Moving from Pakistan to Derby: My experience as an international student

Deciding to travel to the UK amid Coronavirus outbreak was a very indecisive situation for me. There was way too much uncertainty involved; lots of options that I had to weigh before choosing between on-campus vs online classes.

Experiencing a new culture, meeting new people, learning about their country and style - these were some of the top reasons why I chose to study abroad in the first place. All of this couldn't be experienced online so I finally decided to fly to Derby.

The first few days here were quite challenging. There were just too many 'what-ifs' and I constantly found myself anxious and confused, thinking if I made the right decision or not. However, COVID secure classes started right after a week and I really liked the fun campus environment.

Apart from that, there are tons of good restaurants here in Derby, shopping is fun and cheap and most importantly, there are peaceful places for a nice walk.

University life has been great so far, I have made new friends and studying in a world class library that the University of Derby has to offer is a wonderful experience in itself.

Since the semester is coming to an end and we have sight that COVID 19 is getting better hopefully the next semester is going to be a lot better in terms of experiencing a social life at the University.

Overall, I was expecting things to be less normal this time but now since I've managed to form a good routine, all of this has brought a sense of peace to me and I'm very much looking forward to enjoying my stay and learning experience.