Yaroslava HETMAN is a second-year student at the SumDU Law Institute. She is majoring in International Law. She became a participant in academic mobility in Liverpool and shared her experience.

International Law is my best decision

The choice of profession for Yaroslava turned out to be quite interesting. At first, she planned to enter the Philology department, because since childhood she was fond of studying languages. But one phone call changed her plans. She chose International Law although she had not even thought about this direction before.

– Now, studying in my second year, I realize that this was my best decision. I have never regretted it, because the opportunities and experience that I receive in my specialty give me more strength to develop and improve. And most importantly, I fell in love with law and plan to work in this direction.

Why Sumy rather than Kyiv

Although Yaroslava is originally from Poltava, her choice fell on SumDU. At first, she planned to enter the capital universities, but after visiting Sumy and getting acquainted with the student life of the city, she realized that this was her place.

– No matter how naive it may sound, I felt that I wanted to live here. Plus, after learning about the prestige, student life, and opportunities of SumDU, I realized that I would be able to realize my potential here.

Studying at the University of Liverpool

Studying abroad at the age of 18 seemed like something unimaginable, but for Yaroslava it became a reality. Having learned from the department’s curator about the possibility of studying for one semester in Liverpool, she decided to try her hand.

The selection process consisted of submitting an application, writing a motivation letter and CV in English, and a two-stage interview. The result was unexpected:

– A week later, I was invited for an interview… And at the final stage, I was informed that my application was successful. I was surprised, scared, and infinitely happy.

Impressions of Liverpool

Arriving in England, Yaroslava experienced mixed emotions: fear of the new environment, anxiety about the language barrier, but, at the same time, pleasant anticipation. She was most impressed by friendliness of local residents.

– What impressed me the most was people. Honestly, I have never met such friendly and benevolent people. Reality turned out to be a hundred times better than all expectations.

Educational differences between Ukraine and England

The education system at the University of Liverpool turned out to be unexpectedly comfortable for Yaroslava. She noticed several significant differences from studying in Ukraine:

• Periods last only an hour.
• Attendance is not strictly controlled: the student chooses what he needs.
• A great emphasis on rest and independent study: the semester lasts three months, after which the student gets a month to take exams.

– A student receives all necessary knowledge during three easy and pleasant months of study, and takes exams after the semester end. Thanks to this, there is more free time, and students do not get tired.

Unforgettable moments

Among all impressions of studying in England, Yaroslava remembered the warm attitude of teachers. One of them even remembered her name among 300 students, since she was always active in classes.

– When teachers found out that I was from Ukraine, they asked how we were doing and expressed their support. It was very nice to realize that Ukrainians are known and respected worldwide.

Advice for students

Finally, Yaroslava shared her main lesson that she learned from this trip:

– Go where it is scary. If you chain yourself to fear – “I can’t do it”, “I’m not smart enough”, “What if it doesn’t work out and I’ll fail” – you will never be able to succeed. You need to get out of your comfort zone and face your fear head on. If you believe in your own strength, all seas will reach your knees!”.