International student? Here's your rep's top tips for starting at DMU

It's time to welcome you all to begin and resume studying at De Montfort University (DMU). At De Montfort Students’ Union (DSU), we understand that this may seem particularly daunting to some of you, particularly our international students joining us.  

To make you feel more at ease, we’ve spoken to our International Students’ Representative, Leonardo Venturi, to find out their top 5 tips for international students joining us this September. 

Explore and be curious 

Leicester is a beautiful and vibrant city! Wander around its streets and have a look around our campus to be amazed by the incredible facilities we have at DMU. 

My favourite spot? Definitely Castle Gardens, right next to Campus, because I love to relax there after a long tiring day.    

Ask questions if needed 

I know how hard it is to study away from home and sometimes it may feel challenging and overwhelming. But you’re never alone! As your Representative, I’m more than happy to help you all along the way, but there are also plenty of people ready to support you guiding you through your university experience.  

It’s absolutely okay to ask for help when you need it and here are a few links that might be useful to you: 

• International Welcome Page: Here you can find all the information about your life as an international student on and off-campus and important contacts of DMU staff.  
• Centre for Learning and Study Support (CLaSS): This is part of the Kimberlin Library and great support for your studies. I’ve really improved my academic English skills thanks to their amazing free courses. Check it out! 

• #HealthyDMU: Our health and wellbeing are always important. Here you can find resources that focus on making you feel better, supporting your personal development and studies and helping you to succeed and to achieve your potential.  

Don’t be afraid to have fun 

In particular, during my first year, I was pretty scared about going to Freshers’ Week all by myself and I was also focusing a lot on my problems and anxieties related to my upcoming university life. Whether you are introverted or outgoing, don’t be afraid to have fun. This is something I always used to repeat to myself. There are going to be plenty of people that can’t wait to meet you and to support you, so try to safely step out of your comfort zone and feel free to meet people or try new things if you want to!  

Have a look at our students’ societies 

Discover exciting new hobbies, unleash hidden talents, find a new passion or indulge in what you already love. Being part of a society is a really great and exciting place to make new friends. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved with them, I personally enjoyed learning how to fence or doing some live radio online! You can find a list of our student groups here. 

Be yourself 

It may sound simple, but it’s always the most important thing. DMU is a safe space to be whoever you were born to be. So embrace yourself and light up our students’ community with your incredible personality.  

I can’t wait to meet and see you all with your mesmerising energies!