By Xuefei Zhu, China, MSc International Securities, Investment and Banking

When I first arrived in the UK, almost everything was new to me. I came from China to study here and it was my first time studying in a new country. But despite that I had an amazing first week, and several things impressed me from the very start!

The beautiful campus

I was immediately fascinated by the beautiful view on the University of Reading campus, especially the Whiteknights lake. There are swans, mandarin ducks and other kinds of birds living freely around the lake. I could never imagine such a peaceful view in my country, but here it is part of everyday life! Whenever I walk along the lake, it gives me a sense of inner peace and a great chance to experience nature!

The ICMA Centre

I was very proud to register at the ICMA Centre in my first week. All of my peers wore business attire and had a professional photo taken. We had several classes in the first week. The teaching methods are different to those in China; our classes are composed of lectures and seminars. In the lectures, the tutors dress formally and present their financial knowledge to students – this format is similar to academic meetings in China. And in seminars, the teacher gives us a review of some main points in the lecture and answers questions in our homework.

The library

There is a traditional saying in China: “What makes a good university? Just look at their library”. What makes me quite happy is that the University of Reading library is multi-functional, with high-quality service in the library and the comfortable feeling to study, this is a paradise for us who love to study! I am sure I will fully use this resource.

Dealing rooms

One of the most interesting things for me is trading simulation modules at the ICMA Centre. In this class, you can use advanced computer software like Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters. The dealing rooms are an amazing place to get more practice using your financial skills and it’s the main reason why I choose ICMA Centre. These new things already made me so excited and I am expected to perform well and boost my potential in trading!

My accommodation and flatmates

My flatmates come from all over the world; UK, Spain, US, Turkey, China and Africa. All of us are living happily together, and they are all so kind and gentle, which makes our flat like a family! It gives me an opportunity to meet people from different countries and find out about their culture. I enjoy the living environment here, and I even made a traditional Chinese dish for our flat at weekend. All of them enjoyed said the food was delicious and even called me chef, which really made me feel good!

During the first week, the university held a variety of social activities for our new and international students to adapt to the environment and get ready for the start of term. I’m already looking forward to enjoying a new life studying at the ICMA Centre in University of Reading, and I hope I will learn more and experience more!