The freshman from Moscow shared her impressions about studying at University of Surrey

We visited the campus is one of the best British universities – University of Surrey. Surrey ranks high in all national rankings and in the top five the best in the national rankings by The Guardian 2017. During our visit we were able to talk to a representative student community a freshman Darya ilina from Moscow.

EI: Hello, Daria!

- Hello!

EI: please Tell me, why did you choose University of Surrey and what are your impressions from the first few months of studying here?

- I love this University almost everything. The aspects that I chose your University: for me it was it is very important that the University is located on campus. Many consider universities such as Queen Mary, King's and other universities in London. Of course, these universities are not bad, it has very good faculties, a good education, but I can tell you exactly what you never never this will experience campus life, campus feeling, community feeling, as you can experience here in Surrey. When you live on campus, you meet so many people. You constantly communicate, are constantly together, go to lectures, go food and there are many different activities...it's pretty cool, really. And so for me it was very important. And one more thing: can Carrie select Major/Minor and Double degrees is when you can learn two things together, or even more. Sometimes it is very it's hard to choose what you want to study at the University and you can combine several subjects in the same faculty. For example, I have media with German, there is the media with German. Surrey provides many different opportunities, and you can combine different objects, and it also a lot of fun because there are very few universities offering the opportunity.

EI: What are your impressions of the program and what distinguishes training in Sareee from teaching in Russia: teachers, course structure, practice, etc. do you program and study here?

- I really like it very interesting to learn. I actually never learned Russian high school, but I have many friends who are studying in Russia, they are mostly freshmen, sophomores. Probably the biggest difference is that everything here is designed for independent learning, that is when you learn yourself, you go to the library yourself and read some books. You will not be to make, you have to learn something new, that is, you will give the Council, but in the end you do it yourself. While in Russia you download job very much, and eventually you just get tired, you're stressed, and you don't know how to cope with it all, because really a lot study is obtained.

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EI: Daria, do you have any favorite teachers subject?

- I'm doing four modules and probably the most interesting seminar with one of the teachers in the media, it is very interesting talks. What we do at the seminars? Watch movies, advertisements, news, and we analyze it. And it is really very interesting. So I like it very much.

EI: A program who else is studying with you: foreign students or more British?

- Depends on the program really, I have a lot of foreign students, the British too, of course. But if we consider such faculties as, for example, business management – there are many Russian students and international students, but also the British too much. If we consider, for instance, economy, there is more British, if you take, for example, physics, mathematics, it, certainly, more Brits, that is, it all depends from the faculty.

EI: And if it turns out you have to combine student life, all the events which take place here and study, especially the first months. How was the adaptation?

- Of course. One of the main mottos of Sussex "Wonderful things happen here" - wonderful things happen here. The number of opportunities that is this University is unbelievable, in fact - a lot of different community events. You can take part in them. There community by country, by interests, and if there is no community, you it can, in fact, to organise - for this you need only 20 signatures. Can organize any community is really great! You no one is forcing to go there, you just go in there free for you the time when you want and meet new people, do some common the fact that you all are interested.

EI: are You in some kind of community?

- Yes, I'm a member of Soc-society soc. It community in sociology, we see from time to time. It really is very interesting, because you are just spending time together. It is not always belongs to a specific subject, sociology. If we want something to discuss about our study – no problem, we can learn together. If not, we just talk, get to know each other. It's very cool. I also are enterprise – where we talk about the business. There's still a community languages in which I'm a member of. There we meet with the people from different countries, all communicating. I want to try a lot of everything. To be honest, not even enough for all the time, but sometimes have to choose.

EI: University of Sussex is famous for very good sports equipment. Sports park is really impressive. You go to Sports park?

- Yes, I try to go 3-4 times a week at the very least. I usually just go to the gym, also go to any group classes. We have a huge pool, any sports, ranging from football, basketball, ending with badminton and Golf.

EI: It's all included in one membership? How much is six months and a year?

- The year is 236 pounds, but that's not the academic year a calendar year, i.e. 12 months can walk it at any time to full membership. Still have off peak membership is when you pay 180 pounds a year, but you can only go at a certain time. I have full membership, but that is the other is actually very comfortable. We do have very good facilities. We have trained one of the top British teams at Rugby. Harlequins, if you heard.

EI: We saw them even J

- And you even saw them? Great. Very great. J

EI: Daria Sports park round-the-clock?

- It is, unfortunately, not non-stop, closes at 10-11 PM, depending on day of the week. Many would like so it was around the clock. But as far as I know, it opens in 6-7 hours in the morning, I mean, please, Wake up early and start your day there.

EI: the Library at the University of Surrey - she works 365 days, 24/7, so the library can work out and then once in Sports park J

Yes, it is true.

EI: You are now in the library?

- Yes, we now have exams. Accordingly I spend a lot of time in the library finding some of my materials when writing coursework. And just as a repetition, revision, exams. The library is very cool, we have different parts to which it is divided. There is a silent area where it's quiet, where there cannot even be talk, even whisper. There are group study, when you learn groups. It's great in fact, you can ask for help and you will help there.

EI: And you stay on campus or you rent an apartment?

I live on campus in a Dorm. We have small, so let's say flat, that is 6 rooms and a shared kitchen. We all they became good friends. It turns out a very international society. With the guys in our block, we communicate that from other apartments all the time. That is, for example, before Christmas I went all together for dinner. It was about twenty people. It was very fun, very cool. Constantly try some activities to organize. Because, perhaps, the people with whom you live, they are not always are your closest friends. Just because you don't choose them himself. Because how it came about - how the University has placed you. But we all communicate very well and this is a direct great.

EI: What can you say about Guildford? The city is located just 35 minutes from London by train. For example, I went directly from the airport - very convenient, no need to do direct. How often do You drive in London, and what can You say about Guildford? Do you here?

- I really like it here, this is a very small, but cozy town. I really don't very much wanted to live in London because in London there's just so much going on. My friends who are studying in London, said that sometimes lack of time University life, because like so many things in the city happening in University something. It is difficult to combine it all. While here in Guildford we can is always the University, but if we want to London - 30 minutes by train and you are in the heart of London at Waterloo station. It is convenient.

EI: Daria, thank you very much for the interview! Finally, what can You tell our users, students from the CIS countries, which I think is it worth to study in the UK or stay in the country.

- I of course, I can say that is to go. Yes, training is expensive, but it worth it. A huge number of possibilities open to You here, as well as a new Dating. I came to this University to see the campus, and I just fell in love with it! I really like it here. I'll tell you one thing: if you go abroad to study at University or even in school, choose universities with campuses, because to go abroad and to study at University city-based, where there is no campus, it makes no sense, because You can also study in Russia or somewhere else, like at home. To invest this kind of money might have sense, but you get a lot more if you live and learn campus. Probably, if we talk about some tips that I can give you: do not be afraid, do not try, however, it's worth it.

I have 4 years live in England, this is my fifth year. I have finished school the last 4 years. I, too, was scared to leave, I was even scared to move to University, I thought: "How? All new, no friends, no one you know" And, actually, this is the cool, when you know no one, this brand new environment, and you meet new people, because everyone is in the same situation as and you. That is, the first two or three weeks because people talk, even study a little the first couple of weeks because everything is just getting started, everyone will know what and how happening. It is this experience that you can't get anywhere else, I'm telling you now it is about such universities. If you have the opportunity, do not miss this the opportunity come, I'm sure you'll like it!

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