This blog is to share my experience of studying at Loughborough for a year. Hopefully, it will give you a preview of the lifestyle and customs in the UK and help you adapt to life in a new environment as quickly as possible.
Suppose there is one word to describe my choice to study at Loughborough; I would say lucky. I got many offers when I applied for my postgraduate studies in the UK, including King’s University London. But in the end, I chose Loughborough, which is ranked first in the world in terms of experience value and sports. The Loughborough University sits in a village, and the campus is vast and beautiful. It has all the amenities, such as a gym with two buildings at either end of the campus. I will discuss my year at Loughborough from two aspects of study and life.
Student Accommodation Loughborough
Let’s start with my choice of living area. To avoid all sorts of tax and bill complications, I booked student accommodation in Loughborough before I arrived in the UK. Because of my previous experience studying in Sydney, I chose the location of my flat mainly based on its distance to the university and the city centre. In the end, I chose an off-campus accommodation called Luxurio. The flat was close to the city centre, restaurants and supermarkets and was only a 15-minute bus ride from the campus.
I preferred to live independently, so I chose a studio room for around £280 a week. The room provided a separate kitchen and toilet so that I could organise my time freely in the room. The flats are also equipped with a 24/7 security system and front desk staff, so the flats are still very secure.
Studying
When I started learning in Loughborough, the course was much more complicated than at Sydney Business School; I slept after 2 a.m. almost daily. Although English teaching in undergraduate classes has helped me immensely, postgraduate studies are much more difficult. My major is finance and investment, and there are a lot of international students.
The teacher wants students from different cultures to communicate with each other, so he often arranges for students from different countries to work together, and basically, each group is half European and half Asian. There are many advantages but also a lot of drawbacks; some students are more willing to group in the library together to complete the task, and the advantage is that you can always communicate and discuss the problem immediately. But it reduces efficiency and could be a waste of time. On the other hand, some students like to move freely so they could suddenly disappear. It is a rare experience to feel the differences between different cultures when doing group work.
Uni Resources
Next, let’s talk about the teachers and teaching resources. The lecturers and professors are all very kind and willing to teach the students, so feel free to ask them any questions. Every international student has an individual tutor, so if you have any questions about your study life, you can ask them.
Regarding the teaching facilities, the IT room is open 24 hours and full of Apple computers. The lab is also 24 hours from Monday to Friday because we need a paid software called Eikon to study investment. We need to go to the computer room to use this software to download data or do analyses. The library is outstanding, with four floors up and down and various types of rooms, but you need to book online in advance.
Work Experience
After I came to Loughborough, I met a Thai friend who was a good friend. She introduced me to a Thai restaurant as a part-time job, and after working there for about four months, I went to TopShop to gain some experience. I recommend working part-time when you can hold down your studies, and your English must be good.
During my part-time job, my boss fired three international students because they couldn’t understand me when I answered the phone. I gained a lot from my part-time job, not only in terms of finance but also in terms of English speaking and listening practice. Many people like to talk to you; they ask me about the traditional sources of culture, my study life, and about Alibaba, which expanded my vocabulary.
Activities
Loughborough University is ranked number one in the world for sports, and there are a variety of free sports activities from Monday to Friday. Hockey, tennis and badminton are all on offer, with coaching available. The college will provide all accessories, such as tennis rackets and roller skates for hockey.
I haven’t been able to travel to Europe yet, but travelling locally in the UK. Loughborough‘s excellent location makes travelling a lot easier. The university is located in the centre of England, and it’s usually 20 minutes to Birmingham, Nottingham, and all very aspect to Leeds, York, and Sheffield. I also rented a car with my friends and travelled to Scotland for a week, taking in Glasgow, the Sky Islands, Inverness, and Edinburgh.
All in all, I am fortunate that I chose to live and study in Loughborough. Studying abroad has allowed me to experience different cultures, grow my knowledge, and exercise my ability. The friendly city of Loughborough has also helped me to integrate into life here more quickly and better. I hope you will feel the same when you come to Loughborough.
