Ireland

If you’re gearing up for a significant move abroad to pursue higher education, allow me to share a glimpse into my journey. I’m Amyrathul Munyra, a Malaysian student currently navigating the world of medical school at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin.  

The phrase “experience of a lifetime” is often overused, and risks bordering on being cliché. It is, however, the perfect way to describe my time at the Global Undergraduate Awards (GUA) in Dublin, Ireland at the start of November this year.

I had the honour and privilege of being invited to GUA’s 2023 Summit as the global winner in the classical studies and archaeology category. My initial reason for submitting to the awards was not actually to win a prize.

I have been at the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences for the past two years and it has been the experience of a lifetime. Moving abroad was challenging and scary to say the least, but I often look back on it as the decision that shaped my entire life.

I was born and raised in Hong Kong, and am in the third year of my medical degree at the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Moving to a different country, leaving your friends, family and everything you know, can be daunting and scary. There were times when I had second thoughts and questioned if moving abroad was right for me. Many do not realise how difficult it is to move away and live as an international student in the hopes of a better life, career and future.   

My past three years at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) have given me some of the best memories and experiences I could have asked for. But the process of choosing my university and moving to a whole new country was a daunting experience.

It is currently past 10pm in Dublin, and my anxiety has kept me from writing this piece until now. My anxiety and I have become somewhat friendly enemies over the years, especially since I moved from Austria to study at University College Dublin.

This decision was driven by my ambition and competitiveness. Studying abroad represented my desire to move beyond the expectation that I would stay in Austria my whole life and prove to myself that I could achieve more.

I knew that going back to school in my forties would be difficult. However, I did not realise how complex it would be until my second day in Dublin. As I walked outside, I noticed that I could not tell the difference between the street and the sidewalk (or pavement, as the Irish say).

Universities across the world have their own exam traditions and superstitions that come with the promise of exam success. 

Whether you believe them or not, it's interesting to see what kind of traditions have been passed down across generations of students on university campuses. 

However, it's important to note that you won't ace your exams simply by following these superstitions - nothing can replace hard work, preparation and a few good study sessions.