Navigating Bristol as an international student

By Disha Angadi, Features Subeditor

Picture this: it’s your first week at university and your first time living on your own, in a new country, surrounded by strangers. In the first couple of weeks, as you grapple with the culture shocks and the vibrancy of Bristol, these once-strangers become your best mates and you realise that you are not alone. Slowly, Bristol feels like home - one which you will cherish and reminisce about in the years to come.

As an international student, I know the struggle all too well. It was such a shock to my system when I first moved to Bristol, having to grapple with chores, university lectures and homesickness all at once was certainly not easy. But as Gargi Dangi, a second-year law student puts it, life as an international student is ‘a peaceful yet chaotic and challenging experience.’ There is peace in having complete freedom in your decisions but it is chaotic and challenging being your own saviour regardless of the situation. Oddly enough, there is immense power in this too.

‘Boarding that flight to London’ | *Epigram / Disha Angadi*

Consider this article a welcome guide to the culture shocks and beauty that await you in Bristol this September.

Among the many new shifts, a notable one is the drinking culture in the UK. As soon as Friday hits the student calendar, you will see a pack of students heading to White Hart for a ‘hearty’ pint or many a fresher joining a pub crawl. As a student commented: ‘it’s very surprising how central pubbing is to any social event.’ So, I urge you to relish the amazing party culture here but always listen to your body and not feel pressured to take part.

Remember - you can always enjoy a fun night out with new friends with or without alcohol involved.

Number two on the list would be British weather, which is unpredictable to say the least. What might be even more shocking is that university life is determined by it.

When it’s sunny out, College Green and the Royal Fort Gardens are a crowded mess. In contrast, when the weather turns, streets are deserted and there is not a soul in sight! When it comes, rain is sudden so make sure you never leave your flat without an umbrella. But, among this endless yet sudden rain, you will also see the most stunning rainbows and picturesque scenes especially near Brandon Hill and Clifton Downs. So, whenever the weather gets a little hard to handle, remember that rainbows are not too far away.

There is also the loneliness that comes with being an international student who comes from a different culture and upbringing. A study by the Journal of Further and Higher Education found that three out of four international students reported feeling lonely. This study also highlighted that sometimes such loneliness stemmed from the confusion of not knowing how to behave or respond in social situations.

While the statistics might be disheartening, there is solace in the fact that you are not alone. Over time, as friends become family and this unfamiliar city becomes home, this feeling will fade.

Among such shocks, Bristol also has much to love. It is known for its unique and vibrant shops - just a walk down to St. Nicholas’s market or a stroll around Clifton near the Wills Memorial Building is testament to this. Bristol’s city is integrated with the university providing a truly interesting blend of city and country.

‘The Timeless Clifton Suspension Bridge’ | *Epigram / Disha Angadi*

Positive shocks include the fact that Bristol is such a walkable city. It is also full of incredible cultural landmarks such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Red Lodge Museum and our very own Wills Memorial Building. Being the heart of West England’s music scene, music venues like St. George’s, Motion, Lakota and Thekla have dominated every Fresher’s social calendar and rightfully so. Also, Bristol is a city where a stranger’s kindness is common and so is a warm meal shared with peers.

However, being an international student carries with it significant hardships; the pain of leaving behind a country you had called home. It’s in looking around to find no one who speaks your mother tongue, missing the taste of home cooked food and the comfort of your mother’s embrace. And Bristol, though incredibly beautiful, has it’s disadvantages. Among the people I interviewed for this article, the top two concerns were Student Housing and Public Transport costs.

A survey conducted by me.l research found that 42 per cent of international students found it difficult to find accommodation.

Additionally, The National Union of Students recently reported the debilitating impact of public transport on university students’ lives. Their survey reported that 20 per cent had missed classes due to travel costs while 35 per cent had to cut down on extracurricular activities. When it comes to Bristol’s public transport crisis, an anonymous student reports that they found the transportation to be insufficient when they had to travel regularly to Coombe Dingle during exam season. However, student-led initiatives aim to combat these disadvantages. These include Bristol SU’s Housing Report and Future Research Leaders Projects which collaborate with community groups like Housing Matters and Epigram’s Break the Mould campaign, making sure that issues faced by students are brought to light and tackled swiftly.

The path of an international student has its ups and downs but is full of rich experiences of discovery, building your independence and your own life in a new country. The culture shocks and drawbacks you experience at first will, in time, become stories you laugh about and remember gladly in the future.