International Cultural Evening – ICE 2015!

By: Saylee Jangam

On March 7^th2015, the International Students’ Committee organised by far the best night of the year – the International Cultural Evening. It was an evening of dance and music performances by students from all years ranging from different countries all coming together to celebrate the cultural diversity here at the University of Sheffield. Ten national societies performed and the Indian Society for which I was performing, won first place! Sri Lankan Society came in second followed by PakSoc, which placed third. All the performances had been rehearsed for weeks prior to the event so the excitement was built up amongst the participants and this definitely came across on stage as the audience too joined in by cheering them on.

The event was hosted by University graduates/Youtubers Munya and Laura (Subscribe to them if you haven’t already!) at the Sheffield City Hall and was this year, open to the general public to come watch. After weeks of preparation and dance rehearsals, it was finally time to get on stage and just dance. My experience of working in a team as part of the IndianSoc was amazing, there were nights where we would stay back and discuss costumes for hours and have impromptu dinners. Over just a month, I got to know so many more people from the IndianSoc as well as the ISC and Sri Lankan Soc. The vibe that evening was all worth the time spent rehearsing after lectures. And what’s even better is the company I’ve met along the way.

As we celebrated our victory that evening, we were randomly stopped by two people on the street who recognised us from our performance and congratulated us – hands down the best feeling ever!

ICE was a massive success this year and I eagerly look forward to the next time I can get involved! Here’s to ICE 2016 and to everyone that performed this year!

Youtube Links for the performances:

Indian Society
Sri Lankan Society
Pakistan Society

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Sindoori Muhunthan

Name: Sindoori Muhunthan 

Course: Bioengineering

Nationality: Sri Lanka

A little bit about myself first! I am Sindhoori Muhunthan, currently in my first year of Bioengineering at the University of Sheffield. I have lived my whole life in the tiny town of Kandy, in Sri Lanka where I attended an international school that follows the British education system.

Choosing the correct university for yourself, is one of the most important decisions of your life. I found it to be one of the toughest too. So how did I decide? Since our school followed the British curriculum, we had annual visits and education fairs from some of the best universities in the UK. This was one of the main things that helped me decide which university I want to go to.

Before this though, I had to decide which course was the best for me. I knew I wanted to be a part of the medical environment and contribute to healthcare, however, I did not see myself working in a clinical environment for the rest of my life. This led me to Bioengineering. Bioengineering is a diverse field, though relatively new, which attempts to solve biological problems that have persisted throughout history using engineering principles.

Once I knew which course of study I wanted to pursue, I had to find the best place for it. After a lot of research and tough decision making I decided on the University of Sheffield, and I am happy to say I have not had any second thoughts about my decision after arriving here. The most exciting thing about my course is the diversity of it. One minute you will be sitting in an electronics lecture, and the next you will be examining cadavers in the anatomy lab. We also have talks from guest lecturers who are a part of the bioengineering industry. This is one of the most valuable aspects of my course as it helps us stay in touch with the current trends and progress within the industry. Some of the main things prospective students should think about before picking their major would be to choose a subject they like and can see themselves working on for the rest of their professional career.

I must admit, leaving home and learning to live by myself for the first time scared me! I did not know what to expect since I am from a country with a completely different culture and different traditions. However, after coming here I realized that it wasn’t as scary as I expected and the transition was not too challenging. There is also an active Sri Lankan society here that helps me to stay in touch with my culture and makes me feel at home.

University work can be really challenging at times, but there is an abundance of things you can do here to relax when the work load gets a little bit too much! Joining societies and meeting new people is always a stress- reliever! You can make a trip to the Peak District and do a little bit of hiking and walk along with nature, or watch a movie at the Students’ Union (which is THE place to go to if you want to just grab a quick bite to eat or hang out with your friends) or maybe even engage in some sort of sports. However, you never need to worry too much about not being able to catch up with your studies. The Information Commons, which is a library, is open 24/7 and also, the lecturers here are always willing to help.

I am really happy I chose Sheffield and got accepted here! The city is lovely and safe and also an ideal place to do all your shopping. Living costs are also much lower when compared to other major cities in the UK. Overall, the experience I have had at the University of Sheffield have been amazing so far and I cannot believe I have already completed one semester here! Time sure flies by fast when you’re having fun! Honestly, I cannot think of a better place to live!