School of Social & Political Sciences

Author: Aiden Sherman, MSc Political Communication student

Hi! I’m Aiden, an MSc Political Communication student from California. Navigating campus life can be intimidating, especially for international students, and especially for postgraduate students. Being both together might sound like an insurmountable challenge, but like everything in life, it’s best taken one step at a time.

I usually make my lunch the night before, typically a sandwich. Glasgow’s grocery stores and markets have great variety, so even on a student’s budget, you can ensure you don’t eat the same things all the time. I bake my own bread, partly to save money and to improve my own admittedly lackluster cooking skills, and it lets me make pretty good sandwiches. Making your lunch the night before and placing it in a Tupperware container in the fridge, to be taken with you the following day is my go-to strategy.

My homemade bread.

You’ll want to get up at a reasonable hour. I like to use my Apple Watch as an alarm clock to get up early. Just being up in the morning brings a sense of accomplishment (though the icy wind at that hour might put a mild damper on that). Getting to class isn’t typically too hard. If you’re under the age of 22, you’re eligible for a Young Scots Bus Pass, even if you are not Scottish, allowing for free use of buses in the country until your 22nd birthday. Further, Glasgow as a city is extremely walkable. Particularly if your accommodations are in Hillhead, a brisk five minute walk from the University of Glasgow, you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting to class.

University of Glasgow from my accommodation.

In class, bring your laptop, a notebook and writing utensils. Professors will sometimes have activities, slides, and additional educational material on their class websites (known as Moodle) so it’s good to have a laptop with you in class to keep current with the lesson. The hours between classes is a great opportunity to get a quick review on key concepts. The James McCune Smith Learning Center has dozens and dozens of great places to relax, sit down, have a snack if you like, and study assigned readings before your next class.

Walking home isn’t usually any harder than walking to the university, but you do need to be mindful of how early the sun sets in Glasgow in the autumn and winter. As with most cities, I would avoid poorly lit areas past sunset, and remember you can use your Safezone app to conduct check-ins on the way home. A major part of university life, and living on your own, is learning how to cook your own meals. Keep your kitchen well stocked, and make meals that are simple, nutritious, and tend to use fewer ingredients. One of my favorite things to cook is tortellini - you can prepare a simple sauce by mixing a little flour with garlic, olive oil, and sundried tomatoes. Add some cooked tortellini to it, and you’ve made a very cheap, very delicious meal in a very short time.

Don’t be intimidated to begin a postgraduate taught degree at the University of Glasgow. It’s a deeply enriching, formative experience for you which’ll bolster your academic credentials and give you a new perspective. When you brave the cold winds on the way to school, the first time you nail a recipe after getting it wrong over and over, and when you see the lit silhouette of the University of Glasgow’s campus at night, you’ll be reminded of why you came here in the first place: because going abroad to study in a new environment is an adventure that’ll make you a more rounded person than you were before.

 University of Glasgow campus at night.

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First published: 17 December 2025