I am Megan Tan, a first year student at the University of Manchester pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB). I am interested in running for the Social Secretary position in the SSSMUK committee 18/19.

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Before arriving in Manchester for my Undergraduate studies, I was both excited and apprehensive about how life in Manchester would be. After all, it did seem rather daunting to move to a new and foreign place for the next few years of my life. Fortunately, through social events organised by fellow Singaporean seniors from the Singapore Society prior to departure, I was able to connect with numerous batchmates and Singaporean seniors who were already studying in Manchester.

 

Most notably, I felt that the Orientation camp was the highlight as I was able to forge many new friendships amidst all the fun. It was lovely getting to know my batchmates who were going to embark on this shared journey with me in Manchester. Furthermore, through interacting with the seniors, I was able to find out more about different aspects of varsity life in Manchester. The nuggets of advice that they gave me were invaluable in helping me settle in, especially during the initial stage.

 

Today in Manchester, I am very grateful for batchmates and seniors alike for providing me with the familiarity and comfort of home. Occasionally, when homesickness hits, a simple conversation with a fellow Singaporean brings an instantaneous connection due to our shared Singaporean experience. Therefore, I highly value regular Singaporean gatherings.

 

As a Social Secretory, I will be responsible for planning and executing regular social events that will bring fellow Singaporean students studying in Manchester together. Before planning an activity, I plan to conduct short polls to find out about our members’ areas of interest, therefore, I will be able to better cater to their needs. When members are keen in the events planned, we will also be able to boost participation rates. After each event, I will continue to adopt what went well and also note the areas for improvement for our next event. I believe that fostering friendships among fellow Singaporeans can be the key to help every student here develop their support network, especially when we are 10,932km away from home. In fact, it will be my aim for our members to form strong friendships with each other through social activities and consider Manchester their second home.

Finally, I will also look into collaborating with other societies to plan combined social events so that our fellow Singaporeans can forge stronger bonds with other international students. After all, learning more about various cultures around the globe is an integral part of the International student experience. If elected, it would be my utmost privilege to serve the society and create a ‘home away from home’ for all Singaporeans.