Interesting things you can encounter as an international student.
Having a dream to pursue your higher studies abroad can be overwhelming, exciting and scary at the same time. Are you someone who loves the idea of studying abroad but has a slight fear of not being able to fit into the new environment? Here is something you might want to hear.
Did you know that the real experience of becoming an international student comprises many more interesting things beyond just having to focus on your studies and career? Yes, you heard it correctly. Studying abroad can open the golden door of opportunities to discover who you really are.
This being said, you might be wondering whether you will be able to find something that would suit your interest. The answer is YES! There will always be something for every student. Keep reading to find out more.
The availability of various student-led Clubs and Societies
Most of the universities which welcome international students do have a wide range of student-led clubs and societies which have been established to promote active engagement among the students.
In simple words, societies and clubs comprise a group of students who gathers to take part in various activities in relation to their shared interests. These societies enable students to develop transferable skills, have a break from their studies, boost their self-esteem and make them feel included as a part of a community.
Hence, this is a great opportunity for international students to take part in activities that suits their current interests and also meet like-minded people. On the other hand, the students can also expand their skills and interest by trying to join multiple clubs and societies to discover and experience things out of their comfort zone. Some of the common clubs and societies that are available in the universities are as follows:
- The Academic clubs - the students will have a chance to learn more about their subject and get ahead with their future careers outside their classroom in this type of clubs. For example: if your study area is marketing you will be able to find an active marketing club to be a part of.
- Media & Publication Groups – these societies focus on handling the campus’ media unit and publishing various content through various communication mediums.
- Sports & Recreation Clubs – starting from football to ballet and taekwondo, the universities will offer a vast range of sports clubs to choose from and have fun playing your favourite sports.
- Arts and cultural clubs – these clubs are meant to help students enhance their artistic skills and explore the beauty of the different forms of arts while also joining hands to celebrate different cultural heritages through working together and supporting each other.
- Community Service & Social Justice clubs – this will be the best option for the students who are hoping to make a difference in the campus and their society by helping and serving the people through various community services.
- Religious & Spiritual Societies – since universities attract students from different cultures and faiths, these types of clubs provide numerous opportunities to explore the different religions and also deepen their own faith through learning and connecting with people.
In case if you couldn’t find a club or a society that suits your interests, some universities do provide an option to allow the student to gather a few friends and start their own society according to their interests. Therefore, every student will get a chance to do what they like without having to fit into the available options.
Never-ending music festivals and Carnivals
Usually, music is regarded as an art that unites people with different native languages, originating from different nations and cultural backgrounds. Hence, the top countries that welcome international students are well known for their extravagant music festivals throughout the year.
If we take the UK as an example, no matter what type of music you like or at what point of the year you want to attend, there will certainly be at least one music festival around. Creamfields, Parklife, Bestival, Wilderness, and British Summer Time are some examples of the well-known music festivals in the UK. Apart from that, "Leeds and Reading festival" and "Glastonbury" are also famous contemporary music festivals that showcase the best in contemporary music and have something to offer for everyone since multiple genres of music are presented.
Further, Canada can be taken as another example of a top study destination that consists of many vibrant music festivals and carnivals. Among them, the Montreal International Jazz Festival is one such vivacious music festival that holds a Guinness Book record for being the biggest Jazz festival in the world.
Likewise, there is a never-ending list of music and rock festivals that you as an international student can enjoy despite your music taste.
Presence of Historical and Contemporary art spaces and galleries
One of the main benefits you as an international student would get is the chance to learn about the long-lasting heritage of your study destination. Those long preserved heritage values can be explored through the museums and the art galleries which is why visiting the available contemporary art galleries and museums became one of the common leisure activities among international students. On the other hand, the contemporary art spaces focuses on presenting the modern designs that suit the current situations. If you are planning to study in the UK, some of the famous art galleries are as follows but are not limited to:
- Hayward Gallery – is a place that attracts works from the world’s most adventurous and innovative artists and is considered the only gallery in the world that is established in the Brutalist style.
- The Design Museum – if you are a student interested in contemporary art and love design, this contemporary museum is a good choice that presents various graphic designs, digital arts, architecture etc.
- Imperial War Museum and Churchill War Rooms – this place spreads knowledge about British Military History since it was open during World War I thus becoming a good location for international students to learn more about the past.
At the same time, students pursuing their studies in Canada too has many options to experience the magic of the art galleries. Some of the most visited museums and art galleries in Canada that attract international students are as follows but are not limited to:
- Vancouver Art Gallery – this is a place that offers many public programs, advancing scholarship and contemporary and historical art. The public spaces around this gallery are also used by the community to arrange different activities.
- Glenbow – in this art space, the people interact and share their interests in the contextualized pieces of art collected through travel exhibitions from all over the world.
If you are an art lover who likes to explore new aspects of historical and contemporary art, these facts might have made you realize that as an international student you will have something to see no matter what type of art you prefer.
Availability of spacious libraries
It would be incomplete to close the list without mentioning the presence of beautiful libraries that all the book lovers would have been waiting to hear about. Top study destinations like UK and Canada have several spacious libraries with eye-catching historic spots filled with a large collection of books. If you are looking to step into the world of books, the Liverpool Central Library is a must to try. It has a modern interior with a Picton Reading room that book lovers would enjoy. On the other hand, the Vancouver Public library is one of the well-known libraries in Canada that offers a distinct historical design that resembles the Colosseum. Hence, the students can make their choices on where to read depending on what type of ambience they are looking for.
Wrap up
As of now, it might be very obvious that studying abroad will expose you towards many interesting options to choose from in order to nurture your current interests and also explore your hidden talents within you. Hence, no matter what type of personality, preferences, attitudes or interests you have, there is always something for you to try. So leave out the fear of getting left out in the crowd or not being able to fit in within a group, and start taking steps to pursue your dreams of studying abroad.
