By Jun Tat, National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse
- People
Folks living in Manchester are generally nice. I remember the first day when I was out of quarantine. I was just wondering aimlessly in the university when a staff member approached me and ask if I was lost, which was pretty sweet. Our accommodation cleaning staff was always bright and very helpful too! There was always laughter whenever she came around.
- City
Personally, I like staying in a big city, but not as big as the capital of a country. That is why Manchester fits right in. It has a lot to offer: restaurants, parks, bars. At the same time, it is not as crowded as you imagine it. - International experience
You’ll no doubt meet people from every corner of the world if you come to Manchester. To be honest, I was afraid I won’t be able to make any friends as it was announced that most of the teachings will be online. However, I met some good friends who were on an exchange as well through International society. We would sometimes dine together and we really had so much fun! I strongly recommend joining events organized by this society. You might be stepping out of your comfort zone here, but isn’t this supposed to be one of the reasons why you leave your country for a semester?
- Student clubs and organizations
You would be surprised at the number of clubs and societies here. They even have a Quidditch club so keep an eye on it Harry Potter fans. What really surprises me is the huge influence of students’ union. They really went out a limb and asked for rent reduction from the university, and they succeeded (which was really awesome if you ask me)!
- Travel experience
UK has so much more to offer than London. With my housemates, we planned a hiking trip to Scotland. The hike was gruesome, there’s no sugar coating it. However, the view from above was insanely stunning. Pictures can’t even describe how you can capture the scene with your eyes.