Living my academia dream
Indonesian exchange student Felicia Iona Roselyn shares her impressions of Glasgow during her first month in the city.
Hiya there! I’m Iona, a third-year International Relations student from Brawijaya University in Indonesia. I’m studying for a semester at the University of Glasgow as part of the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) study abroad scholarship program. I’m sure that studying in Glasgow will be the most memorable experience of my life so far!
Green Glasgow and the campus bubble
"If I'm asked whether I would love to study at the University of Glasgow again for another exchange or master's degree, I would say yes!"
Pedestrian-friendly and green (or perhaps yellow soon) are the right words to describe Glasgow. Roads are quite spacious here, and most car drivers prioritise pedestrians. Moreover, there are trees literally everywhere, which is refreshing. I find leaf trails on most of the roads I walk on my way to the campus, museums or to buy groceries. What's more, when I pass through Glasgow Botanic Gardens, I see lots of different shades of leaves.
Watching the trees change their colours is fascinating for me since it's the first autumn of my entire life. I take my time walking here, except if I’m almost late for class.
The University covers a vast area, and my classes take place in different parts of the campus. The campus creates a bubble for students separate from the rest of city life - the City Centre becomes a fun hang-out for a refreshing change. Being in the bubble boosts my productivity plus it has everything in it, like a library, study spaces, food shops and museums. I could probably stay here forever.
Dark academia aesthetics
As someone who likes dark academia (a subculture on Gothic style art and historical architecture and academic lifestyle), seeing the architecture in Glasgow makes me feel ecstatic and provides a surreal setting in which to study. Lots of buildings here are in Gothic style, like the churches and even the Gilbert Scott Building at the University of Glasgow itself!
During my free time, I enjoy visiting museums. I found out that all the museums here in Glasgow are free - oh, it can’t be better! I’ve put museum hunting on my top to-do list. I’ve visited some of them already, like the Gallery of Modern Art and the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery. I’ll visit them all before I go back home, for sure.
Four seasons in a day
"One of my reasons for choosing the University of Glasgow is to visit my namesake, the Isle of Iona during my time in Scotland."
I’d heard about the ‘four seasons in a day’ weather in Glasgow from the previous visiting student group, and I also Googled the weather predictions - it does rain a lot. So, I came prepared. I brought two umbrellas (that later became a bit useless because of the wind), a jacket and a puffer jacket. They’re both windbreakers and waterproof and I made sure to test them out!
I still can’t believe the fact that the sunnier it is, the colder it becomes. But when it gets gloomier, the temperature becomes warmer.
After a month here, I’m quite surprised, yet grateful that I have experienced more sunny days than rainy days. I enjoy sunny days so much – they are helping me adapt to the upcoming changing season. The campus looks so beautiful under the clear blue sky.
People make Glasgow
The city’s slogan is ‘People Make Glasgow’. From my point of view, every person here is the one who ‘makes Glasgow’ - from their language, culture and where they come from. I feel I am a part of a global society because of the multicultural and vibrant environment of the city.
The Glaswegian accent differs from any other English-speaking country. Some words I have only ever heard here and are a wee example of the uniqueness of Glasgow. I have also often encountered people wearing kilts and traditional clothes from other countries. The city offers all sorts of food from around the world. I can experience other parts of the world by just tasting the food, which is a fun experience for me.
Everyone here is so friendly! So, for me, the people really do make Glasgow.
Follow my Instagram account @feliciaiona to see my experiences at the University of Glasgow. You can also follow @iisma.uofg, the Indonesian visiting students' group funded by the IISMA scholarship program.