Now in her second year, BSc Mathematical Sciences student Sichen Heng has been exploring new areas of mathematics while expanding her horizon in a new culture.
Studying in a new country and a different language can seem daunting, but Sichen found a welcoming community at Southampton and has got to know her new home. This was Siche’s first time living abroad, but the strong sense of community on campus helped her settle in.
Sichen was good at maths at school and was keen to take it further. She said, “Mathematics is the foundation of many technologies, so I think continuing to study it at university is important. Additionally, studying mathematics contributes to exercising my logical thinking.”
Now she is expanding her mathematical interests thanks to her degree’s broad range of optional modules.
When choosing a university, Southampton’s reputation and location were both appealing to Sichen. “The University of Southampton is in the Russell Group and is a top 100 university worldwide. Its high ranking played an important role in my choice. The location of Southampton is also nice. It’s in the very south of the UK and close to London so I can take day trips there.”
Applying mathematics to real-world problems
Now Sichen is in her second year, the flexible course structure is enabling her to discover new interests through her choice of modules.
“I am taking some modules on pure mathematics and some on applied mathematics, like statistics and operational research. These are new fields for me to explore because I didn’t study them in depth at high school. It has made me interested in how to apply the study I have learned at university to real-life problems.”
Academic and career support
Sichen has found that there is plenty of support within the mathematics community, including regular meetings with her personal tutor and help from other students. “In the first year there are a lot of workshops which you can attend and get help with your coursework from third-year students.”
In addition, there is support to help Sichen achieve her career goals. “The University has a careers centre and it offers a lot of help to students on getting internships, placement years and graduate jobs.”
While she’s undecided about her long-term career goals, Sichen has taken advantage of these services. “I want to do an internship this summer and I’ve applied for several positions. I made appointments with a careers adviser about how to modify my CV and I now have a strong CV after taking their advice.”
Settling into Southampton life
To explore her new city – and take trips to London – she uses the local transport facilities. “Life in Southampton is convenient. You can get to any point you want using the Unilink bus service and your bus pass. There are also two railway stations in Southampton.”
“In Southampton I don’t feel alone because it has a nice student community and there are lot of societies. I have met other international students from all over the world just like me, so I have made friends.”
