Four years ago, my mornings started with commuter trains and conference calls. Today, they start with lecture halls and reading lists. Funny how life recalibrates you.
Hi, my name is Harshithchandra, I’m pursuing MSc in International Business from the University of Nottingham, Nottingham. Before coming here, I worked for a Japanese Multinational Corporation for 4 years. Having many years of professional experience before doing a master’s degree is very helpful, as it feels easy to relate to things. All the theory that I’m studying now as a student was already experienced in some ways by working in a job.
However, it also comes with a challenge: it’s been 4 years since I touched books or sat in a classroom. Now, I’m experiencing student life in Nottingham from a completely different perspective.
Getting Admission and Preparing to Move to the UK
Getting admission to one of the world’s top 100 colleges was a rollercoaster ride.
After that, there were a lot of challenges, like booking accommodation, travelling and settling down into a routine.
Why am I mentioning that at the start? You might think it’s common for most students to go through all these things.
But no, my story is quite different.
Most students do all the work months before beginning college, and I totally agree that’s good and the safest way to proceed.
However, in my situation, I got my admission confirmed 1 week before college began. I still had no idea about my visa, loan, place of stay, and many such things.
What takes people 1 to 2 months, I got that work done in 2 to 3 weeks.
I still remember it was the evening of September 22, 2025, when my college started, and on the same day I went for my VISA interview.
Luckily, or rather, I was blessed that within a week I got my VISA approved.
Next, my major worry was…. Where to stay, how to book the place, in a country where I have no relatives or friends, and no clue about a city, where I have never heard anything about so far in my life.
During that time, University Living came to my help. I just told them that I needed accommodation near the university, shared my budget and requirements, and they took care of the rest within 24 hours. They sent me a list of student accommodation Nottingham. I selected one of the best available right next to my university; Nottingham Two, within the next 48 hours, everything was sorted, and I just had to fly and reach there. It was really hassle-free.
I’m glad such services exist for students. It made my transition into student life in Nottingham much easier.
Arriving in Nottingham and Adjusting to University Life
On October 1, 2025, I arrived here, and the very next day I went to the university. It was a challenge to adjust to the location, people, environment, and, surprisingly, the cold weather. But I never stopped. I kept pushing myself, worked harder, and within a week I was able to catch up with everyone.
Writing this blog after 10 months of living an amazing student life makes me very happy to share my adventure stories with you all. Before that, let me begin with the basics of what a usual morning looks like as an international student experiencing student life in Nottingham.
Since I’m near the university, I wake up an hour before the lecture, quickly take a shower and have a small breakfast, and head to the university. From my accommodation, the university is just a 5-minute walk away, which helps me save a lot of money on travel.
On the way to university, I see all the other students rushing to their classes; some of them are playing sports, and quite a few students sit below a tree, reading books or enjoying their time with friends.
My First Lecture as an International Student
Student life in Nottingham has been an exciting experience for me as an international student. My first lecture was absolutely mind-blowing. As soon as I entered the classroom, the lecture had already started, and I was surprised to see that Asian students made up a huge majority of the class.
What amazed me most was the technology they used to follow along as the professor taught: their words were instantly translated into Chinese, summarised into a clear, concise overview, and paired with animated explanations tailored to their way of understanding.
While many of us find it hard to focus and learn during lectures, these international students were leveraging technology to get the absolute most out of the learning experience. Truly a unique way of learning!
On the first day, I was curious to try new food, like an English breakfast, a cup of tea, Fish, and chips. For many days, I used to eat lunch on campus.
Later, to cut the cost of food, I started coming back to my room and preparing lunch by myself. Sometimes, lectures would end in the afternoon, so I would come home, prepare something to eat, have it, and then head back to university.
Attending college during winter is something that I consider to be a next-level activity, as the weather is so cold that we must wear thermals and jackets to attend class.
As sometimes the evening lecture goes on till 6 p.m. and due to daylight ending quickly here during winters, it’s gets very dark at 4 p.m., so basically after you finish a lecture and come outside, it feels like its 9 p.m.
However, it is quite the opposite during summer, weather is so hot that, most of the students wear summer clothes and attend the lecture and sunsets start at 10p.m and due to which we get an ample amount of time to explore and get to see amazing surroundings.
Studying in the UK has also encouraged me to become more independent and disciplined. A large part of postgraduate study involves reading, research, seminars, and understanding vast concepts.
There are amazing locations to prepare for here. More than that, there are 8 Libraries with an astonishing view, and I’m proud to say that the libraries are one of my favourite spots at the University of Nottingham.
Most of my evenings are spent in the Sports Club, where we have two massive sports centres with all types of sports, fitness activities and a gym.
They host many events and challenges to keep you healthy and fit. We have to show up for the workout faithfully.
Since my accommodation is tied up with the university, there is a social community that hosts events and games, takes us around the neighbourhood, and provides free food every single day for students, which is a great help.
So, throughout the semester, we are not left alone, and there is always something to do.
One of the things I really like about student life in Nottingham is that the city is large enough to have plenty of things to explore, while still being manageable and enjoyable for students.
There are good restaurants, cafes, parks, shopping areas, and lots of different places to visit. Overall, student life in Nottingham has given me plenty of opportunities to learn, stay active, and explore.
Weekends, Travel and Exploring the UK
Most weekends, I spend my time either travelling or cleaning my room, sorting out weekly groceries, cooking at home, meeting friends, or heading to Nottingham City Centre.
When I have more free time, I also enjoy exploring places around Nottingham and the UK. Till now, I have had the privilege of travelling to more than 13 cities across the United Kingdom.
These experiences have become an important part of my time here as an International Student.
As an adventurous person, my every day is not monotonous; every day I make sure I learn something new and do things differently than I did yesterday.
Change is constant, but I always count on consistency and discipline.
What Student Life in Nottingham Has Taught Me
Studying at the University of Nottingham has been much more than earning a degree. It has allowed me to experience a completely different education system, meet people from around the world, become more independent, and experience a beautiful new country. Exploring student accommodation UK options was also an important part of making my transition to student life smoother.
