This blog mainly shares my experience of studying abroad in the UK. Hope this will help you understand the condition of studying and living in student accommodation in Birmingham.
First, let me introduce to you my application background:
- Bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 81
- Applied to the University of Birmingham‘s Marketing degree
- IELTS score was 6
- took a 12-week language class
I completed all the online language courses in China, arrived in the UK in September 2022, and spent nearly a year studying abroad. Let me tell you what I have experienced in the year, from language school to offline classes.
Online language classes are not as easy as you think!
Since the 10-week language course started in June of the previous year and I had yet to graduate from my undergraduate degree, I chose to take the course online like most of my classmates.
However, the online language class was more challenging than I imagined. There was no opportunity to be lazy because the course was live online. The class was based on group discussions and tasks; presentations were also needed. Only a few people were in a group, so you would easily be found out if you were not online.
The language class schedule is very tight every day from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., sometimes until 9 p.m. The teacher will assign homework every week, and at the end of the semester, there will be a strict online examination.
During the online test, in addition to turning on the camera facing your computer, you must turn on a tablet or mobile phone camera to take a picture of your hand to prove that you are not cheating. In addition, this test also has a unique anti-cheating system. If your computer page exits, it may be regarded as cheating.
This language class helped me familiarise myself with the class mode in university and got me used to the English communication environment.
The first time I left home, straight out of the country
Before I went to Birmingham to study, I had hardly ever left home. When I first arrived at the London airport, I was surrounded by a sense of strangeness and loneliness, feeling that I had suddenly lost the support of my family and was alone in a completely unfamiliar environment.
Luckily, I had met a lot of Chinese students during my language course, and we were on the same flight. So we found a Chinese driver in advance to take us directly from London to Birmingham, which saved us much trouble when we first arrived in the UK because we didn’t know how to take a bus or buy a train ticket.
I booked an off-campus student housing in Birmingham called The Toybox. It is an ensuite room of about 20 square metres, with a big floor-to-ceiling window with a superb view.
The flat has a Chinese front desk, and receiving couriers and takeaways is very convenient. After I booked the room, the apartment also sent me a brand new quilt, and the service was very considerate. The rent for my room was ￡160/week, with all utilities included and a laundry room and gym.
I didn’t even know how to cook before I went abroad. Then, I started the complicated process of learning to cook. Fortunately, I can handle most of the essential dishes after a year. After all, learning how to feed yourself at a limited cost is necessary.
This private student accommodation in Birmingham is satisfactory. However, you may not be used to living in a new country at first and may miss your family. As you slowly get used to the Birmingham, it will become your cosy, independent and accessible home.
The Experience Of Studying In Red Brick University
The University of Birmingham has a large campus, but I have never been able to walk through the whole school. On the first day of class, finding the college building took me a long time because we never had courses in the same college.
In the class, 80% of my classmates are Chinese students. But most are very intellectual and insist on communicating with you in English. I was particularly impressed by a 30-year-old Chinese student. He had been teaching IELTS in Beijing for 8 years and already had a child. He was very purposeful and would take every opportunity to gain all knowledge.
I’ve gained far more than knowledge this year
Overall, I have gained much practice during my year of study abroad in Birmingham and gained knowledge, experience, and the ability necessary for growth.
From the learning level, you will find that the teaching mode here completely differs from before. It is best to take the initiative to learn new knowledge, consult the information, analyse and summarise, and present it to the professor. This process can fully exercise your ability to analyse and understand knowledge.
In terms of life, I started as a beginner who didn’t know anything about life. I came to a completely unfamiliar country and city with two suitcases of luggage. I learned how to take the bus, buy groceries, and locate the supermarket. I also slowly learned to cook and deal with all kinds of staff—and started taking charge independently. This harvest is more important than the knowledge in university; it’s the treasure of life. Thanks to my parent’s decision and my choices, I have achieved a natural ” evolution ” this year!
If you want to experience what it’s like to grow up so quickly in a year to learn about a new country and a new way of studying, come and experience the charm of Birmingham, the second largest city in the UK
