Student life in Lincoln for Indian students

Coming to a new country where people speak a different language and have a completely different culture, was a big step for me.

I was scared of leaving my family and friends back in my home country, because I knew that I had to start everything from the beginning. I had no idea whether I could make friends again, but I am glad I made the decision to study here because I have had some of the best experiences.

Lincoln is a fantastic place to live, with lots of opportunities for students. As an Indian I have tried to explore many things here, and I would like to share some of the things I have done.

Events and Opportunities

The University of Lincoln Students’ Union is massive, and they work really hard to make student life better. They have their own hangout spots, namely Tower Bar, The Swan, and The Engine Shed, where they organise a number of events, which allows us to socialise and meet other people of same community or people from other communities. There is also a separate Students’ Union team that dedicated to helping international students. When I came to Lincoln, I got in touch with them and joined the international student’s association, which kept me updated about the university and the upcoming events. There is an “international buddy” option as well, there you can register and on the basis of mutual interest, you can meet new people and expand your network.

Societies

There are many societies at the University of Lincoln, including societies for sports, dance, drama, art etc. I recommend you to just your interests, and join the society. I was working part-time so I didn’t have time to join the society and dedicate myself to it, so if you are facing the same problem but still want to try something new to break that monotony of life, you can go for open societies. Every Thursday many sports societies hold an open session, where non-members can also join in and take part in the fun. This is a great way of meeting new people with a common interest, and bond with them. I found a group of crazy friends this way; trust me… you may also find your “bff (best friend forever)” here!

Restaurants

I love spicy curries, and I hope you do too. When I first came here, I brought a lot of things from India with me… I was well prepared to face the “no good food” trauma. In the beginning, I tried to make every meal at home, but with the busy schedule it was not possible to cook all my meals. This encouraged me to start the search for a good Indian restaurant. After a lot of trial tasting, I found it. It is “Shanti Café” on the High Street – they serve affordable, great Indian food with real taste of India, and they have an extremely pleasing ambience that gives the restaurant a homely feel. It is my go to restaurant for Indian food and I call it “a home way from home.” I highly recommend the readers to try their jackfruit curry, and their salted caramel almond milk.

Food shopping

In the beginning I literally searched every shop to find the required ingredients to cook delicious meals. There are many shops where you can get different lentils, spices and many more Indian things. These shops are: Super Lincs, Madina Store, Tesco Extra and my personal favourite: Spice merchant. In spice merchant I even got “Alloo Bhujia and Hajmola”… I know reading this line would have made your day!

Written by Indian student, Smriti Rawat (MSc Analytical Sciences).

Please note: This content was created prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, and some information might differ due to current laws and restrictions. Please refer to Government advice and the University of Lincoln for the latest information.