Mishal's experience
In this blog post, Mishal, an Indian student studying Social Development, talks about studying at Sussex and the joy of meeting students from all over the world.
Mishal in the countryside overlooking campus, with the South Downs National Park in the distance.
Choosing the right University to do a Master’s degree stood in front of me as an exacting task, a choice that I have to make au courant with what the course and the University will offer to the person, student, and aspiring professional I am.
After indulging myself in the depths of research that the internet and reaching out to people can offer me, selecting my first choice came in easy and simple, contradictory to the herculean task I expected it to be. After traveling down that road, I can say I was right about my choice. And now let me fancy you with the reasons!
Studying Social Development at University of Sussex has been nothing short of Shangri La in my academic journey. The best part of classes are the seminars where the readings for the topic were discussed and debated, critically analysed and examined. These were enriched by the experiences students shared from their work, from the country they come from or have been to, or from their personal research. Hence, the learning was not just from the readings given by the tutor or individualistic, it was a shared process and a comprehensive one.
Another interesting part of the classes were when the tutors shared their experiences and research. Such rich and diverse are their experiences that it helped in getting a practical understanding of the topics being taught.
The picturesque town of Lewes is just a quick train or bus ride away from campus.
A special mention to the University for its attempts to decolonise the curriculum – the reading lists for each topic did justice to scholars from Global South. Also, what I really appreciate about my tutors were the efforts they were putting to make the most of the blended teaching form of online and in-person classes.
The most joyful part of the University is my flat. I am staying in University accommodation and had eight other flatmates. One can only imagine the cultural integration and mutual learning when the nine flatmates are from nine different countries of four continents! Friday nights are for catching up over a game (to be very frank, many games) of Uno, drinks, and some dancing.
As part of our Christmas celebration, we (by we, I meant the superb chefs unlike me who was saved by takeaways) all brought our cuisines to the dinner table. I still remember the taste of all the food and it is certainly one of the warm winter nights at the University!
Walking is another joyful thing to do here. Nothing like a walk to Stanmer Park, or the woods, or Brighton beach on a bright sunny crisp day and it always makes me feel like I am in the poems of Ruskin Bond or William Blake! For me the best was Lewes. It was love at first sight! The best part was to see the house in which Thomas Paine lived and the Borough of Lewes, the war memorial.