Miss Wai Chun Wong – BSc (Hons) Environmental Science
"It is my honour to recommend this course to others. In my year at Plymouth I saw many things that I have never seen before, I solved many problems that I had never faced, I met many friends from different countries that I hadn't even known their language. The course didn't just give me knowledge; it gave me confidence and friendship too.
I chose to study at the University of Plymouth as it offered a specific course that I wanted to do and it was recommended to me by my college.
I chose to study environmental science because sustainable development and the environment is a global trend; alongside this was my interest in our environmental nature and how we can prevent the problems on this earth by taking action of environmental protection awareness through education.
I expected to learn about what was causing the environmental damage and the method of prevention to save our lovely planet – this course not only gave me the knowledge I wanted but also gave me the chance to work independently which added to my great experience at Plymouth. My final year project was one of the most enjoyable things I did, it was great to work from start to finish and it gave me a nice successful experience.
When I first came to England I thought it was going to be hard to stay here on my own, I felt frustrated as the locals and students from the UK spoke a different language and grew up in a different environment to me. However, I soon made a group of friends and we took care of each other and supported each other through our tests and exams; I found the way to communicate with the locals was to just talk and talk and talk; they were all very nice and understanding that English was not my first language. Time flew by and before I knew it we were stood on the stage of the graduation ceremony!
I am thankful to my university for providing comfortable accommodation, it gave me a great place to have gatherings with friends and my mentor was very helpful and always helped me to solve any difficulties I faced.
I participated in many events organised by the students union including the summer ball, the volunteering service and Christianity activities – I met a lot of friends through all of the events which gave me the strength to face any difficulties.
After I graduated in the summer, I went travelling around Europe with my friend. The trip not only broadened my horizons but also gave me a wonderful break after my final exams. I then returned home to secure a job as a clerk in an education bureau until I find my dream job as a tutor in an environmental education centre – teaching children the importance of protecting our earth.
My advice to international students – talk more with the locals, it is the best way to improve your oral English and once your English has improved, you will have the confidence to meet friends and friends will be your energy to overcome the barriers you face."