Author: Linsey Chaplin

A taste of home

By Nik Aisyah Safiah, MSc Management (International Business)

As an international student, coming to a university in the UK has a lot of differences! You have left behind your home country to a new place, new culture, new experience and new friends. How nerve-wracking but extremely exciting at the same time? Once you have settled in your accommodation, your mind starts to wonder about food, but not just any food. It’s food that brings you back home. If you are a Malaysian, you’ll start to hallucinate about that delicious laksa noodles your dad always buy for you after every Friday prayer.

 

Is food-homesickness really a thing? As a Muslim Asian student living in Sheffield, I say, fret not! You live in one of the most ethnically diverse cities with a lot of Asian restaurants that sells Japanese, Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Vietnamese, and Arabic cuisine. Alternatively, with easy access to halal meat and oriental stores in Sheffield, you could also make your own favourite dish from scratch! In this blog, I will share some of my go-to stores in Sheffield that has helped me make my everyday meals.

 

Ozmen Ltd (supermarket), Yafai and Sons, Al-Amir Halal Food

Located near the city campus, you can easily get halal meat from these stores, which sells chicken, beef and lamb meat. Not only that, but these stores also offer you all the Asian ingredients, spices that could help you make a replica of your favourite dish back home! From soy sauce, chilli spices, galangal, Asian fruits, bamboo shoots, instant noodle, shrimp paste, south-east Asian instant spices, Middle Eastern instant spices. You name it! With a simple Google search of the recipe and the ingredients you can find in these stores, you will get to eat your favourite dish in no time!

 

Moor Market 

The Moor Market is definitely the go-to place if you are looking for fresh groceries. Here, you can find a few merchants who offer fresh and imported Asian ingredients. Believe it or not, you can also get halal chicken from one of the butchers, Smith & Tissington. Top tips, you might get a reduction in price if you buy the chicken in bulk!

Tesco Express (Edward Street) & Tesco Superstore (50 Montgomery Terrace) 

These Tesco stores have designated halal meat section in their chiller that sells a variety of halal meat options, including raw chicken and processed meat such as nuggets, sausages, burgers and many more.

 

Oriental supermarket 

KH Oriental and Oriental West Street 

If you are looking for Asian ingredients, snacks, sauces, instant noodles, fish cakes, seaweed, specific noodles or sushi rice, then this is the place for you! One of my personal favourite snacks that I love is mochi, seaweed and pepero sticks.

So, there you go! All the stores you need as a Muslim Asian to bring some flavours of home while living in Sheffield! With that being said, here are some pictures of my favourite Malaysian dish that my housemates and I have made a few days ago!

 

My top five tips for adapting to a new education system

By Maria Victoria Hernandez Jurado, MSc Human Resource Management with CIPD pathway

Every country has a different education system, and it can be difficult for international students to understand and adapt to a new system. I’m from Peru, and I’ve found the system here very different! In this blog, I will describe some points that I found different from my home country, and explain what helped me to familiarise myself with the British education system. You can try these things if you come to Sheffield or you are struggling with it. I consider the UK’s system to be quite good; in my experience, it motivates students to work on weaknesses.

1. Grading Systems

Honestly, this was a shock for me. In my country in South America, we normally use grades of 0-20, and in the UK, 50-59 are the lowest passing grades for PGT students and from 70+ start the highest marks. In the beginning, I did not understand it very well, but with time and research, I understood it clearly. I recommend you to become familiar with this before you join.

2. Intro week

The first week of your university experience in the UK is known as ‘Intro week’, where you register at the university and settle in. I attended some workshops related to how to make the most of my experience at the university, which recommended taking part in extracurricular activities or social societies. The University of Sheffield has the best Students’ Union in the UK, and actually, it is. You can meet many people by taking part in these extracurricular activities, and also they are good to put on your CV if you want to find a job after your studies.

3. Critical thinking

This has been a major challenge for me up to now. In my BA, my assignments were more descriptive than critical, and at a masters level the critical aspect is deeper. However, the university can support you in this. The 301 Study Skills centre offers some workshops and personal consultations, which can help you develop loads of skills including critical thinking, as well as others such as revision and essay writing. I am attending some workshops and trying my best to improve.

4. Constant communication with fellow students and teachers

The only way I could understand this system much better is by talking with other students. It was challenging whilst in online learning, but I knew that this would be essential. Another key is communication with academics. Most of them are very kind, reply to an email quickly, and are willing to support you. I remember a module in which I did not know what a term meant, and the teacher quickly calmed me with a good explanation about it.

5. Organisation

The huge tasks that are required when studying for a Masters are incredible; I consider that I need more hours to read and prepare for my tutorials than I actually need to spend in the tutorial. Being organised can lead to have good concentration and your assignments always being on time.

Finally, adaptation to a new education system needs time, patience, and effort, especially in being a critical thinker! But, these are all skills that will be valuable for the future. I hope that this blog helps!

My experience of joining university during a global pandemic

By Maria Victoria Hernandez Jurado, MSc Human Resource Management with CIPD accreditation

As an international student, moving to a new place with a different language always comes with feelings of fear – understandably, I think! My home is Perú, and I chose to come to the Sheffield for postgraduate study last year. Travelling to a new country and adapting to a new culture is always a shock – and in the middle of the pandemic it was a little crazy! Here’s my experience of travelling during the times of Covid, and a few tips on how to make it easier!

Visa, document process and travel

First, let’s talk about the visa. In the middle of the pandemic, it can be stressful to get a visa due to lockdowns or restrictions. Some embassies or VFS (Visa Facilitation Services) can be closed, or difficult to get to within your country. But, in my opinion, it’s worth it. In my case, receiving my visa took me around a month, and I was lucky because when I started the application the VFS office in my country had opened recently. My first tip for any international students hoping to come to study in the UK is to make sure all the documents you will need for your visa appointment are correct and ordered.

About the travel. My itinerary was Perú -> Amsterdam -> London, and something interesting was the strict rules in all the airports. The rules are not only in the airports but also in the planes. Something that I did was check all the documents I needed to travel not only in Perú, but in all the airports I landed in. My second tip is that you to print all the documents that you might need, such as your accommodation contract, CAS Statement, Locator Form and Covid test result. These can be really useful when you will pass migrations.

Adaptation

I have to admit that for me, adapting to life in the UK was not bad. Days here fly by, especially when you’re in classes and tackling assignments.

There is something that I like about Sheffield, and it is that you will find good people who can help you with everything. This helped to make my adaptation easy. Moreover, The University of Sheffield has implemented a lot of mechanisms to support its students. For example, the wellbeing department called me several times to talk about how I was feeling, if I needed something or if I knew someone here already. So don’t be afraid, even within a context where you don’t have contact with people, it’s possible! My last tip for potential students would be to check all the activities, clubs and more stuff that the University has to offer.

The best parks in Sheffield

By Wenxi Jiang, MSc International Management and Marketing

Whilst living in the city center of Sheffield, especially in the past year during the pandemic, visiting different parks has been one of my biggest events and joy in life. The fresh air, the greenness, and the chill atmosphere among people is lovely – even with masks on. I would like to show you my experience through four seasons and spread the joy!

Weston Park and Crookes Valley Park

Weston Park is one of the most iconic parks in Sheffield. My first visit was when I was taking part in a city tour by international school staff as a new student. In this park, you can see Weston Park Museum, very beautiful architecture and a small lake with ducks and swans swimming and resting. If you are lucky, you can even see and feed the squirrels! Usually on sunny days, people will just sit or lie on the grass, either chatting or reading a book. This park was one of the first things I saw of Sheffield, and gave a great first impression.

Crookes Valley Park is next to Weston Park, and only around two minutes away from the Management School. The most famous thing about Crookes Valley Park is the cherry blossom trees. With the huge lake and animals, it is always the best place to bring kids, walk dogs and appreciate the beauty of the scenery.

Spring

From late March, England will wake up from the cold and rainy days. At this time, you can change to wear some colourful and lightweight clothes, which immediately makes you feel better! With the warm breeze gently blowing, the cherry blossom flickers and falls down like snow.

Summer

Summer is an ebullient season. The sky is vast, the sun is strong and the nature is flourishing. People also become more active and open. They come to the park to experience the joy of sports and do some sunbathing.

Autumn

Autumn is short. And I think this is another way to say autumn is precious. Every corner in Sheffield is covered with golden leaves and that’s the time you know you should go to the park. Even watching the sunset going down gives you a little bit sense of sadness and homesick, you know the view is worth it.

Winter

The white winter is so special. I stayed up late the night before the first snow in Sheffield in 2021. In the morning when I open the curtain, I was shocked by the snow that totally changed the view. Everything looked clean and clear under the whiteness. When I got to the park, there are kids and teenagers already started to play. They built snowmen and sledged down the slope by skate, or even just a plastic bag. It’s easy to be happy when it’s snowy!

Parkwood Springs

Another place I would like to recommend is called Parkwood Springs. It is up on the hills and little bit away from the city center. You can search “Spirit of Parkwood” in Google Maps and Uber there. It takes about 7 minutes to drive from the city center and about 35 minutes to walk. It is a park or maybe simply a playground for the nearby neighbourhood. It has a wildly-growing lawn that can be used to play football and have picnics. And the best part is that you can overlook the whole city from the hill. But the experience is only good in summer after several sunny days in a row, because it can become very muddy and slippery after rain.

Preparing for exams over winter break

By Vicky Xian, MSc Occupational Psychology

As we all know, exams can be very stressful. After many weeks having to settle into your new masters course, juggling assessments and scribbling lecture notes, it’s finally winter break. You’re relieved as you’ve just finished first term, but you can’t celebrate too early as now you have exams in January!

Different courses require different types of exam preparation, and each person has certain preferences. However, here are some general top tips I have found useful to help you prepare for your exams, as a University of Sheffield student.

  1. Know what work you have to do

It’s not a very good approach to just jump right into revision and to think “as long as I plough through, I’ll work things out later”. A key factor in effective revision is before anything else, look ahead. See how many lectures you have to cover, how much time you have to prepare and what type of exam it will be. This will not only help you plan effectively, but also help you not feel rushed.

  1. Keep everything documented

This should be done from day one. But if not, it should start as soon as possible. All types of notes should be filed as soon as you can remember and kept in a safe place. This also goes for the revision period, all revision notes, helpful diagrams or cheat sheets should be carefully filed away in its corresponding lecture and subject in a neatly organised ring binder. You can find ring binders at the school shop in the Students Union at an affordable price. This also applies for your computer, with a document saved in a “masters” file, then in its module code, then its lecture, shown below. This is something that most people look over, but if done early and correctly, finding your feet when you start your revision or even throughout is much easier.

  1. Finding your study space

Whether it be at home , in a coffee shop, or at one of the libraries at the university, everyone has their own preference when it comes to study environments. Personally, I like a mix of both studying at home and the library. I realised that one of the main downsides with libraries is that over exam periods they become extremely busy. It can be difficult to find a space all through January, never mind a computer. To combat this, I have found a couple of tips just to get the most out of your Sheffield library:

  • Wake up early, in order to grab the best space, in general, you need to get to the library between the times of 8am to 10am to get a good desk/ computer. It becomes more like 7am to 9am for silence study spaces. If you’re not a morning person, some people like to go later and study in the evening.
  • Check online at https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/findapc/now, as it provides live information on what computers are available at any given time. Not only do they tell you about where free computers are, but they also give you an idea how empty a study area is in general, and also what possible study spaces are available.

And remember, try to not push yourself too hard. Exams are difficult but if you try to study every waking moment, you’ll end up burnt out. The secret to revision is there is no secret: you just need to prepare your revision as soon as possible, to be organised as well as putting in the time to study hard. One important thing I’ve learnt is that you need to take small break throughout the day, as well as at night or in the weekend. Also, try to not study throughout the night as this may affect your sleep quality.

How to manage your time better

By Zaneta Gudowicz, MSc Management (International Business)

Time is precious, isn’t it? Especially now in December, when most of the students are in a rush dealing with deadlines and exam revision. So, how to become more productive during this busy period?

In this case, you’ll need good time management! These are my top five tips to help you to achieve this.

1. Write everything down

Write down each of the deadlines of your assignments, exams etc. in either a calendar notebook, daily planner or schedule organiser – anywhere that you would check every day. Notebooks and organisers have become popular, so there are plenty of choices with different variety of design in shops.

If you would prefer to get reminders about upcoming deadlines or meetings, you can use your laptop’s calendar, Google Calendar, or apps created for time/project management and productivity, such as Trello, Wunderlist, or Evernote. There are loads of them available, so search and find the one that’s right for you. You can use traditional or more ‘technological’ solutions. Personally, I am a fan of writing in my planner, but mixing it up might be a good idea too – find a way that fits you the best

2. Prioritise short- and long-term goals

Once every assignment or exam is written in one place, it is a good moment to set your short-term goals. These should be done as first, and as soon as possible to give yourself more time for preparation for exams, or writing individual essays. Those short-term goals can be things like group assignments or short essays, and completion of these easier things will make you feel like you’re progressing. Once you’ve tackled some of the smaller tasks, you can move onto the bigger, long-term goals.

3. Prepare a to-do list for every single day

Of course, it is not necessary to list every single activity you’re going to do, but just point out things which should be done on a particular day. You may make two separate columns, such as ‘studies’ and ‘spare time’ (such as shopping, cleaning, meetings, etc.). I find the best time to make these lists are before I go to sleep, so that I know exactly what my next day will look like.

 4. Start your day with your MITs (Most Important Tasks)

If your classes or part-time jobs are not held in the morning, it is an excellent time to spend on your most important and challenging tasks when you are full of energy, and your brain had enough rest. Afterwards, you have more free time during the day. You will also be less stressed that you have not done something that you had to. Having said this, I have some friends that are more productive in the evening, so it’s really important to get to know your strengths and how you work!

5. Don’t be afraid to reschedule your plans

We know that not everything goes well and smooth as we planned. However, it is crucial to not become overstressed and don’t panic jsut because you had to postpone something. Reschedule your plans in a way that will be convenient for you – if you’ve taken the time to plan ahead, it’ll be easy to modify your plans and still meet deadlines.

Those are my tips which should be helpful for everyone who is struggling with deadlines! Good luck!

P.S. If you’re interested in time management and productivity, I’d recommend you read the book Eat That Frog!

Keeping a good work/life balance

By Vicky Xian, MSc Occupational Psychology

You may think that a masters course means long hours in the library, lack of sleep, and no social life. You may think ‘there’s no chance I’ll be able to work part-time on top of all that!’ But with the costs of a masters degree and no maintenance loan, it becomes an even harder decision.

Yes, a masters requires a lot more time and energy compared to an undergraduate degree. But, it doesn’t almost mean you have to compromise having a life outside of study! There is a lot of financial support for masters students, which you can find here.

But, what if you do get a part time job? And what about scheduling time to see your friends? Well, I’ve managed to keep all these balanced. Here’s what I’ve learnt and some suggestions:

  1. Limit your working hours

If you do have a part time job, with a masters, keep hours on or below 10 hours a week. What I’ve found so great is that the Students’ Union offer a wide range of different job roles, which are specifically catered for students. This means the hours are not contracted, and if you have a particularly stressful week, you don’t have to work! Earning money is important, but remember studies should come first.

  1. Keep a diary

Keeping a diary, where you write all your important deadlines, social interactions, and shifts in the coming week is very important. It helps you visualise what you’ve got on, and gives you a chance to plan your free time. Here’s an example of my normal weekly spread:

  1. Schedule in some down-time

Since being at university, I’ve found delegating alone time in the week really important for my mental health. Having so much on can really put a strain on someone’s happiness. This doesn’t have to be so serious, half an hour after dinner watching your favourite YouTuber can have a massive positive impact on stress. It’s important that you choose to do whatever works for you, whether it’s baking, watching a film or listening to some music!

  1. Socialise on a budget

Guilt can really creep in when I want to see some friends, as it takes time away from studies, and usually I spend more money than I mean to. I’ve come to realise that you can have fun, but not spend too much. Cooking a home meal with a group of friends can be very cheap, and it’s enjoyable! Bar One, located in the Students’ Union, is one of the cheapest bars in Sheffield. Sometimes their burgers are 2-for-1, which makes it even cheaper.

  1. Get extra support when you need it

There has been times where I’ve felt like it’s all too much, and I get really frustrated with how much I have on. If you’re really struggling, and you have similar feelings, please don’t keep it in. The university offers a wide range of mental health support and information for students:

Activities for a rainy day in Sheffield

By Abigail Cook, MSc Management

If you’re getting tired of grey British weather and looking for something to do on a rainy afternoon, Sheffield has plenty of indoor activities to keep you entertained. These are a few of my favourites that I enjoyed whilst living in Sheffield.

  1. Jump Inc

Sheffield Jump Inc is one of the largest trampoline parks in the UK with 120 trampolines under one roof. The warehouse is full of wall-to-wall trampolines so you can bounce away and free-style to your heart’s content. If you fancy trying something new they also have different activities including an obstacle course, bouldering wall, a 3-sided walk the wall, and loads of others. This is a unique fun activity that is fun to do by yourself or with a group of friends. It’s also a fun way of getting some exercise! Another great thing about Jump Inc is that its prices are affordable – perfect if you’re waiting for your student loan to come in! Jump Inc is located close to Meadowhall, just a short drive from Sheffield city centre.

  1. Planet Pot Ceramic Cafe

If you’re looking to get in touch with your creative side, Planet Pot Ceramic Café is the perfect place for you. After choosing from a big selection of pottery which piece you want to paint, let your imagination run wild and paint whatever design you want. Drinks, cakes and cookies are available to keep you energised and fuel your creativity, and the lovely staff will help you if you have questions or need assistance. When you’ve finished your masterpiece, it goes into the kiln, and can usually be collected a week after painting. This is the ideal activity if you want to relax and create something unique and personal. It’s also a great place to take friends. The pieces of pottery make perfect presents for friends or family, or to keep for yourself.

  1. Meadowhall

My final recommendation for a rainy day is Meadowhall – Sheffield’s biggest shopping destination! Meadowhall is the perfect place for a bit (or a lot!) of shopping therapy. With over 280 stores, there is something to keep everyone happy. If all the shopping has made you feel peckish, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes where you can have a rest and re-fuel. There is also a cinema inside Meadowhall, so you can go and watch a film without even having to leave the building! Meadowhall is just a short drive from Sheffield city centre, and also offers free parking.

Attending International Summer School in Barcelona

By Nicola Hodson, MSc Marketing Management Practice

One of the things that attracted me most to the masters courses at the University of Sheffield was the option to attend an International Summer School. I have just returned from studying at ESADE Business School in Barcelona for two weeks, which was the most incredible experience, both academically and personally.

During my time at ESADE, I took classes in Global Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking, which proved extremely interesting, particularly as an aspiring entrepreneur! It gave me the opportunity to learn about things I would never normally have the chance to learn about, and the lectures were really fun and engaging. I learnt a huge amount and I’m excited to be able to apply it all in both the remainder of my studies and in a work-place setting. After studying for the day, we would sometimes have company visits- A highlight has to be visiting Barcelona Tech City and learning about all of the amazing innovative solutions they are developing there! During the Summer School, we also had time to explore Barcelona, including looking around the famous La Sagrada Familia, watching the Magic Fountain show, visiting Park Guell, and spending many hours on the beach! There were also excursions during the weekends- I was able to visit Tarragona, a beautiful Roman town, and learn about the history there, as well as visit the old amphitheatre.

One of the most invaluable things I took away from my time at the Summer School was the lifelong friends I made during the trip. I met people from all over the world and was able to learn about so many other cultures, which was honestly one of my favorite things about the Summer School. I now have friends in Estonia, New York, Brazil and many other places, and we have all been excitedly making plans to visit each other at some point in the future!

My experience of the Postgraduate Advantage Scheme

By Abigail Cook, MSc Management

A significant aspect of my University experience this year was my involvement in the Postgraduate Advantage Scheme. This is available to all taught postgraduate students within the Faculty of Social Sciences and aims to provide work experience with organisations that may otherwise be unable to take on an intern. Each of these internships are 100 hours long, and you can receive a bursary to cover expenses.

I undertook my internship from January to March 2019 with Breast Cancer Care, the only specialist UK-wide charity which provides care, support and information to anyone affected by breast cancer. As a member of the Community Fundraising Team, I was involved with several different projects and tasks during my internship, including bucket collections and leaflet distributions in addition to office-based administrative responsibilities. However, my main role was to support the planning and delivery of the Pedal the Pennines fundraising campaign, an annual office-based cycle challenge with companies from across the UK competing against each other to cycle a virtual 350km route.

The event took place in March and was a huge success, raising almost £30,000 for Breast Cancer Care. Before and during the event, I was able to visit several different companies within Sheffield and meet all of their participating teams. The two-day event was really fun and exciting for everyone involved, and it was great to see all the hard work that we’d put in over the previous few months paying off!

The internship was an incredibly valuable and unique experience that provided me with the opportunity to develop my personal and professional skills outside of my degree. I enjoyed being involved with the local community external to the University and knowing that I was doing something worthwhile in addition to studying for my degree. I also made many long-lasting friendships within the fundraising team and enjoyed learning about the important work that the charity does.

I would highly recommend applying for the Postgraduate Advantage Scheme as it provides unique opportunities to gain valuable work experience, establish links with external organisations and enhance your CV. It’s also a great way to meet new people and explore Sheffield beyond the University.