Placement Year with Diana pt.2

Hi Everyone, It has been a while since I have posted. And I feel really bad… But unsurprisingly placement takes up quite a lot of your time and I also have quite a busy schedule. This blog post mostly apply to students who are currently searching for a placement or who are thinking of doing […]


Tis’ the season to balance revision, work and family?!

Hey y’all! Today’s the start of our winter break, we can finally bust out our advert calendars! Time really does fly, we’re already half way through our first year, although I’m not too excited for the exams that comes after the holidays…Tis’ the season of giving and spending time with family and friends. The uni put up Christmas trees all around campus and added a festive twist to the one outside the library; they’ve asked students to ‘wish upon a star’ where students simply write down any improvements they hope the university to take into account for. Last year, Surrey was able to make more individual spaces for self study, better heating in the library, etc…how lucky are we to be put in a university that listens to the students and are eager to make changes(not promoting here but…)! It’s amazing to be part of the change and watch the university grow as one, I haven’t been here for long, but watching students work together and try to give everyone their best times at uni is truly a heartfelt moment!

As the season approaches, my friends and I were talking about doing placement years and getting a part time job around Guildford. In comparison to Hong Kong, I reckon the UK has better pay haha, on average, students like us only gain £5 per hour but here, you get around £8 and with holiday pay too! There’s an agency on campus named Uni temps, it’s an efficient way to allocate jobs around campus and town.  

Apart from that, for those who are interested in starting your own business or hope to promote your business idea, you’re in luck! The business school has a Student Enterprise Program that offers support to students who are looking to put their business plans into action! In the past, they’ve held workshops and programs such as Skills Ladder, Inspiring Enterprise and Enactus(in which Hillary has already spoken about, just check out her blog!) to help you get a feel of what its like in the business world. Other than that, they’ve also funded students on their start-up business ideas! The business enterprise student support scheme(BESSS) has opened up to £5000 funding to aid students’ on their research, prototypes, analysis, etc. To further promote the business opportunities within the university, Student Enterprises has also partnered up with Santander to organise a friendly competition among fellow students. The scheme has an overall funding pot of £9000 but the maximum amount each business can bid for is £3000. A chance like this really helps you reflect on how practical your idea is and even if you don’t win a funding, you’ll gain an unforgettable experience with few of the experts!

Other than that, my friends and I have recently come up with an idea to create a business society that stands for advertising, marketing and public relations society constitution. We aim to offer advice and a platform for members to contribute and or prerequisite business related projects as well as providing executive meetings and training sessions in order to prep for formal internships and practical work experience opportunities in the near future! Everything is still a work in progress but we’re all quite eager to get this running because we know how competitive it can get in the business field. I believe we’re called the MAP society, look out for us at the fresher’s fair in February! Will let you know how it goes!!

The first half of uni really triggered me to become more involved and take caution of the opportunities that follows, after all, it only appear to those who are ready and prepared for the challenges ahead! None of this would’ve been possible if it weren’t for my family and friends who’s supported me all the way. 

Before I sign off, I just want to wish everyone a warm and happy Christmas, from my family to yours, stay safe and sound! x

soph.

 

 

sophie says hi!

Hi guys! Sophie here, signing in for the first time. As a first year business student, I am more than thrilled to be joining the international student ambassadors’ team; I can’t wait to share my personal experiences in Surrey and hopefully give you some insight on the life in Guildford!

Despite the fact that some of you might have already studied in the UK before, it is still pretty intense coming to a foreign place all on your own. They say making true friends in the first semester is toughest and it may take some time to get used to the new faces, especially for us, when English is not our first language, so it can take a bit longer than expected to reach out. Lucky for me, I was able to meet two of my closest friends Alysha and Brandon; they have made me feel at home and accepted me for who I am (so if you guys are reading this, I love y’all) regardless doing different courses, we all managed to prioritize some quality time for some catching up!

Yes, you’ve come all the way from Hong Kong, 12 hours of flight can sometimes be overwhelming, but fear not! Surrey’s got you covered; if you’re not ready to meet other international students or miss the smell/ taste of home, we have over societies that often hold gatherings, and you’re welcomed whether you’re a member or not! Just to briefly tell you about it, there’s Hong Kong Pass, Hong Kong Society and Surrey Abacus. I’ll leave you with the links to the societies below:

Hong Kong Pass
https://www.facebook.com/surreyhkpass/

Hong Kong society:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/228792220943080/

Surrey Abacus:
https://activity.ussu.co.uk/abacus
www.facebook.com/surreyabacus

Recently, Hong Kong Pass has organised a little bake sale outside the library to give foreigners a taste of Hong Kongese food! For those of you who are accused of homesick, this would be a great cure for that, I often see them preparing the snacks together the night before really gives me the chills! It tastes exactly like Hong Kong street food, there were Maltose biscuits, fish balls, xiao-mai, bubble tea and a lot more!

Abacus also held an event in collaboration with BubbleCiteTea© on campus! It’s a regular hangout for both members and non-members a chance to just chill and spend a movie night together. It was my first time at an abacus event, everyone treated me with smiles; we watched mean girls that night and I guess we all bonded over that haha!

In Surrey, it doesn’t matter where you come from, it’s all about finding your ‘crew’ and people who you feel most comfortable around. The past few months of uni really inspired me to become more open minded and to encourage diversity, I just know the next few years at Surrey will be amazing and I hope to inspire more students like you to step out of your comfort zones as well as our current students to take part in our community and make Surrey a home-away-from-home for all!

Well, I’m off for now, thank you for taking the time to read our blogs. Stay updated for more intriguing moments at Surrey, I promise you will not be disappointed!

PS: Do feel free to message my fellow ambassadors or myself for any queries you may have!

soph.

Check out Enactus

Hi everyone, how is your week going? Hopefully, it has been as great as mine.   Today I want to share a fascinating society at the University of Surrey with you all. This year, I have joined Enactus, they are an internationally powerful community that runs by the student, academic and business leaders. It aims […]


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