As we approach October 10th (World Mental Health Day), the H.M. team would like to take this opportunity to share some real stories that may give you some insights about how international students feel when studying at UNSW.
Yunyi Li
Age: 22
Degree: Media (Public Relations & Advertising)
Grade: Year 3
International student: studying and living in Australia for the last 3 years
Yunyi’s experience with mental health:
During her studies at UNSW, Yunyi has not personally experienced a major mental breakdown, avoided through her ability to regulate stress, by watching TV programmes and YouTube videos. When asked how these methods help relieve her stress, Yunyi replied; “It is more like an ‘escapism’ where I can take a break from all the assessments and wind down.”
What are Yunyi’s primary sources of stress?
Despite remaining relatively calm during the semester, Yunyi admits her anxiety levels escalate around the end of the semester when finals are held, and exam results are released. She attributes this change to her fear of failing, not because of its academic implications rather the financial. Yunyi stated:
“It normally costs me $4,000 for one subject, and the price may be even higher for commerce degree. That’s why I am very stressed about my grades, and I don’t want my parents to pay more when I have to repeat any subjects,”
Yunyi also tried to find internships to alleviate the financial burden. Unfortunately, most of the internships only recruited domestic students as international students do not have full working rights in Australia.
Opinions about UNSW support services for international students:
Yunyi has never accessed UNSW’s mental health services, but she thinks the university has provided sufficient assistance for international students to adopt Australian culture, and overcome language barriers, e.g. cultural café. She does believe however, the university could improve their promotion of such events, although understands these sessions success is dependent on student turn-out and willingness to participate.
Opinions on the International Student Experience at UNSW:
Despite the universities attempts to support international students, Yunyi does believe it can be difficult for international students to blend into the social circle of domestic students, for two reasons:
a) Local students have their own circle of friends they’ve established since High-School. They have common topics and inside jokes that international students may not understand, because they’ve grown up in a different environment.
b) Assignments are often the only opportunity for international and domestic students to establish friendships and work together, at the university. In consideration of both parties within this context, it is rare for them to have casual conversations outside the discussions of assignments. Unsurprisingly, they lose contact after the assignment’s submission.
Yunyi suggested the university to create more opportunities for international and local students to interact during the orientation week.
Frustrations:
As an international student who is fully committed to the university and dedicates 100% of her effort to assignments, Yunyi becomes frustrated by the promotion of ghost-writers. Preying on international students’ vulnerability and academic struggles, the ease of hiring a ghost-writer through social media has become rampant on applications like WeChat.
“It is now very popular on WeChat where students and the writers negotiate over the expected grades and price. Recently, these advertisements were found along Anzac Parade, on Facebook and even the back of the campus bathrooms!!! It is the fear of failing that drives them to take the risk. I don’t excuse this as an option, I believe these students need to access services aiming to improve their language skills, rather than take these risks!”
Experiencing the same issues as Yunyi? What difficulties have you encountered? Please share your experience through our instant messaging services on Facebook and Instagram.
Love, Katie xx
Healthy Mentality 