Chukwuka
Oguchi

Tell us about your course...

I am currently studying MSc Project Management which provides me with the opportunity to work with diverse teams and get hands on knowledge of how to manage projects. The course equips me with the current project management practices and how to deliver projects on time, within budget and to the agreed specification irrespective of the constraints of time, cost, and resources.  Furthermore, equipped with a knowledge on how to manage these constraints I was able to work on a plethora of projects in my current Placement with the International Development Office of the University, where I have effectively managed my time and deliver on tasks in various projects which were running simultaneously.

How do you relax and have some ‘down time’ from your course?

I started my course during the Covid19 pandemic, so it was a bit difficult to socialise. Nevertheless, during the welcome events I made some friends and we explored Nottingham together over the period, from Wollaton Hall to the Castle and worked our way through our restaurants checklist as we loved trying new cuisines.  Also, the Virtual Global Lounge was very helpful during the lockdown as we had game nights and other virtual events. Over the summer when the lockdown restrictions were lifted, I travelled around UK a bit to enjoy the beautiful sights and I fell in love with the countryside especially waking up next to Alpacas when I went glamping. I’m currently planning to extend my travels to Europe this year as I enjoy travelling and exploring different cultures.

What’s Nottingham like for students?

I have really enjoyed my time in Nottingham as it is a very diverse city demographically. I found it easy to go around the city as there is a very efficient public transport system available. Nights out are always fun as there are a lot of places to go to from a lot of exciting gig venues to nightclubs to street food vendors and some nice restaurants. There are also board game venues if you enjoy board games and a lot of traditional pubs and one dating back to around the 16th century.

How would you describe the support you get at NTU?

I have gotten a lot of support from my application stage to this current stage of my placement. The International Team provided me a lot of support during my application and travel to Nottingham. Thereafter, the employability team assisted me with my placement search, writing a good CV, interview preparation and meetings with employability advisors. The library and academic English team was always available to provide support when I had difficulties with my academic writing and research for my essays and reports.

What are the living costs as a student here?

I stay in a private accommodation, an en-suite room and just share the kitchen and living room with the other house mates. I pay £500 per month and this includes all the bills. All my housemates are professionals, so everyone just keeps to themselves and cleans up after themselves, this keeps the house very tidy and organised. Additionally, we have a cleaner come in weekly to clean the house.

Furthermore, my living costs for a month would be between £200 and £250, this is because I tend to travel most weekends and the occasional nights out, also the train tickets are a bit pricy. I cook individually Sunday evening and just stock up for the week, this normally takes about £100 or less out of my monthly cost.

The few things that were a bit pricy for me when I moved here was the cost of transportation as it was cheaper where I was coming from and the cost of dining out. However, that has helped me to improve on my culinary skills.

From your experience, how would you advise future international students? Any top tips?

I would advise future students to come with the willingness to embrace and take advantage of the different opportunities that appear. Also, an open mind to try new things, explore and learn from all the experiences. Finally, ensure to have a good time and create lifelong memories.

Describe NTU in 3 words...

Amazing, Exciting, Expeditious