Mei Hu is a PGR in the School of Education, researching social class, gender and educational mobility. Mei completed her undergraduate degree at Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications in China and joined Team UofG as a postgraduate. In this blog post, Mei shares some tips for meeting new people and settling into the Glasgow community as a new international PGR…

Although I lived in Glasgow for almost one year (as a Masters student) before embarking on my PhD journey, I still encountered lots of unexpected challenges as an international PhD student. At the beginning of my PhD, the majority of my friends left the UK due to the Covid-19 lockdown. I also found myself struggling because I live in a private flat with only one roommate (who is kind of introverted, so we hardly talk with one other). So you can see why I felt isolated and lonely at the start of my PhD, as if I didn’t belong to a community.

However, after a period of struggling, I realized that this was not what I expected my PhD life to be like. Glasgow is a very beautiful city and there were still plenty of places waiting for me to explore. I also noticed that the University and its staff went to great lengths to offer us a variety of amazing online and blended activities to enrich our lives. So, I stopped the self-pity and began to seek ways of improving my situation.

I understand that some of you may have many of the same feelings as an international PGR, arriving in this unfamiliar place and struggling to find your community and support network. Based on my experiences, I’d love to share some of my tips. I hope they will help you, as they helped me!

1. Get Involved In Your School’s PhD Community

Networks are extremely important for your PhD life from both an academic and a social perspective. Every school in the University has its own PhD community, which is there to help new students adapt to their role as a researcher (as well as supporting students further along in their programme). For example, the PhD community in the School of Education organises a series of skills seminars, which you can take part in to improve your professional skills and enhance your academic competence. You can even organise your own seminar, based on particular tips you would like to share with your peers (such as making a conference poster or using a new software)! I am very much looking forward to running my own seminar this October. The School of Education also runs ‘Walk & Talk’ activities, where you can enjoy a nice walk in the park and have a casual chat with your peers. Often, members of academic staff will join us, and it is a lovely opportunity to get to know them outside of the office! Make sure to find out what events are on offer for PGRs in your school.

2. Attend the University Short Courses

If you ever find yourself interested in a topic which falls outside your research project, the University short courses are a fantastic way to meet likeminded individuals and get to know a new field. The courses cover a wide range of disciplines, including Languages, Literature and Film and Art History. I joined in the Spanish class in June, because my favourite writer lived in Spain, so I had read a lot about the country and its customs and culture. I had great experience on this course and met classmates from diverse backgrounds. We played escape rooms online in Spanish and practiced our Spanish in pairs, so there was plenty of social interaction with others. I’ve even met up with some of my classmates in person since the course ended. To this day I still feel happy and excited when I talk about this course!

3. Go to the University Gym

A PhD can take up quite a bit of time, but you still need to pay attention to your health. Keeping healthy- both physically and mentally- is super important for your PhD journey. If you don’t want to work out alone, don’t worry- the University gym is a great place for you to exercise with others. As a PhD student, you get a discounted UofG Sport membership and full use of all the facilities, including the gym and pool. But the easiest way to make friends in by taking part in the huge variety of fitness classes on offer. I usually attend the Yoga class, Flow45 and Beginners Jogging, and have met plenty of fantastic people in all of them. We recently went to Parkrun together, followed by a coffee and a chat to enjoy our post-run buzz!

4. Get Involved in Volunteering

If you want to do some meaningful things during your spare time, you may want to try voluntary work! Whether you work in a local community space, for a charity or at academic/public engagement events, you will meet lots of people from different walks of life. I was a volunteer for the 2021 Rethinking International Student Issues virtual summer school, where I worked with four of my peers over the course of four months. From this voluntary work, I learned how to balance working independently and as part of a team. Along the way, I received lots of advice from my colleagues which have been helpful for my PhD. I’ve even ended up collaborating with them on another programme- it’s great to work with old colleagues again! If you want to find out more about volunteering opportunities, take a look at the SRC Volunteer Support Service, the Careers Service Internship Hub and the Volunteer Scotland Website.

I hope you have found my tips for finding a community as an international student helpful! There are so many ways that new international PGRs can adapt to living in Glasgow and feel a sense of belonging to this wonderful city. A great place to look for inspiration is the Team UofG Student Newsletter, which contains lots of events and opportunities. The SRC also has a wide variety of societies which you can join- including the PhD Society- there really is something for everyone!