Ladies and Gentlemen, let me walk you through what life during Leeds International Summer School (LISS) looks like. But first, Hi! My name is Ayushi and I’m a student from Deakin University, Australia.
May 2022, the month I found out I will be going to the UK to attend LISS and oh what a time it was. I felt EVERYTHING, I’m talking nerves, preplanning excitement, eagerness and most of all, happiness.
Mostly everyone travels after the program, but I decided to do some solo travelling before I made my way up to Leeds. Let me share some Leeds, London and overall, UK tips with you and how to ensure your LISS experience is as unforgettable as mine.
Let’s start with some general tips:
- Now if you’re travelling from Australia or anywhere over a 15-hour flight I would highly recommend picking up some reading material about what there is to do in Leeds (don’t worry LISS emails you some light reading starter packs to accommodate with that).
- Get a travel Mastercard! Most vendors and shops in Leeds and the UK accept card and you don’t want to be stuck paying international transactional fees. So, either get a card from your local post office or online.
- Your first couple of days in the UK will feel very new and different, embrace it. The train and walking are your best friends! It will get you places (sometimes) faster than an uber would.
- A little student friendly tip: if you’re catching a train into Leeds, buy your tickets online before you travel to the UK and do not forget train snacks!! 🙂
Now the hack to LISS experience:
- “Fake it till you make it” – now if you are anything like me, you are a shy, reserved person until you find the group of people you just get along with! Well congratulations, LISS is the place to throw all that away and fake that confidence to make the friends. Trust me everyone is nervous on the first day, but your Leeds experience will be so much more fun with friends! I started a conversation with my accommodation neighbour and asked her if she wanted to open the ‘goodie box’ together and the rest was history.
My first day in Leeds, photo taken by my first friend Sue.
- “Organisation is key” – LISS is an amazing experience but don’t forget it is a study abroad experience. To get the most out of it do your pre-arrival tasks, go to the first day of class with all your electronics charged, if you have homework to do, get it done on the same night. There are so many amazing events organised by LISS that you get so caught up in having fun, you can fall behind and then you’re pulling the same all nighters you did back home.
- “Photograph everything” – A lot of people want to live in the moment, and to truly experience the happiness, you should, but take those photographs!! You will take back lots of amazing memories with you, but you will regret not taking photographs of those moments.
- “Be in the moment” – You will most likely go on a lot of field trips, enjoy them. Be a wandering child and explore everything you can! Remember most of these field trips you most likely won’t take again, so live the full experience, do anything your heart desires.
- “Maccas run” – On the nights where you don’t feel like cooking or just want to eat out but don’t know where? A Maccas (McDonalds) run has got you covered!
LISS was a privilege, a valuable learning opportunity and a fond memory which I will forever be grateful for. I got to make so many incredible life-long friends and get a teaser to the British way of life. If you are considering study abroad, LISS should definitely be on your list!
Leeds Uni Bound 