I did go there to study, which I did, but I also went to travel. Not being a ‘city girl’, Glasgow was crazy big (it’s the same size as Helsinki, roughly) and the weekends were not spent in the city. The studies did not have a lot of contact teaching, and I was lucky enough to get all of my contact teaching scheduled Tuesday-Thursday, which meant me and my friends often left Glasgow on Fridays to explore the countryside. (I think we spent only 1 full weekend in Glasgow…)
The studies were very different, a lot more individual than at TAMK. This was not an issue for me, since I like working individually, since then I get the grades I work for and do not get judged based on somebody else’s work. What did confuse me is the grading system. Apparently 70 % is very good. In my head that sounds like 30 % from a full grade = how did I do that badly? Just be aware of the difference in grading criteria, and you will not be sad when you see your score.
Many might wonder about the language. They do speak English, and the Scottish accent takes some time to get used to. How I solved this problem was by binging the TV-series Outlander before going. Without subtitles. It took a few episodes before I started keeping up and by the end of the first season I understood almost everything. But do not fret, the teachers do speak a very clear English, since they are aware of their accent being difficult for non-Scots.
In conclusion, travel around (it’s worth every penny), make sure you understand your university’s grading system, and do not be afraid of the language.
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