Why should students engage with the Student Support team at Leeds ISC?
Abduleleh tells us about his experience at Leeds ISC and his engagement with the Student Support team.
Studying with Leeds ISC is one of the best things that ever happened to me, the experience has been memorable and amazing. When I started my journey, I had apprehensions about being lost and not knowing what the experience would be like. The Student Support team helped my transition and supported me throughout my studies, they gave me the opportunity to learn and grow by being a student representative which was a wonderful experience.
When they handed me this opportunity, I really gained new skills in my life, I had the chance to have meetings with agents, participate in online webinars, and got to meet the CEO of Study Group Ian Crichton. Meeting the CEO of Study Group was very insightful and gave me a chance to develop my professional communication skills. While I was nervous at first, this was a great way to boost my confidence by sharing ideas in an inclusive environment, I will never forget this moment.
The extracurricular activities were a turning point for me in terms of development and building resilience, these activities allowed me to socialise, learn about UK culture, and gave me lasting memories. During the Easter break, the Student Support team organised a trip to a huge farm here in Leeds, it was my first time seeing such a fabulous farm like this. We saw the different animals and walked through the farm taking in the natural surroundings, there was a small lake as well, it was such a beautiful place allowing for peace and quiet during a busy time in my studies.
Another activity we had was a Varsity football match, it was brilliant, we played football for our progression university at Leeds Beckett Headingley campus which is just amazing. The great thing about this football match was that we were part of the Leeds ISC community playing football, enjoying the atmosphere of this, and were able to experience everything university life has to offer. This is one of the things that makes you understand the Student Support team, they don’t just want you to succeed academically, this is important, but they also want you to succeed beyond the classroom by giving you opportunities to socialise, develop skills, and build a sense of community.
This could also be felt on a trip to Scarborough organised by the Student Support team. I hadn’t had much chance to explore the UK and when I heard about this trip, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to do so. We went there by coach, seeing the natural Yorkshire landscape on the way was beautiful and highlighted the wide range of landscapes and cityscapes in the UK. This experience is what studying in the UK is all about, creating new memories, exploring new cultures, and feeling comfortable in your surroundings. There were lots of things to do on the trip from playing basketball at the amusements, to going on a walking tour of the town, I would recommend these kinds of trips to students wanting to enrich their time in the UK.
To the new students, my advice to you is to be engaged with the Student Support team. Studying is vitally important, but on the other hand there are activities by the Student Support team that enhance your time in the UK and really help you develop, ultimately aiding your studies. Go and enjoy, you will thank yourself in the future for that, for having these memories. Lastly, I want to thank the Student Support team, and the lovely people who I had known the most throughout my period with Study Group.
Abduleleh studied the International Foundation Year in Science, Engineering and Computing at Leeds International Study Centre and is hoping to progress to Electronic and Electrical Engineering BEng at the University of Leeds
