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In January of last year, I had just started sending in my applications and was nervous for the future. My nervousness turned into full-on fear in July, as I had received my grades and it was time to make a choice; however, several months later, I am still happy with my decision! I am originally from Westchester, a suburb of New York City, so my decision to go abroad for college was a big deal for me and my family. I really needed to choose the right place.

¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ's historical significance

I chose Queen’s for many reasons, but to me, what set it apart from other universities I had looked at was the city itself. As I do conflict studies, living and going to school in a place with reminders of its history all around it is a unique and special experience. My learning does not end when I leave the classroom, as I am surrounded by murals, museums, and people who all have a story.

International student life

In addition to ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ’s special connection to my course, Queen’s itself is a great university to be an international student at. The support I received from the North American team at the school was unmatched when applying; they were accommodating of the time difference and were open to answering all of my questions, no matter how small. Since arriving at Queen’s in September, the support has not stopped, and I was even able to become a North American ambassador so I can assist people who are in my position now.

Student accommodation

Along with this, I completely lucked out in terms of my living situation. I am in first-year accommodation at Elms Village, where I have my own single room (unheard of for first years at American universities)! My flatmates have become some of my closest friends. We go out together, talk about anything, and eat our meals together (we even had our own mini Thanksgiving dinner in November).

The last point was a big change for me, as at American universities everyone eats in a dining hall, but I prefer sharing a kitchen and being able to make any meal I want, when I want it (remember to get a Tesco Clubcard for all your groceries)! While I spend a lot of time with my flatmates, I have also made some great friends on my course, as well as by joining societies and just being out and about in ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ.

In my spare time...

In my spare time, I love being outdoors and walking through the Botanic Gardens. Some of my closest friends were made on walks for my morning coffee. During the Freshers’ Fair, I joined Athena Swan, the , as well as the society for my course. Honestly, one of my biggest tips for incoming students is to join any society you find interesting, no matter how far out of your comfort zone it is. These societies have helped me meet new people and expand my interests.

Along with this, for international students, it may be completely nerve-racking to move to a new country. For me, the first time I ever saw the inside of the Lanyon Building was on my first day of classes. I had no clue what was going to happen. However, these nerves are normal; even people from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ or the surrounding areas are nervous to come.

My biggest tip for getting over your nerves is to embrace being uncomfortable and talk to everybody, even if you embarrass yourself (I could not understand anyone’s accent for the first two weeks), because everything does become a funny story you can reminisce about with your friends on a night out in town.

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Tuula Moorhead International Relations and Conflict Studies | Undergraduate Student | New York, USA Hi, my name is Tuula and I am a first year student at Queen's pursuing an undergraduate degree in International Relations and Conflict Studies. I am originally from New York but moved to ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ in September to begin my course. When I'm not in class I love to explore ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ, read, hang out with friends and go for a pint. After I finish my studies at Queen's I want to move back to the US for law school and work as a human rights lawyer!