My fondest memory as an International student at University
Date 14 November 2023
Many memories are made at university, but for international student, Emily, it was joining a society that became her most treasured memory and helped her to feel at home.
How joining a society became my most treasured memory
Arriving in the UK
It feels like just yesterday that I arrived in a totally new country to pursue a UK degree. Deciding to fly halfway across the world to pursue my studies was a tough decision considering I was part of a national team in Latin American dance back in my home country – Malaysia and the fear of not being able to adapt to a totally new country. Before enrolling at the university, I came across the Students’ Union website and to my surprise, the university had a dance club and was actively participating in competitions in many places such as Loughborough, Gloucester, and even held their own dance competitions annually. What caught my eye the most was there were no joining fee or any payment to be a member of the dance club. The dance team actively participates in competitions held by other universities and have won many awards over the years. Hence, I attended the auditions and was fortunate enough to be recruited as a new team member for the academic year 22/23.
Making memories
Being a part of the dance team was one of my fondest memories of university. Being an international student in a foreign country can be hard as you can feel alone when trying to adapt to the lifestyle here in the UK. The dance team is where I met most of my friends and have made significant memories with the other team members. It was also an activity I was passionate about; thus, it was a perfect way for me to express myself and also a way for me to take a breather from the assignments I had to complete. With an hour of practice every week for each dance style, every minute of the sessions were precious. Practice sessions weren’t tense, it was always filled with laughter and joy, it shows how everyone was comfortable with each other and how being in the team was enjoyable.
Competitions
The competitions are usually held in the Spring and the team travelled to the competition venues every weekend in March. There were 4 competitions in total this year and the team managed to be placed in every competition we attended. The atmosphere of the competitions was remarkable, many universities came together, cheered for one another and this was also a fun way of making new friends as we motivated each other before the competitions started. Moreover, I was able to showcase my talent by participating in the solo dance division in two of the competitions we participated in. The opportunity of being on stage and sharing the same passion as the other competitors was valuable and unforgettable. I had no regrets joining the dance team; and I it will always be my fondest memory of my university journey.
Interested in joining a club or society? You can view the full list of options on the University of Northampton Students’ Union website. You can also find out more about the dance society.
Graduated from BA in Early Childhood Studies in the academic year 22/23. Currently in MA education for the academic year 23/24.