Blog

To fly, or not to fly? The modern day Shakespearean student (also accompanied by a worried parent) muses. Many of us are familiar with the Covid-19 health risks associated with flying, and rightly fret about the UK healthcare system’s ability to cope with the increasing cases in the island. As such, a large majority of our decisions are motivated by the concern for our health. What about other factors? Such as making friends, joining societies, or the studying environment? 

Here at CEKU, we wanted to give you a more complete picture of the things you should consider when flying back. Health reasons are of paramount, yes, but do consider the next few factors we have identified for you. To compile this list, we reached out to numerous current students across Universities in the UK to get their insights. 

Here are the top 4 reasons for you to fly back: 

1) Better access to educational facilities

Buggy internet connections, distracting family noises, or feeling groggy after rolling out of bed to class, studying virtually is more of a bane than boon to many. Although most UK Universities have moved lectures online, many have decided to keep their small seminar classes in-person. These small seminar classes often form the bedrock of your understanding. It is an opportunity to ask questions, solve problem sets together, and study in a community of like-minded students. 

By staying in Malaysia, you will be missing out on the positive studying pressure from your fellow students. In addition, many seniors profess the wonders of studying in a library/study spaces, which could increase your productivity in comparison to constantly studying at home. More importantly, perhaps, is the access to your tutor’s office hours. Emailing tutors your questions and going back and forth in slow replies might dampen your learning absorption. In comparison, meeting your tutor in person will result in a superior teaching experience. 

2) Joining positions of responsibilities in societies

A large part of your student experience in the UK is the vibrant extra-curricular life outside academics. Options are abundant. For those who are career minded, there exist large finance, trading, engineering, or law societies that primes you to succeed in your career. Meanwhile, students who are interested in activism can join many charitable/advocacy societies like your local Malaysian association, Enactus UK, or local start ups. UK Universities are known for its competitive sporting community too, for those who want to sock up and pit their athleticism against others. 

Securing an executive role (i.e. a leadership position) in these societies are highly coveted, with employers often listing extra-curricular involvement as a key requirement to land an interview. Without being in the University itself, however, it is more challenging to secure such positions. Most societies require you to attend rigorous interviews or assessment centres, or if you are in an elected position, requires you to campaign to secure the votes. The camaraderie often fostered being in a physical team itself is difficult to replicate virtually. On a logistical note, be prepared to stay up till 3am to attend meetings that are in UK time, which is something your correspondent routinely did when he was in Malaysia. Cue the panda eyes. 

3) Making friends and having a social life 

Your social life might not be at the forefront of your mind, but it should be. In a foreign land oceans away from familiarity, your friends become a community where you study, laugh, cry and fellowship together. University will not be easy for many people, and having the right group of friends will go a long way in ensuring you have a pleasant standard of living in the UK. 

This factor is mostly applicable to “freshers”, meaning 1st-year students, who are coming to the UK for the first time. Most likely, you’ll be staying in a University allocated accommodation, living together with fellow students who might become your good friends through your shared camaraderie of experiences. In addition, the social events (if your University has them) on campus are a great opportunity to know more people. 

Coming to the University late in December means cliques might have already been formed, and fitting in will prove to be more difficult. In the first two weeks of University, everyone is more friendly than a Multi-level Marketing salesman looking to recruit you. Most friendship groups are formed within the first two weeks of University itself. This means that if you opt to stay in Malaysia, then be prepared to put in the extra effort to meet new people. While it is definitely not impossible to make friends, after all, most events will be conducted virtually, it is definitely easier to do so in the UK. 

4) Better access to career opportunities

The COVID-19 pandemic has made job hunting all the more difficult, both in Malaysia and in the UK. Securing a UK Internship is challenging, and often students are expected to attend networking sessions, score good grades, and join several extra-curricular activities to stand a chance of winning one. These networking sessions are very useful for freshers to discover what sort of career path they would like to take. Track your University career’s page to keep abreast of the upcoming events. Nonetheless, one of the most useful ways to hear about events is through your friends, who you might pair up with as a support partner in these intimidating networking events with top employees. 

To summarise, the recruitment process for large companies (i.e. JP Morgan, Google, Linklaters) has four broad steps. Firstly, a CV and Cover Letter screening. Secondly, several online numerical and verbal tests. Thirdly, a video interview and lastly, an assessment centre. The first three steps can be easily done from the comfort of your home. The final stage might be tricky if the company decides to have it in person. Even if all recruiting events are virtual, there is still a strong case for you to move to the UK if you are career oriented. Don’t underestimate the positive pressure of joining a community of like-minded students who are also career oriented. The most useful career advice is often gleaned through off the scruff comments from peers and seniors. 

Here are the top 4 reasons for you to not fly back:

1) Higher chances of contracting COVID-19 

As you might be aware, COVID-19 cases in the UK are much higher than their comparable peers. Daily new cases in the UK have recently spiked, floating around 3,000 to 4,000 new cases each day in the month of September. In comparison, Malaysia saw a range of 20 to 100 new cases each day in the same timeframe. Reassuringly (somewhat) for the UK, the daily death figures have been constant at around 5 to 30 deaths each day. Lockdown in the UK is less pronounced than Malaysia. For instance, the UK’s version of a contact tracing app will only be rolled out on the 24th of September. Face coverings have only recently been made mandatory in shops and public transports in the UK. Regarding social distancing, the UK Government asks everyone to maintain a distance of 2 meters and citizens can only meet in maximum groups of 6 for social settings. With weaker capabilities for contact tracing and lax rules relative to its high number of cases, it is more likely to contract COVID-19 in the UK compared to Malaysia.

Meanwhile, if you are considering flying to Ireland, do note that daily new cases are also on the rise, although less pronounced than their UK counterparts. Currently, daily new Covid-19 cases float around 300 – 350 cases  compared to the range of 100-150 cases at the end of August. For the bustling city of Dublin, the Irish government has imposed a “Level 3” lockdown, with the most severe being a “Level 5” lockdown. This “Level 3” lockdown bans social or family gatherings, recommends all citizens to stay at home and only travel when necessary.

2) Less access to efficient healthcare support compared to Malaysia

If there is one positive thing from COVID-19, it was to show Malaysians how efficient and advanced our public health system is. Our mature medical infrastructure is a core reason why our hospitals are not overwhelmed, but less can be said about the National Healthcare Service (NHS) of the UK. While the UK has been slow to implement a national plan for testing, the good news is that it now has one. If you exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, you can request a test kit to be delivered to your home, or travel to a test site nearest to you.

For students in Ireland, the procedure is similar. If you exhibit symptoms, you should call your General Practitioner (GP) first, and only get a test if you are recommended to do so. Testing can be done in a designated centre or a kit delivered to your home. 

Due to the rising number of cases in the UK, researchers warn that a second winter surge could overwhelm 87% of NHS hospitals if cases rise to levels seen in April. All students are required to pay a NHS insurance fee that allows you to have access to NHS services, should you require them. 

3) Staying in Malaysia will cost less

In most places in the UK, especially in major cities like London, the cost of living is relatively higher. Having to purchase your kitchen utensils, room necessities, or weekly groceries will place a hefty dent in your wallet. Of course, many students would have already paid non-refundable rent in the UK. But even taking into consideration the sunk-cost of rent, it is likely to be cheaper to stay in Malaysia. For a rough estimation of the living cost, here’s a weekly breakdown from a current student studying at the LSE. 

• Groceries: £20 a week buying a healthy mix of poultry, vegetable and carbs.
• Transport: The walking life is The Life! However, if you’re planning to use public transport a lot, bus travel is £1.50 per ride with a cap of £4.50 per day. Meanwhile, a ride on the Underground tube is £2.40 with a cap of £7.20 per day.
• Social events (dinners/nights out): A meal out in a restaurant ranges from £6 to £15 depending on where you go. If you fancy drinking and clubbing, be prepared to fork out an additional  £20. 

4) A hit on your mental health

As if the bland UK food cannot get more bland, imagine being homesick, stuck with flatmates you don’t gel with and struggling in your studies. The loneliness of COVID-19, coupled with being in a foreign land, might take a toll on your mental health. At home you might wake up to mommy’s food to keep tummies warm, and the familiarity of past friendships to keep you grounded. Of course, if times ever get difficult, know that you are not alone in this case. There are always social events to attend and things to do in University. Most Universities also have great counselling services, and hold regular mental health awareness events. 

There is no one right answer if you should fly back. Depending on your priorities, be it health, education or just having a plain good time in the UK, we hope that this list helped inform your decision in a more holistic way.