statement showing you have sufficient funds.
Inventory fee / Check-out fee: It can sound silly to pay for someone to count how many things there are in the flat but that’s just how it’s done in the UK.
Fees can vary significantly depending on letting agent. Here are a few I encountered during my own search.
Agent A
Agent B
Agent C
Admin Fee = £156 per person
Referencing Fee = £144
Check-Out Fee = £120
Admin Fee = £180 per person
Inventory Fee = £125
Tenant Fee = £250 per person
Inventory Fee not stated
Alternatively, if you can find a place on OpenRent, you can usually avoid paying some of these fees since you deal with the landlord directly.
6. Have enough cash in hand to pay the deposit
Making a deposit on my home was a very stressful exercise that would have been resolved if I’d had enough cash on hand. Basically, I needed to do a bank transfer to secure my tenancy, but I couldn’t open a bank account until I had a residential address. Fortunately, the bank staff realised the Catch-22 situation, called a bunch of managers and managed to get me all set up after an hour. Save yourself the drama if you can.
7. Don’t panic, there are always more options
You do need to move fast but try to avoid making a panic decision. Remember that an active market also means that new properties are getting listed all the time, so if you can wait, wait.
It’s also important not to despair. After 10 days of searching, I thought I’d found the perfect place in Shepherd’s Bush, only for the owner to give it to someone else because she didn’t like renting to students. I was in a real slump for a couple of days after that, and ready to spring for the first property that came my way. Luckily, my awesome wife advised me to take a break and be a tourist for a couple of days before starting again. That’s what I did and my current place found me soon after.
For more tips, I recently did a bunch of videos with the Imperial Student Hub. Happy to answer any questions about the renting process if you have them 🙂
Since this is quite a long blog post, with lots of content, I decided to split it into parts. The first part (this post) will explain the trials and tribulations of applying for an internship and the highs and lows of the process. The second part will give you a glimpse of what my year was like and what it was like coming back to university in final year. Enjoy!
Last year, 2016-17 as part of my degree, I decided to do a year in industry/research. In short, it was one of the best decisions I have made in my life so far.
The story of a year in industry however, always starts well before the year itself (second year in my case). There are many hurdles that have to be jumped first; re-writing the CV for the thousandth time, perfecting the covering letters, applying to everything in sight, the list goes on. For me, I initially decided to do a year in industry to gain some work experience and hopefully secure a job at the end of my degree – it isn’t always that easy! When it actually came to deciding what I wanted to do for a year in industry, I truly just wanted a break from Imperial. It had been a pretty grueling first two years and I was looking forward to a much needed change of pace.
The first order of business of any internship/job search is actually deciding what it is you want to do. For internship years, Imperial gives you a set of guidelines which roughly translate to; do something that involves research, make sure you don’t just end up making coffees all year. For most the choice is pretty simple, go into a research lab and spend the year slaving away at the lab bench. For me, that would have been my worst nightmare. Instead, I opted to pursue the area of biology I enjoyed the most during my first two years – conservation.
DISCLAIMER: IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PAID INTERNSHIP, CONSERVATION CHARITIES ARE NOT YOUR BEST BET – THEY OFTEN DON’T PAY INTERNS (because they’re charities and don’t have that luxury).
Once I had decided on conservation I started hunting on job boards, painstakingly narrowing the job search to find the relevant ones. Eventually, following much frantic googling, I found 3 ideal placements – two of which were at zoos. I must admit, I didn’t know anything about zoo life, let alone that they had active research departments! I decided to apply…
Then came the application process, the bit everyone hates. It involved the usual scouring of the website to find bits of info to mention in the covering letter, then re-drafting said covering letter because it was gibberish. Drafting a CV, taking it to the careers advisor, only to get it ripped to shreds and starting from scratch. The process continued in cycles until finally I had a covering letter and CV I was reasonably proud of and able to submit.
Following submission, the waiting begins. It’s a nervous time. You’ve put in all the effort, pretended to be interested in a sector you’d never heard of until you decided to apply, hoping they’ll take the bait and give you an internship. As a general rule, two weeks is the waiting time (unless stated otherwise). No news after that point and you’re highly unlikely to have been successful. You’ve got to pick yourself up and go again, we’ve all been there don’t worry.
If you’re successful you may be called to interview (like I was). Sadly for me, my interview for my placement – zoo-based research at Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust – was based in Devon. For those of you who don’t know Devon, it’s almost impossible to get to easily via public transport (more on that later). I opted instead for a skype interview. That’s a whole other kettle of fish. I had never had a skype interview before so I read up as much as I could about them. The key points: speak clearly, smile (all the time), have positive body language, ensure both you and your backdrop are socially acceptable and, for the love of God, HAVE GOOD WIFI SIGNAL AND A QUIET ROOM.
For my interview, I had everything prepared; possible answers swimming in my head, a freshly ironed (clean) shirt and trousers, a stable internet connection and a quiet room. What could go wrong? In truly nightmarish fashion, my computer decided to install Windows updates 5 minutes before my interview. Needless to say, it took well over an hour after my interview for the update to finish installing. So, I had to use my phone, I couldn’t see both of my interviewers on my screen but I didn’t let that detract from my performance. Luckily for me, the interview went well and after some waiting I was finally offered the internship – my year was sorted!
The rest of second year was spent working hard to achieve the grade requirements that would allow me to start my year in industry. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed telling people that I was going to work at a zoo for a year (many oohs and ahhs).
A new chapter of my university experience was about to unfold…
) We didn’t even have time to stop for lunch so it was a good thing I’d stuff myself during breakfast that morning.
