Coming to Manchester as an international student has been an exciting journey. As a student from Mumbai, I decided to apply to The University of Manchester and especially the UK for exposure to the global environment, high educational standards and working with students from various backgrounds. My decision was correct; from stepping out of the plane to writing this blog, it has been an experience to remember.

I came here in the second week of September since my university accommodation started around that period. I had gone through Visa procedures prior and was already overwhelmed with the documents and processes involved in coming to the UK. I explored the area around campus during my initial days, completing the student registration procedures side by side. I felt the independence of studying abroad, exploring nearby grocery stores and shopping for essentials. I couldn’t help but feel relaxed when I walked around the Main Library, Students’ Union, John Owens building, and especially the Alliance Manchester Business School. Even though there were many things to do before Fresher’s Week, there was enough help around the campus to make students comfortable. With the diversity at The University of Manchester, many students came from different countries, but somehow, we all felt in the same boat.

With many networking events organised by the University and AMBS, I had plenty of opportunities to meet people from around the globe, learning about their motives for coming to Manchester and their backgrounds. As a conversation starter, I said my course name more than a hundred times and struggled with remembering so many student’s names. We all found it hilarious and made a lot of new friends. By Fresher’s Week, the streets started to get crowded, and the timetables of courses began to roll out. In MSc Accounting and Finance, our icebreaker event was a treasure hunt organised by the student hub. I remember roaming around Manchester trying to complete tasks with my course mates. It was a well-thought-out event, which made it easy for students to get acquainted with each other.

The beginning weeks of the courses gave us an idea about the modules and informed us about the exams and assignment procedures. There was always an opportunity to clear any questions with the professors and the available network of student hubs. I found the courses exciting and collaborated with other course mates to better understand the modules. I was thrilled to learn about AMBS’s open study spaces and amenities, such as the Eddie Davies Library and Bloomberg terminals. These helped in individual studies and provided a more straightforward approach to tackle modules such as Asset Pricing and Econometrics.

As Christmas arrives, I am sure I have learned a lot these past few months and made memories of a lifetime. Meeting my flatmates, course mates, professors and other Postgraduate students in a new city with a unique culture has been thrilling. I want to end my blog with an Eleanor Roosevelt quote I found relating to the last few months. “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience.”

Written by Tanmay, current MSc Accounting and Finance student at AMBS

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