Imad Al Hamdani
Imad graduated from the University in 2008 with a BEng Chemical Engineering
I was recommended to join University of Sheffield by my friend Salim Al-Aghbari who graduated in 2005 with a BEng degree in the same major I am procuring.
The main points that made me take the final decision of choosing University of Sheffield among others were:
- University of Sheffield is a highly reputable university in the UK.
- The Chemical and Process Engineering department in the university is one of the top ranked in the UK.
- Living expenses in Sheffield are very reasonable when compared to other cities in the UK.
When I first came to the UK, I started missing my family and friends but at the same time I was so excited to visit a new country and was looking forward to experience the place, meet new people, and make friends.
I have chosen to stay in the university accommodation for my first year as I believe it would be a great opportunity for me to meet students from different parts of the world, understand their culture as well as the British culture.
I really had a great experience especially in my first year where I met so many people and made number of friends.
Sheffield in general is a quiet, peaceful and pleasant city and the people over here are friendly. Everything is available from restaurants serving different types of food including Halal food, as Muslims we consider this an important thing to be available. There is also a great shopping experience where you have one of the biggest shopping malls in the UK that is Meadowhall, I guess that sounds a great news for female students as most of them love shopping ;)
In terms of entertainment, we have Valley Centretainment that has Cineplex, Bowling, Arcade Video Games and number of big restaurants. The place is ideal for an entertaining weekend and that is where I normally go .
The university by itself has plenty of entertaining, educational, health services and facilities and all can be easily enquired about either in Student Services or the Students Union that is voted the best students union in Britain.
As for studying in the university, well the course I am taking is challenging but having good lecturers, 24 hours library access and above all the intention of earning the degree gave me the courage to withstand all challenges.
My advice to all students is to study hard in order to obtain a first class degree but not too hard to keep you away from enjoying your time and meeting your friends. Organize your time so you make the most out of the university life which is not only the studying experience that counts but also life experience and other great things you achieved during that time. University life is also a lifetime opportunity to make friends from all over the world.
Sheffield exceeded my expectations and now that I am in my final year in the university I feel that I am going to miss Sheffield a lot as I consider it my second home, it´s truly my Home from Home.
My colleagues the International Office Ambassadors and I will be more than happy to assist you and do our best to make your life experience in Sheffield a beautiful and unforgettable one.
I wish you all a successful academic life and that you achieve all your goals.
Web Diary
Read about the experiences I had during my time at Sheffield in my web diary.