These are some thoughts that PhD Research Student, Fan Xia shared with us at this time last year – Fan graduated from the Master of Design Programme in 2006 and worked and studied in the UK until returning to Shanghai earlier this year to write up her PhD.

• If you don’t understand, ask.
• It’s not always because of the linguistic reasons – knowledge takes time to consume.
• Language is not just a way of communication, but also a kind of culture and a way of thinking. That is why we can’t always understand each other.
• People are nice; they won’t tease at you if you make mistakes.  If you make a mistake, laugh about it and correct it.
• Practice, practice and practice.

• Be open-minded
• Always push yourself a little bit out of your comfort zone.
• Accept whom you are, but be willing to change.

• Be independent.
• Don’t reply on your supervisors too much. You are supposed to be the expert and teach them when you are approaching the end of your study.
• Make your own decisions.
• Learn from your classmates and learn from yourself.

• Don’t apologise for your ideas, but be modest.
• Caution on the racial /ethnic / political issues.

• Work hard, you are not here to take a vacation.
• But don’t be stressed.
• Have fun. Don’t make yourself miserable, you are here to experience and enjoy.

• It’s a process of self-discovery. It brings us face to face with ourselves.
• You create the journey and the journey creates you at the same time.

• Read, not just from the library, read from newspaper, listen to the radio, but be critical.

• Don’t hide and be brave.
• Talk with people around you
• Collaborate with people

• Have faith in yourself and be confident

• Think big and be strategic.
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, because that’s how you learn.
• Embrace the freedom, but know the boundary.
• Or free yourself from the boundary and enjoy the freedom.
• Getting lost is the most common thing. Don’t panic.

• Don’t treat yourself differently just because you are not from the UK.
• Get yourself out of the room. Go travel.
• Get other people know about your home country­