Day in the life of an international student at University: the reality

As an international student, life abroad is not as I imagined, but that’s part of the magic. Sure, lectures and library trips take up part of my day, but there are also plenty surprises along the way. The reality is that student life is unpredictable. I learn something new about myself and my new home every day. My goal this year is pretty simple: say yes to every experience. Do it for the plot.

My day started with my 8am alarm and a quick breakfast before my 9:30am lecture. As my professor talked about Research Methods, I questioned whether I was sufficiently awake to take all the information in. Thankfully, at 11am, I had an hour to catch up on my readings before I headed to a Career Services lecture on how to find a part-time job in the UK as an international student. Spoiler: it is not as simple as it sounds.

At the beginning of the afternoon, I returned home to have lunch with my flatmate, who is also an international student. After a heavy morning of lectures, we dropped the English and switched to Spanish while we ate food that could probably set the fire alarm off with its spice.

After lunch, we headed towards the Eldon Square for some retail therapy. Since it was Student Night, discounts were everywhere, and let’s be honest, as a student, you will take all the discounts you can get. One shopping trip later, I walked to my 4pm lecture on consumption and advertising, telling myself that my purchase was just field research for this class.

Following my two-hour lecture, where I realised how easily marketing works on me, I met the Media and Journalism society at Haymarket metro station for a trip to Tynemouth. Naturally, our first stop was a fish and chips shop, not fries, as I quickly learned. As I ate my meal by the sea, I felt like it was my official induction into life in Newcastle and something every international student must tick off their list. Then, we sat on the beach under the stars and gathered around a bonfire while we played games like 'Never Have I Ever', which quickly revealed way too much about everyone. After a night full of laughter and bonding, we took the metro back to Newcastle. By the time I got home, it was around 11 and I realised I had just made one of my core memories in university.

The truth is, being an international student is not all about lectures and assessments, but about living new experiences, making new friends and embracing new traditions. It is about creating the memories you will laugh about and retell for years to come .