Life at SMU

By Courtney Blincow, Singapore Management University, Singapore

Having now been studying at Singapore Management University for almost 3 months I thought it would be helpful to provide some insight into what student life is like for those who are wanting to complete their study abroad here.

The first thing to note is that the teaching style is very different to what I was used to studying Law at the University of Manchester. Here, they do not separate teaching hours into lectures and seminars but instead I have one 3 hour class a week for each of my modules. The class contains maximum around 40 students and it uses a hybrid style of lectures and seminars. The professor will present the content usually through a PowerPoint (similar to a lecture) but class participation is a significant aspect (like in a seminar), particularly because it is worth 20% of our overall grade for that specific module. It did take some adjusting to get used to this variance in learning style however, I have enjoyed it as it has built my confidence in sharing my academic ideas.

Another aspect I did not expect was how many modules involve group presentations. Professors will set a question and your group will have 1 week to compose your presentation and then 1 more week to write a 4,000 word essay for submission. I found this quite daunting initially but when I actually began to complete the projects I thoroughly enjoyed them. It was an opportunity to really delve into an area of the module which you are interested in and a chance to work collaboratively with new people. In fact, my favourite part was that I made new friends which, as an exchange student, was really exciting.

This leads me to what has been my best part about life at SMU and that is the social aspect. The campus is made up of all the different schools of teaching in which I am based at the Law School. The reason I like this so much is that it means all my classes are held in the same building as all the other law students. Meaning whenever I am on campus I always run into friends whether that be whilst waiting for my class to begin or whilst studying in the Law Library. A normal day on campus for me would usually involve attending class or studying at the library, bumping into friends and then spending the day with them, often grabbing food from one of the amazing food stalls on campus and then returning to a study session together. SMU has a really strong sense of community and this has been something I have valued significantly during my year abroad as in times of feeling homesick, I have always felt that I have people I can rely on.

A few more final things to note which I love about SMU are, as I mentioned briefly, they have a wide range of food places on campus which are extremely affordable. All different cuisines are available and the average price for a big meal is around £3-£4. They also have a gymnasium which is really well equipped and is open to students all week. The various different societies and clubs available to join is really impressive and a great way to meet new people for example, I have joined the ballroom society and made lots of friends. There is always some kind of event taking place in the main concourse where often free food is given out, games can be played to win freebies and attractions such as photobooths are available to use. The campus is beautiful and located right in the city centre and the people are really friendly and accommodating. It is a brilliant place to study!

Overall, I am really loving my time at SMU and I cannot recommend it enough for those of you who are considering Singapore as an option for your year abroad.