½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

What was your favourite social event at ½ûÂþÌìÌà Summer School?

Well, the one that first pops into my mind is the Boat Party, which took place on a Friday evening – we sailed along the river Thames, ending by going under Tower Bridge as it opened, after a night of dancing, chatting and eating. It is one of the most popular events during Summer School, with most students trying to attend - so don't miss the opportunity! The party combines a nice reception on the deck of the ship before the dance floor opens later in the evening. Meanwhile, the beautiful London sights pass by, and you can enjoy a beautiful sunset with your friends.

Where and when did you meet your first friends on campus?

It was on registration day, which takes place the Sunday before your session starts – here, you get your ½ûÂþÌìÌà ID and can check into your ½ûÂþÌìÌà accommodation, but you can also explore campus, where you’ll find stands for all the things on offer at ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ, as well as music and free ice cream! The atmosphere is really cool, so it's perfect for meeting a few people and exchanging numbers! I did this, and I am still in touch with people I met that day.

How do you recommend using social media and managing networking during the summer course?

½ûÂþÌìÌà Summer School is big, so there are a number of students on campus – with so many different courses and activities, you’ll likely run in to loads of new people on a daily basis. My tips to optimise your networking and make connections are as follows:

• As soon as you meet someone, or after a good discussion with someone, ask for their LinkedIn or Instagram handle and make sure to connect - that ensures you will be able to chat and keep in touch.

• Try to develop your network outside your chosen course. Connecting with your course mates is great, but if you want to diversify your friendship groups even further, try to chat to people at events or in your accommodation – you may meet future lawyers, engineers, economists etc. Make sure to speak to people from all areas of your Summer School life.

• Go to the gym - the facilities are truly amazing. You can arrange to go with your friends so that you can exercise together! After an intense day of learning, take the time to enjoy this sense of community.

• If gyming isn’t your thing, plan lunch or an exploration of London with your friends, but take the initiative before it's too late i.e. before everybody goes home after lectures. At ½ûÂþÌìÌà Summer School, you're free to stay on campus, go home, or head to the nearest pub with your friends after classes. All you need is good organisation: leave time in the evening to study, but also make room for socialising with your new international network.

My top piece of advice is to try not to stay only with students from your home country! I know it sounds trivial, but sharing the same language, culture, or even school means you are more likely to stick with the same person for the rest of the summer programme. Of course, meeting students from your home country makes it easier to keep in touch. But ½ûÂþÌìÌà Summer School is an amazing opportunity to broaden your horizons, discover new cultures, and improve your English academic skills. So, try to follow that advice, and you'll develop an international network that (perhaps) will be very useful later in your professional career.

If you could go back to last summer and change something, what would it be?

Well, I would love to go back in time and experience the British-style of teaching once again. In fact, I wouldn't change a thing - I had an amazing time, met lots of great people, and learned a lot. Oh, actually, maybe I'd do one thing differently - I'd network even more, because who knows? One of my classmates might be a future CEO, and I missed my chance to secure a coffee meeting!

 

This blog was written by one of our 2024 Student Ambassadors, who are here to share their stories and help you understand the summer school experience at ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ.