I’m Giulia, a second-year International Relations and International Law student at the University of Edinburgh, and I am very excited to be joining the SPS blog team!
Having lived in Milan throughout my whole life, moving to Edinburgh has been definitely a big change, as well as an important milestone in my personal growth. My international upbringing has always motivated me to study abroad, particularly in the UK, thus making Edinburgh quite a natural choice. On the academic side of things, I have always found the UK teaching system much more tailored to my interests and needs, compared to the Italian teaching system that I was coming from. In particular, the electives system as well as the variety of extra-curricular academic activities that are available to students have always caught my attention, and I try my best to balance at least one or two alongside my academics.
Additionally, Edinburgh has always felt like the perfect city to first move to as an international student: with a strong international community as well as an incredibly welcoming atmosphere, it has been very easy to settle in from the start, with many people helping me along the way. It also combines the best of a capital city and of natural landscapes, which tend to be the perfect destination for a weekend out. From a hike in the Pentland hills or on Arthur’s Seat, to a visit to the National Galleries or Holyrood, I have never felt short on plans for my free time.
Finally, my experience at university has also been enriched through my engagement and contribution to its student societies. From being a committee member for the Classical Arts Society, to joining various dance societies, I have always found a way both to keep up with my previous interests as well as discovered new ones! This has been particularly important to me, as engaging in different activities and trying new things has been the most effective way I have found so far to meet new people and challenge myself outside of my comfort zone, which has been an incredibly rewarding experience.
I can’t wait to keep sharing my university experience in the coming posts, so keep an eye on the Students at SPS blog!
