Hello! I am Nicole from Hong Kong, currently a student of the Energy and Climate Law LLM at the University of Groningen. To be honest, I had never thought of studying in a non-English speaking country someday, but here I am! I heard about the programme from my professor in Scotland, who is also an alumna of this programme. Knowing that I was searching for energy law-related master programmes, she shared her experience in Groningen, and said "‘I had the best university experience in Groningen". Since this programme is taught in English, I was inspired by her and chose this programme!

Though it was expected that lectures would be held online due to continued worldwide pandemic,  I was still a bit disappointed when I heard about such an arrangement. For me, studying abroad is not just about learning and obtaining a degree, it’s about exploring a new place and meeting people from all over the world. Thus, it’s a shame to not be able to meet my fellow classmates in real life. However, I also felt grateful that I got to stay at home for a bit longer this year and spend more time with my family. Soon enough, I realised there are always alternative ways to make new friends. This programme offers a lot of interactive exercises during the lectures; therefore, group work and presentations have been good chances to get to know my classmates. We also have a WhatsApp group where we help each other with coursework, and share aspects of our lives from time to time (e.g., Christmas trees, snow pictures, and even pets!).

Nonetheless, I must be honest with you that studying online can be tough and overwhelming, especially when you are on the other side of the world (like me)! My lectures are always at midnight (my time) and it really disrupts my sleeping habit. It is also difficult when it comes to group work, since my groupmates and I can’t always work at the same time and it affects the progress and discussion. On the bright side, all the assessments are paperless! I can finish my exam in a comfortable space, and I can submit my essays online (which means having a few hours extra for finalising your essays!). It has taken some time for me to get used to online learning, and meeting classmates and professors virtually. At first, I was a bit sceptical about the effectiveness of online lectures, but I think professors and students have been making an effort to create an interactive environment, and my classmates are very helpful and collaborative when it comes to group work and exams preps. It’s definitely a bit surreal to meet and chat with your professors like that, but you will get used to it. Hopefully, I will be travelling to Groningen in a few weeks time (finally!) as library resources will be helpful for my thesis research, plus I want to see the city first-hand and will be also pursuiing the Public International Law LLM in the next academic year. I of course will abide by all the rules the Dutch government has in place because of the Covid situation and know it is still a serious problem in the Netherlands (and worldwide).

One of the tips I can give for students studying online from home is to be well organised, especially your schedule! For me, the time difference is the main issue, I always have to convert the time from Dutch to Hong Kong time, and I sometimes get confused with the time of the lectures and meetings. Make sure you are aware of the time difference so you won’t miss any lectures and meetings! Moreover, studying online and not being able to meet your classmates physically can really be overwhelming over time, and it is important to have some "ME" time and focus on yourself and how you feel, so don't forget to take a break from your laptop, get recharged and start again! It’s good to also mention that online lectures do have breaks, so please make use of the breaks, like walking around, grabbing a coffee or doing some eye exercises, they are essential to staying focused throughout a 3-hour online lecture!

Without a doubt, I am super excited for when I can come to the Netherlands. Experiencing a new city is part of my journey of self-discovery, and it also means endless possibilities await, and I hope to discover opportunities for achieving my career goals. It means a lot to finish my thesis in Groningen and am looking forward to riding my bike in Groningen when possible!

- Nicole Tsang, Hong Kong, Energy and Climate Law LLM student

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