I remember the first thing that I thought of as I stepped out of Manchester Airport, ‘The weather is amazing! I could get used to this.’ It was the first thing that gave me the feeling of ‘Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.’ Of course, there was no Toto, and Kansas was really India, but you get the idea.

There were so many things I had told myself I had to do once I got to Manchester. I couldn’t wait to start putting my plans into action. I wanted to join all the clubs, explore every inch of the city, make a ton of new friends, network endlessly, get a part-time job, get ahead of my coursework, etc. Looking back, I’m not sure how I thought I’d have the time for all of that. I have managed to climb some of those mountains and for others? I’ve climbed them halfway and decided to revisit them another time.

The first week was brilliant! I stay at a university accommodation, and the Res-Life team had a plethora of activities arranged so that all the apartment mates could get to know each other. There were various pizza, axe-throwing, and bowling nights, plant giveaways, and what not. I made some good friends during that week. Apart from hall events, the freebies and giveaways at the Fresher’s Fair were a blessing, too. It was great to interact and meet so many different people across different cultures with such a wide variety of interests at the Fair. I honestly had no idea there were so many different things people could get into. I feel like the exposure to and scope of interests and activities in India are much smaller and more generic than over here.

Of course, once the initial excitement wore off, there was the anxiety of transitioning from the Indian academic system to the British one. The teaching methods and expectations were different, requiring an adjustment in my approach to learning. Fortunately, The University of Manchester offers excellent support services for international students. The academic advisors and peer mentoring programs played a crucial role in helping me navigate the intricacies of the coursework and understand the academic culture.

There was also the stress of living within my budget, which was not an issue back home when I was earning but here? I had to relearn what living like a student meant! But honestly, that didn’t take too long. There were some growing pains the first couple of months maybe, since there were some one-time purchases (like pots, utensils, duvet, pillows, etc.) that sort of broke the bank, but I’ve got the hang of it now. Another thing that gets me down is the isolation sometimes. It feels like you’re on your own at times and that can get depressing, but I’d say it also makes you independent, and I’ve surprised myself with how much I can get done without needing the constant reassurance of other people. I’m starting to enjoy spending time with myself, which was something I was terrified to do before. In no way do I mean that a social life isn’t important; it is! You need to surround yourself with good people that can help you take your mind off the everyday stresses of such a fast-paced postgrad degree. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, as they say.

In retrospect, the initial turbulence still makes itself known sometimes, but you’ve just got to embrace it all, and if you let it, this journey will truly transform you and build you into someone better. The good, the bad, the ugly, all of it has a place in my life, and I take it as it comes. I’ve enjoyed my time as a student so far, and I’ve learned a few good lessons on the way. Hopefully, I’ll learn more as my journey continues.

Written by Ajay, a current MSc Business Analytics: Operational Research and Risk Analysis at AMBS

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