Student life

Summer internships or study abroad programmes are an expectation at Harvard University. Every year, the university connects students with hundreds of organisations and schemes to encourage us to have a productive three months during the summer. Conversations about summer plans start as early as Christmas and often by February many students have a placement secured. I was not one of those students.

Spain is the number one destination for international students planning to study abroad, according to a survey conducted by GoEuro.

More than 5,700 students from 10 countries were surveyed by the travel platform, of which 18 per cent picked Spain as their top choice. The UK came in at a close second (16 per cent).

When I lived in Singapore and Japan, my only encounters with racism were anecdotes from my non-East Asian-looking friends living in Asia. I am privileged enough to be of Chinese heritage so I was able to “blend in” with the dominant ethnicity.

However, in the six months since I’ve been in England, I’ve had a small taste of what it is like to be on the receiving end of racism. I’ve written a series of open letters to those who have displayed such behaviour to encourage them to reflect on their actions. 

Having just been named one of the best university cities in the world, it is clear that London is a top study destination for both domestic and international students. 

April is the month of career seminars. As soon as term ended, I started seeing some people in my student halls wearing suits and hurrying outside early in the morning, or looking dishevelled and exhausted in the lift.

Having almost finished the second semester of my freshman year in New York, I have learned a few things that have helped my time in the US run that little bit smoother. With spring being the time when US universities release their decisions on admissions, here are some tips for students who are preparing to set off for the States later in the year.

For four years, I managed to keep my anorexia hidden from friends and family. But, on 17 November 2007, I was admitted to a mental health hospital. My skin was yellowing and my heart was failing. Over the next year, I had to face my anorexia and learn to eat and exercise in a healthy way.

After a year of living at the hospital, I just wanted to get away. So I convinced those around me that going to university straight after my discharge would be the best plan.

Universities in East Asia are among some of the best in the world; they excel in teaching and learning and are now becoming more desirable study abroad destinations thanks to recent government initiatives and growing scholarship opportunities.

A little while ago, I attended a one-day training session for PhD students on the subject of decolonisation. It discussed how we can address and critique the legacies of imperial racism that persist in our research, the curriculum and the university at large.

In my latest blog for Times Higher Education, I have decided to do something a little different. I thought I’d take you around with me as I spend a day at Harvard University and show you my favourite study spot, which is just minutes from my dorm. I also spent one of my days during spring break (although you wouldn’t know it was “spring” break because of all the snow!) exploring an art gallery in Boston. We even got free entry because we are Harvard students.