Being part of a sports team added vibrant colours to my university life.

Hiking or walking in the Peak District is one of the best free things to do in Sheffield and having a picnic in one of the many parks in Sheffield with a barbecue on a sunny day is my other favourite activities as well.

I've done lots of travelling in the UK and Europe while I've been studying here and my tip for travelling on budget is to buy train tickets early. I visited more countries in Europe during the holidays. I bought plane tickets online and they can be as cheap as £16 for a return trip to Switzerland. So far I have been to France, Switzerland, Norway, Netherlands and Italy!

I decided to go to volleyball try out after I met the men’s 1st team captain during a social in Year 1. My time with my team has been wonderful! At the beginning I doubted my abilities to take on the challenge to play as liberal, a complete new position that I have never tried before. However, with the coach’s advice and constant exchange of views on how to improve both our skills and the training, we improved greatly as a team throughout the year. Although not everyone gets to be the starting 6 members, the captain always makes sure others get to play when were taking the lead, the team has one of the most inclusive and encouraging environment I have ever experienced.

There is so much more than just being part of the sports team, we hang out after training hours as well. The team is great, everyone is very friendly and it took me no time to become good friends with them. From having pies at Nottingham House (best pie in sheffield!) to getting burgers in Bar One, our team social is always about having fun and food! On top of that birthday parties, our own pre-exam stress relieve volleyball session, bowling at Valley Centertainment and celebratory pints after matches (especially Varsity) all added vibrant colours to my uni life.