Come to study in Ireland, and it could soon feel like home. That has been the experience of Arisha Atif, a Social Sciences (Politics and International Relations) undergraduate at the University of Limerick from Pakistan. While only in her first year, Arisha has already settled in, making friends in a university and country that she has found to be extremely welcoming and supportive. We spoke to her to find out more.
Taking your first steps
Making plans to study in a country you have never visited before takes courage, but it can be done. Millions of international students take the step each year, so there are always sources and networks of advice to help you on your way. In Arisha’s case, the move to Ireland was eased by the fact that her mother works for a company based in the country. After she decided to start living there last year, Arisha’s decision to do the same became less daunting.
Family was key to Arisha’s decision-making. Before her mother’s relocation, she had relatives in the USA – a destination that she rejected on account of wanting to do something different to many of her classmates – and received a lot of guidance from her father, who had previously studied abroad.
Together, they made extensive use of the internet to research universities across the world, and in particular ones in Australia and Ireland. This would start with the simple step of looking for lists of the best universities in each country, and that would quickly introduce them to the more detailed information that Arisha would use to make decisions. In particular, she appreciated the varied video content that universities provide to potential applicants. Although she did not have the benefit of being able to visit all the places she was considering, she drew a lot from virtual campus tours and staff and student profiles.
Making your choice
Having absorbed all this information, Arisha settled on Ireland, being especially attracted to the idea of studying in a small country with a homely feel. Subsequently, she was able to visit two Irish universities: Trinity College Dublin and the University of Limerick. Impressed by its sporting facilities and leafy campus, she ultimately opted for the latter. So far, the city has lived up to her expectations.
“I really like Limerick. I feel like it's very different from Pakistan because it's a smaller city… everyone knows [each other], which I think is very cool. There's also a sense of safety in such a small ‘neighbourhood’ kind of community… [Also] I really like how green it is. I feel like that goes with studying in Ireland; it's going to be very green and you're going to have fresh air.”
It is clear that Arisha has felt a sense of community throughout the lush lands of Limerick. People of all kinds have welcomed and supported her, from university staff to students and residents, who she has even paid back by volunteering with a friend at a local running event. She has been particularly impressed by how the student community has pulled together to support the many people who have encountered problems with accommodation during their move to Limerick. Although she was able to make her living arrangements long before arriving, Arisha knows of others who have found themselves staying as far as 90 minutes away from campus. This is where Student Life, the university’s student union, step in.
“They have set up little stalls in front of the library or in front of the common room where they provide snacks and drinks. For students who have just arrived at the university, they want to have breakfast or a little snack because they can't go back to their accommodation.”
Small but significant efforts like this complement the wider support offered by the university. In Arisha’s words, “they have resources for everything”. From the moment she arrived, she was given advice and assistance by teams of staff and experienced students who had an answer to every question and a solution to every problem. For international students, there was also bespoke help.
“[The head of the international students department] would organise small events where international students could come and talk to other international students. And that's how I made a few of my friends… The entire department provided a lot of assistance, even with regards to visas and how to go about the application and transport around Ireland; even the smallest queries you had, they had an answer.”
Planning ahead
Having spent some time in Limerick, Arisha now has her own advice to offer future international students. For one thing, she recommends preparing for the weather – “that was a huge shock for me coming from Pakistan to Ireland; it's raining all the time” – but more generally, she thinks it is important to have a “clear focus”.
“Make sure you are researching well with regards to your university or the application, the visa applications; whatever you feel is daunting. Systematically research and make a priority list of what you need to get done before you join the university. There are so many things that you're doing all at once and it's critical to jot down what's the most important.”
Taking this approach has been a success for Arisha. Her time in Ireland so far has been greatly enjoyable, and that is as true of her studies as it is her everyday life. While she has been able to explore her passion for photography by joining the university’s photographic society – she looks forward to capturing the sights of towns and cities such as Galway and Donegal – she sees her degree as a gateway towards several possible futures.
“Up until now, I've been wanting to do journalism… But I decided to do my bachelors in politics specifically because it's more broad. So, in case after the four years, I decide I do not want to do journalism, I could do something else. I could become a diplomat, or I could work in public administration. So, it opens up a lot of opportunities for me.”
At such an early stage of her course, it is hard for Arisha to know exactly where she would like it to take her. She has considered specialising with a master’s degree (finding the thought of studying journalism in London to be particularly appealing) but is keen to take each day as it comes, keeping her options open. Above all, Arisha is clear that studying in Ireland offers her a wealth of opportunities, both at university and in the future.
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