As we wrap up the 2020-21 academic year sat on Queen’s Lawn in the beautiful British sunshine, relaxing after a swarm of exams, it is a good time to reflect on the events of this year.
Having been away from home for 10 months, my time in London flew extremely quickly. Despite the current trials and tribulations of the pandemic, I still had the opportunity to meet my fellow classmates and immerse myself in my degree.
With all of our lectures conducted virtually on Microsoft Teams, my appreciation for something so trivial like a catch up over coffee or any sort of human interaction has certainly increased! Despite the lockdowns, the difficult global circumstances, and the social distancing, student camaraderie still exists.
During the second national lockdown, to cheer ourselves up, every week my flatmates and I cooked up a Sunday dinner (which always had to include main and dessert!). This weekly tradition kept our mind off of work which was so incredibly important.
I look back on the past year and think about my expectations prior to entering Imperial. Given the prestigious and rigorous nature of Imperial, I expected Imperial to be an intellectual challenge; I knew I had to work hard. But what exceeded my expectations were the people I met. Here I was, surrounded by kind people who are all talented, curious and strive to be excellent – which I found empowering and motivating. Even in spite of COVID-19, human connections and bonding can still be made.
When some kind of normalcy does eventually arrive, I can’t wait to be inspired by more people in the student community and to further experience what university has to offer us.
Onwards to the next academic year!
Nicholas Kwok
ICAAHK Scholar 2020-2021
MEng Mechanical Engineering (Class of 2024)