Hi everyone!

As you probably are now, before coming I had been working on the process of signing up for university for almost a whole year, working hard on my personal statement, getting the grades they asked and doing all the paperwork involved to start this amazing new experience. Seeing as there is no need for all this process in Spain, I felt that all that work was unnecessary to just obtain a place, but now I’m here there is no better thing that being in class with people who cares about what they study, made and effort and deserved to be here. Keep working, you can do this!

You will likely be applying for more than one university, and if you are lucky you might receive more than one offer (congratulations!). That was my case, and out of the three offers I got, and after doing deep research on what each university offered, the University of Surrey was clearly my favourite. Now that I’m part of this community I can tell you that it definitely will exceed your expectations.

If you are still doubting about staying in Spain or coming to study to the UK, I totally encourage you to start this adventure. At the beginning I had no idea where I was coming. I had no one that could tell me the differences between studying in Spain or in the UK, which were the advantages or disadvantages, how my life will change or any personal experiences of people around (if that’s your problem too, here I am to help!).

The biggest difference and the one I most like about studying here is definitely the learning system. Most of the assignments we do (at least in business) are group presentations, projects, multiple choice exams and practical exercises. Forget about all those days that you stayed at home, stressed and feeling like dying, and what being on exams in Spain meant. The modules are usually formed by:

• One lecture: a two hour class with a lot of people, where all the theory is taught by slides and then uploaded to SurreyLearn.
• One seminar: a one hour session, with more reduced people where all the theory learnt before is put into practice.

I have four modules each semester, so as you can see the hours we spend in class are really few compared to home. However, it’s true that you need to work hard on your own to assimilate all that you are taught during those hours. That is why I think you should be, and if you are not, you should start to be organized and have willpower to make yourself study and work.

Another thing I was afraid of was the distance. I knew as everyone said, that I was going to learn to appreciate home, miss even the smallest thing you don’t realise you will miss. However, I think that that’s also the best part of all of this. After just three months, I really feel I have grown as a person, and there is nothing more satisfying than that. I have definitely had hard days, but the good days have made them totally worth it. During this short time, I have already met people who will surely be lifetime friends and I can’t wait to life new experiences with them. Don’t let that fear stop you from coming abroad.

So, if you already have or you are applying for university here, well done! You will even get more motivated as time goes by and read about more things about my Surrey life. And if you are one of those who is still thinking about it… Give it a chance! Wonderful things happen here!