Romanian Society

At Coventry University there are about 500 Romanian students, or so our Facebook groups states. Due to these numbers, about 3 years ago, the Coventry University Romanian Society was founded.

The main purpose of the Romanian Society is to promote the nation’s culture and values (all the good ones). The idea to create the society came with the need of having a meeting place for Romanian students at Coventry. Most first year students needed information regarding many subjects and although the University can provide some help, the society can reach a bigger audience at one time. The society tries to help the Romanian first years to fit in and to get to know their way around the University and the city.

In the past, the society has brought the idea of the Fresher Ball (Balul Bobocilor) – a fresher year event where the newcomers have to take part in the Miss & Mister Fresher - as we have in Romania. Also, a small concert has been organised with the participation of the CIA (Craiova Independent Artists) band and it might not be the last concert the society organises.

As for future plans, the Romanians want to organize more sports, cultural and musical events. There are football and basketball tournaments and parties to be announced in the near future and the Fresher Ball should take place again.

Also, this year we want to organise a bigger event for the 1^st of December, Romania’s National Day and invite other nationalities to learn about a wonderful country.

The great thing about Coventry University that there is a society for everyone, including sport societies, interest societies and societies for your religion or country.

Irina,

Studying BA English and Spanish

Learning to Love Cov!

From a personal point of view as well as a that of a lot of people I have come into contact with, one thing stands out; being an international student is definitely an entirely different ball game. For most people, factors including the difference in lifestyle, cuisine, lack of friends (initially) and the predictable unpredictability of the British weather combine to produce a culture spasm. You will find it normally takes quite a while to getting used to how things work and for some others quite a while longer but fear not, hope is here. I’ll share a few tips about Coventry and how to be rid of this stigma.

1. Keep Warm.

A new start. That is what mainly dwells on the mind as soon as you move into your accommodation, followed closely by coming up with cheesy pick-up lines or laughing them off (largely depending on your gender……….. and nota bene I never did any of that) or  trying to find and purchase the latest piece of tech for the sake of trendiness. All the above seem fairly natural but one of the more pressing natural things to consider is the weather. You will find that the academic terms begin in both September and January and unless by a stroke of luck or even better by divine intervention there is sunshine and warmth in these two months, your understanding of the word ‘cold’ will be altered. 

Temperatures swing and most at times fall below the 0̊ mark with the UK being one of the coldest places to be in; especially during this time-frame  However, there are an adequate number of stores located all over the city’s shopping centre where warmth can be bought in the form of clothes, duvets or bed spreads and footwear. The weather should not be a problem if you stay warm.

2. Food.

I find that a lot of international students instantly miss home dishes as soon as they taste foreign food. Some, on the other hand, do not mind as much and to be honest and I agree with the notion that a full stomach cares not what filled it, it only revels in satisfaction. For the people who share different views and others that fancy a gastronomic adventure into other food cultures, Coventry provides an assortment of multi-cultural food establishments that serve anything from daoxiang paigu to calulu mufete.

Dishes that will make your eyes drool and your mouth cry. From personal experience, the special fried rice meal from the Chinese Kitchen is enough to liven up my mood in most circumstances, everyone should try it. Or do you prefer to have something African? You’ll find Nigerian restaurants like Calabash and Solace with meals that are really really good. Fancy Lebanese or Indian food? The Habibi and Aqua restaurants combined the Rupali and food from the Bombay Palace will leave you wondering why you’ve been missing out on Middle Eastern dishes.

Greek, Romanian, Icelandic, Turkish, Egyptian, Angolan, anything you can think of to satisfy your mouth and stomach’s pleasures, Coventry has it and I have made the most of such delicacies; everyone should.

Jerome Garbrah from Ghana

Studying Communications, Culture and Media

The Add+Vantage Scheme

The Add+Vantage Scheme. As a fresher you will hear a lot about it, how it is the star of the Coventry University syllabus, how it can improve your diploma in ways other universities can’t, how it can help you enhance your employability and so on. Very true, the scheme is important and it just adds more skills to what you gain through your degree. The scheme has been regarded as one of the biggest initiatives in the UK and lets students choose from over 60 courses (wow!!) and involves the University, the city and the various companies around Coventry. I know it is hard to choose your Add+Vantage when you have so many options. What is it that you are looking for? What would be best for you? Well, you don’t have to choose something related to your course, that is the beauty of it. You can go for something that can help you on your career path, something that you find interesting or something that you want to explore. For example, I’m studying Spanish and English and I have taken as an Add+Vantage module Project Management. It has nothing to do with my course, but I think that together with my language skills it will help me gain a job as a project manager.

The Add+Vantage module is chosen each year and it has some restrictions though – only one per year, some courses and Add+Vantage modules combinations are not allowed, some need you to have taken a similar module in the previous year so think about how you want to tackle things. So if you are a 2^nd year student with an Add+Vantage in Doing Business in Emerging Global Markets (what a title) I’ll be seeing you there.

Irina Griga, BA Spanish and English

First month of university as an international student

Hello freshers,

Welcome to Coventry University! You're almost there, uni is about to start. The first month is always overwhelming, there is so much to take in, many new places and people, responsibilities and rules you need to know and follow. Here are some tips on what to expect during your first month of university.

First of all, if you feel lost, don't worry there is an orientation programme during Freshers Week – besides the Societies Fair, freebies and parties. Don't miss it, you'll discover everything you need to know in the campus: the library, the hub, the main buildings and how to use all of the available resources.  At the same time, use this week to make friends and to get to know your new lecturers. Don't forget to always have with you a campus map and the timetable, as it changes during the first 2 weeks and you don't want to be late for lectures. Talking about lectures, don't panic if you don't understand everything from the beginning , use the first month to get used to  the teaching style of each professor and keep in mind you will always need to do your own research afterwards. Independent learning is very important as the lectures cover only a basis from which to understand a particular subject. Even though during seminars you will deepen your knowledge of  the  subject, doing your own research is always good.

Make the most of every semester, have fun learning new things and making good friends. Explore what you enjoy and make the most of all opportunities. Try to be open-minded, you will meet many different people from all around the world, you will have to adapt to a new place, new culture and perhaps a new language, all at the same time.

There are many social events and activities organised by CUSU (Coventry University Student Union) where you can socialise and enjoy university nightlife. Also, Culturae Mundi organises regular events for international students promoting different cultures. As I like to say, if you spend your time wisely, you will have time to study and party.

Enjoy your stay at Coventry University!

Irina Griga, BA Spanish and English

Packing for University

Thinking of what to pack for university is hard for all students, especially when you are travelling internationally and you have limited suitcase room and luggage allowance AND you don’t want to forget any essential items!

The important thing to take note of here is that you want to bring as little as possible. You can always purchase items in the UK, so you must remember to bring only what you need.

The key items to bring with you when you travel to the UK are: 

• The address of Coventry University and the telephone number
• The address of the accommodation you will be staying in, as well as their telephone number and ideally an out of hours contact name and number
• Make sure you bring warm clothes with you on your journey. The weather can change quickly in the UK in September
• A small amount of cash or traveller’s cheques to buy food or pay for transport upon your arrival. Do not carry with you any more than £300 cash if you can avoid it
•     Even if you have your student visa already the Border Force officer may still check your purpose of entry to the UK and your language ability. It is a good idea to have to hand:

o   Valid Passport (with visa or entry certificate as required)

o   Admissions correspondence confirming acceptance onto your programme

o   Evidence that you can pay your fees and support yourself for the duration of your course (letter from sponsor/funder or bank statements)

o   You TB or Health Certificate (if required)

• A English Language dictionary (either paper or electronic)
•  Photographs and items to decorate your new accommodation
• Laptop and other valuable items should be in your hand luggage. Your hand luggage should also contain the items you need  for your first night in UK
• Some comfy shoes to walk in

Top Tip – Make sure your bag is light enough for you to carry comfortably. If it is too heavy to carry, consider whether you need to bring everything!

Do not bring: 

• Lots of house hold or cooking items. It is easy and reasonably cheap to buy these locally in Coventry
• All your course books. The Library at Coventry is well stocked and you may also be able to buy additional books second hand much cheaper
• Any fresh food as you will not be able to bring these through customs

If you have any questions before you arrive in the UK, you can contact the Welfare team on welfare.io@coventry.ac.uk.

Alistair, International Student Adviser

Do you fancy a cuppa? - Sorry, what did you say?

When I arrived in the UK I knew English, but honestly it felt like I didn’t! British English is slightly different than the American English we learn at school and by adding the accent it can be difficult to understand at first. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t scare you because you will be surprised how fast you will adjust.

 Just to give you a heads up, here is a cheat sheet that you might want to learn before coming to the UK. 

Mira from Bulgaria

More about Coventry

As you look to make your decision on coming to Coventry University, you might have done extra research into what the university campus consists of in terms of the buildings and other infrastructure. You might also have looked on Google Maps or IOS maps using the street view function to look around your prospective campus and the city. If not, do not worry!

I never get tired of too many pictures as I feel having a knowledge of your surroundings, especially through images, never hurts. I for one did not have as many photos of my prospective campus and ended up constantly looking around and doing more research than I had expected.

To help you in making your decision, I have decided to present to you a sideshow of a few places on campus and some Coventry landmarks that will help you find your way around so you know this place even before you are here.

Trust me, it does help.

Peace.

Jerome from Ghana

Studying BA Communications, Culture and Media