Impact of University
As I enter my final year of university, I find myself reflecting on the journey of the past three years. Before starting, I assumed university would simply be an extension of my previous education, just three more years of studying and doing what I had always done. While that might be true for some, my experience has been quite different.
Particularly at universities with diverse international communities, the environment extends far beyond academics. It opens opportunities not only for career growth but also for broadening personal perspectives. Being surrounded by people from various backgrounds has allowed me to see the world through different lenses, challenge my own assumptions, and grow in ways I never expected.
Looking back, I realise that university life is about much more than lectures and exams. It’s about the connections you make, the new ideas you encounter, and the person you become along the way.
Before coming to university, I was quite closed off in my perspective, not just about the world, but also about how I should function as a person. Growing up solely in the UK and visiting China only once a year meant my worldview was largely confined to these two cultural experiences. Naturally, the UK mindset dominated how I approached life and understood myself.
Reflecting chronologically, my first year at university began with high expectations. I was eager to make new friends and, more importantly, to better understand other people’s perspectives. Even when I didn’t fully agree with someone, simply listening and learning from them was enough to broaden my understanding of why people live the way they do.
What stood out most was being surrounded by people who, in some ways, were inherently better than I was, whether academically, socially, or in terms of life experience. Rather than being discouraging, this exposure proved invaluable. It pushed me to grow and challenge myself, and helped me realise the importance of learning from those around me.
I want to respect everyone’s privacy, so I’ll keep names anonymous, but my flatmates in my first year had the biggest impact on my development. One stood out for his exceptional organisation, positive attitude, and for encouraging me to articulate my arguments and viewpoints more clearly. My other flatmates, from countries like Malaysia and Nigeria, introduced me to entirely new cultural perspectives. Experiencing how they saw the world, so different from my own, opened my eyes to the value of cultural exchange as a powerful tool for socialising. I realised that my own background, split between China and the UK, could offer others new insights and help deepen their understanding too.
This pattern continued into my second year. Meeting more people, even those with backgrounds similar to mine, like Hongkongers and Taiwanese, helped me branch out further. Hearing how they perceived China and their own political environments not only deepened my self-understanding but also gave me a greater appreciation for where they were coming from. One moment that really stood out to me was when a student from Hong Kong, who is now one of my closest friends, shared a compelling argument about his refusal to share his Chinese name. Initially, his stance seemed rather negative, but after listening to his explanation, I realised it stemmed from deep respect for his culture. He believed that Chinese names carry significant meaning, and that meaning is often lost when translated into the Latin script. For him, there was no point in sharing his name if he could not convey its true significance. I found his perspective especially interesting because some of my other friends take the opposite approach, they share their names because they believe the meaning is so important. This contrast deepened my understanding of just how important meaning is in Chinese names.
Calligraphy was another unexpected and meaningful discovery during my time at university. I had never had the opportunity to try Chinese calligraphy before, but given my artistic inclinations, I decided to give it a go through the Mandarin Society. The experience was truly breathtaking, holding the brush, focusing on every careful stroke, and immersing myself in the process. This practice not only sparked a new passion for the Chinese language but also helped me move past the tediousness I once associated with Chinese school. Learning the stories and reasons behind each character gave me a deeper appreciation for my culture and language. To this day, I continue to seek out ways to connect more deeply with my heritage, and I’m grateful that the university gave me that chance.
The university also exposed me to a lot of new social events that I had never really considered before. For example, when I first joined, I wasn't particularly good at chess (and to be honest, I still don't think I am). However, joining the Chess Society and engaging with other students there helped me discover a new passion. I remember playing against the President of the Chess Society in 2025, during our first match, I was completely beaten. But after playing regularly and learning strategies through experience, our second match felt different. Although I still didn’t win, it was cathartic to realise how much closer I had come to matching his skill. That sense of progression was something I had been seeking in my life, and I have the University of Warwick to thank for that.
The growth mindset that comes with being at university truly helped me develop as an individual. It reminded me that progress and growth are endless, and there is always something new to learn. This is a philosophy I try to keep to this day.
