{"id":22893,"date":"2023-04-19T13:11:41","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T12:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/?p=22893"},"modified":"2023-04-14T13:16:26","modified_gmt":"2023-04-14T12:16:26","slug":"looking-back-and-moving-forward-a-reflective-journey-of-my-first-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/2023\/04\/19\/looking-back-and-moving-forward-a-reflective-journey-of-my-first-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking Back and Moving Forward: A Reflective Journey of My First Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

As an international student, my first year at Bournemouth University was a roller coaster ride filled with ups, downs, and a lot of hilarious moments. From navigating the campus to adjusting to the new culture, it was a challenging yet exciting experience.<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Unexpected Weather<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

One of the first things that hit me was the weather. I had always heard that the UK was a rainy place, but I never imagined just how much it could rain. The constant drizzle and grey skies were a stark contrast to the sunny climate I was used to. But as time went on, I learned to appreciate the beauty of a rainy day and how it made everything feel fresh and new.<\/span><\/p>\n

Academic Support<\/b><\/p>\n

The academic experience was also very different from what I was used to. The teaching style was more independent and self-directed, which took some getting used to. I had to learn how to manage my time effectively and take more responsibility for my own learning. But with the help of academic support<\/a> and classmates, I began to thrive in this new environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

Me and friends at the Ice Rink in Bournemouth during the winter<\/p><\/div>\n

Homesickness<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the biggest challenges I faced was homesickness. Being so far away from my family and friends was tough, and there were moments when I felt like I had made a mistake in coming to the UK. But with the help of the international student support services<\/a>, I found ways to stay connected to my loved ones and build new friendships in my new home. I felt like a home away from home here. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/a>

Bournemouth Gardens – a lovely place to meet friends and go for a walk<\/p><\/div>\n

Exploring the beautiful Bournemouth<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

I also loved exploring the city and trying new things. One of my favorite memories from my first year was going to a traditional pub with some of my new friends. We ordered a British meal and I remember feeling like I was truly experiencing a part of British culture. It was a small moment, but it made me feel like I was really starting to fit in and find my place in this new country.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking back on my first year in the UK, I can’t help but smile at all the ups and downs. From getting lost on the Tube to trying to decipher the local slang, it was a year full of challenges and new experiences. But it was also a year full of laughter and growth, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As an international student, my first year at Bournemouth University was a roller coaster ride filled with ups, downs, and a lot of hilarious moments. From navigating the campus to adjusting to the new culture, it was a challenging yet exciting experience. Unexpected Weather One of the first things that hit me was the weather…. Read more » about Looking Back and Moving Forward: A Reflective Journey of My First Year<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3724,"featured_media":22898,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[828,12,704],"tags":[877,1946,785,811],"class_list":["post-22893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international-student-stories","category-student-blogs","category-student-life","tag-bournemouth","tag-india","tag-international-student","tag-undergraduate"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3724"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22893"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22925,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22893\/revisions\/22925"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}