Student Life Radio
This is your community, but have you ever wondered who's in it?
Each month on Student Life Radio we’ll delve into the lives of our community members as we hear stories about you--the students, staff, and local community --that make UEL come alive. Each episode also comes with a playlist created by our featured guests that represents who they are, what they love, and where they want to go.
So tune in, learn about each other, and come closer together as we learn, explore, and hopefully grow with Student Life Radio.
Cover Artwork: https://mrudulak.co.uk
Student Life Radio
Bonus: Community Unscripted
What happens when you ask the UEL community big questions about identity, growth, purpose and belonging?
In this special unscripted episode, we uncover the unfiltered perspectives shared by students, staff and alumni. They speak candidly with Milo about their experiences on campus, the challenges they’ve faced and the ways they’ve changed.
Tune in for a rich and diverse snapshot of some of the voices shaping UEL as we learn, explore and grow as a community.
Laraib. My name is Kevin. Simran. My name is Timmy, David. My names Zeke. My name is Nikita Vishnu. From Tamil Nadu, India. I'm from Pakistan, Lahore. um, Nigeria. But then I lived in different countries, so I have multiple homes, probably. And I'm from India, Punjab. Just around the corner, Beckton. Greece. That's where I was born. My whole life, Greece, then I came here. Today is my last day. I'm flying out tomorrow. Go back to Hawaii. Everyone loves the place where they have spent their childhood. But when I moved here, there is a multicultural environment here. Because in our country, only Pakistanis are there, not too much foreigners.
Unknown:I'm a happy person who loves to explore anything new, new people, new food, new country. Yeah, yeah, I think I'm more of an explorer, a nomadic type.
Community Member:My background, you know, coming from Nigeria,
Unknown:I'm from Greece, yeah, I don't think you'll find another one like me here.
Community Member:I'm very good at cooking, and I'm very good at sports, actually, and I love to engage with people. I love hearing songs, travel photo shoots, taking videos.
Unknown:Belonging is a place where I feel very understood and heard.
Community Member:To me, it's where you can come to a space or a place where you can just be yourself. What I can say, we have freedom to choose. We have rights to protect it. We have rights to take it. From my perception, I would call that belonging. Well, having somewhere to go to when you're down and having a place, a shelter, I can say. Because most of the time, people do have shelters to sleep on, but they don't have emotional shelters or mental shelters, and belonging somewhere gives you that short and that safe space to be in. So erm the things we love are our background. Things from background. All of these are like considered like our belongings. Somewhere I can feel rested and find peace. Somewhere that doesn't- things that don't intimidate me. But then let me explore as well, If you're joining UEL as a student or as a staff member, when you feel heard, when you feel you know taken care of, when you see that people are ready there to go above and beyond their boundaries, to help you, to support you. I mean, they don't like allowing anyone to be left out, like everyone just has to join somewhere, like either football, music, partying with friends, you can always find society to be in. So they are very good, like they're very cooperative. They guide you about your future, where you can do internship, where you can go for placement here, and things like that. So that community is very good. Yeah, I have, like, my doubts in community, because I feel like I have to make a lot of effort. I would like more community in university, you know, like less isolation, because we can't support each other. The people just made it special. Because, like, at the end of the day, even coming to university, you know what you're studying. But I'd say the friends that I met made it special, and obviously the people I'm working with right now as well, amazing people. UEL community is so helpful while we are checking with them and going with them, growing with them and learning something from them. It's helpful for us. The way it, you know, welcomed me, the staff, the students, the atmosphere with open arms.
Unknown:Yeah, like, I met a lot of people with different background tradition, and I love that it's diverse like we know about the other culture, traditions.
Community Member:The people, the people are actually quite welcoming, and they're very helpful. As someone that is new to the city, they've always been like- they are not-. They don't hesitate to assist. Only studying is not important, you know, you just don't want to lost yourself in the books and the course material. So the opportunities to get a real world experience, to just go in the world and conquer things for yourself.
Unknown:Otherwise, London is very expensive, though, yeah, but it's very good.
Community Member:The inner struggles. You know, how to tackle them, and in terms of mental support, that's what I really think the people should need, like international students who come here. I have been a student, student ambassador, to volunteer to internship and full time job and sports. And yeah, I've done a lot. I've done- I've put my head into every possible thing, and I've loved that, because UEL have given me that opportunity to explore a different side of me, probably. And even food. The food here- in Hawaii is very tasty. Seasoned, you know. Yeah, but when I came here, I had to learn how to cook for myself. So I always wanted to do Law from London, and UEL is a great place for me. I chose it accidentally. I wasn't planning to even take admission in Law, and then I just slipped it and things just make their way to here. And now I'm here and I love it the most. Explore culture, explore the city, explore food, explore everything, everything new isgood for you.
Unknown:I actually like the events that I've been attending in the uni. Like some events like they were like painting like, for example, the cooking one.
Community Member:Recommend everyone to join because the environment is very good, and especially the docklands campus and its view.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, the views!
Community Member:yeah, we miss our home when we see the plane. I guess, for my community, from where I came. I Want to inspire people that you can achieve your dreams. Go international. You can work worldwide. It's not just you're limited to or connected to only have one vision or one path. So explore and, you know, just make more opportunities. Because a lot of people don't know that we are a lot of African people in Greece. So I want to leave a huge mark to let the people know that we are there. God is one thing that brings meaning, and the second thing is purpose. I don't really think I can go, go about life without purpose, because, like that brings meaning to my life. What means the most for me is to make my own place, my own identity. I like helping people in helping them what they need, especially international students who come here lots so I like helping them. So I think that kind of helping and guiding, in terms of career guidance and all that, that's kind of what gives my life meaning right now. I like what you said with the inspiration, I'd like to inspire people I'm thinking at the moment of opening my own business, after I finish, and then also have a corporate job on the side, I'll be busy. Yeah, I would like to, I think I would like to help people, when they see like challenges, for example, they don't find jobs, what they can do to like find their purpose as well. I'm hoping for myself to be a great solicitor, great!
Unknown:Great person. And secondly, solicitor.
Community Member:Oh, she's already a great person. Coming to UEL, I was exposed to a lot of beautiful communities, a lot of beautiful people, and it helped me develop a global mindset. At first, I was like, okay, maybe I won't do masters yet. But then I was like, You know what? I do miss the thrill of learning and being in the university campus. I think that there is always space for improving. So you can never be like, just waiting there. You have to improve every day. You know.
Unknown:I tend to jump into decisions quickly but in Uni they taught us, like critical thinking and analysis, like sit back, analyze situation and then, like perform.
Community Member:I want to be a good person in my life. I want to help others. I want to inspire. There is always space to grow, to grow and to see like the positive. I think past is past. We should focus on the future. So now I'm good. Present is good, and future will be good too. I think, as a human, you can adapt to anything. It's just your comfort zone that that makes you think that, oh, that's risky. That's something I cannot do. Constant improvement learning as well, and then just always looking for more challenges. I want to have a positive impact. In terms of reminding people, like the religion or like the relationship we should have with God, which I try to do on my social media platform, and also just reminding yourself that you know you're you're, you're capable of a lot of things, capable of great things, and you can definitely achieve what you wish to achieve. Adaptability, resilience, that I'm more resilient than I thought of, and I'm more adaptable than I thought of Being human. Like you go through trouble, there'll be another person going through trouble. Whatever you want to do, just do it. You know, there is nothing to fear of. There is no one who is going to say something about you. It's just you versus you, so you have to comfort yourself. Oh, with the community, I only share the one thing that you will see many of the people and they talk more as compared to the action. So speak less.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay, speak less do more. Yeah.
Community Member:Be happy when you're here on campus. Enjoy everything. There's lots to explore. Make new friends, explore new culture. You're meeting different nationalities. Everything is there for you. We have a whole network of support available for you. The more you engage with us, the better we support you. I always love to tell people that just come out of your bubble, experience things, which you think you cannot do. Just overcome your fear. It's just one life. Guys, what do you want? It's not really about meeting the same people, who we, whom we meet from back at home. I would say one thing I would love to share is just relate with people a lot more. That's something I didn't really do while I was studying, although right now, I don't regret it, because I'm getting to relate more with people now because I'm working here. But I wish I did relate a lot more, I did push my put myself out there, Put yourself out there. Put yourself out there. Even though my it might feel scary, it's like, you know, you get the best things in the scary events or the ones that you're afraid of. Don't keep yourself in a bubble like it's bad. People are here every time talk to someone, even if the person looks down, just like share something interest about football, music or anything, You'll be actually shocked how much you guys have in common. You just got to take the first step. I would just like to say that you need to respect other people, respect yourself and never lose your own values in the process. Make sure you stay true to yourself.
