The Bath Experience - a Fresher's Perspective
Shoaib Malik

Shoaib Maik was a student on our first ever First Steps Programme in September 2007. The programme was set up to introduce new students, who had never been to the UK before, to study methods and university life in the UK and to soften the impact of making a change from home life to Bath life. If you are a new student in 08/09 and wish to attend the First Steps programme next year, please see our website in the new year for more information.

Hi my name is Shoaib Malik,. I’m 19 years old and from Pakistan but I have lived in Kuwait my whole life. My subject of study is Chemical Engineering (Bachelors), 1st year, and Bath was my first choice from all of my available options because the one thing that separates Bath from the rest, other than the fact of being ranked in the top 10 universities for my subject of study, is that it is the most peaceful area thanks to the city itself being small and beautiful. This was the key thing that made me want to come to Bath, and I consider myself very lucky to have the opportunity to study at such a prestigious university.

During my long summer wait, I had many expectations of Bath. When I came here I was very happy to see that they were not only expected but were overcome, as to my surprise. For example, I was told that Bath was not as diverse in terms of international students but that turned out to be the complete opposite because wherever I go I see international students everywhere and thanks to this I have made many friends from Spain, China and even Kazakhstan. This was a great opportunity to learn about new cultures and new languages, and because of this I decided to take up Spanish courses and now I can even have a small conversation with my Hispanic friends such as Mar, Adrianna, Casandra, Julie, Esteban and my “Spanish brother from another mother” Javier.

Furthermore, I now laugh sometimes at myself because before I came to Bath I was scared of the fact that I might not get along with my flatmates or even the students studying alongside me on my course but my thoughts were a complete tangent to what actually happened. My flat mates are the nicest and the coolest people I know, and they made my settle down much easier and because of this I owe them a lot on my behalf, especially my close friends Wesley, Dean and Hardeep. As for the students with me in my course, I owe them thanks as it because of them I am now the Chemical Engineering representative for the SSLC. Things were completely different as to what I thought and now I feel as happy as ever and it’s a wonderful feeling to be accepted in a place where I have never touched my foot before as this is my first time ever living in a country outside Kuwait.

My worries turned into happiness and my expectations were underrated. There is nothing more I could ask for. Yes, the life is here different from where I used to live in so many ways like the weather for instance. Kuwait is the complete opposite of the U.K. in terms of the weather. Kuwait is a really hot country and here it’s really cold and going from one extreme to the other is a real tough challenge because I’ve never experienced such cold weather before but that is the least of my concerns. Before coming here I didn’t know how to clean, cook or even wash my own clothes but after coming here I have learnt to do all these things and I’ve become more independent and responsible.

It’s funny that everything worked out just fine. My teachers told me that university will be the best time I will ever have and so far so true. I’ve never been happier and there is nothing more I could ask for. Lastly but not least I want to say that I found a flower that has kept my heart since the day I saw it. It is the only flower that can change into a star at night and it shall have my heart forever.

Chemical Engineering 1st year, Shoaib Malik

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