International student profiles content store_hidden Mirin Hamada Our students and alumni

Tell us about yourself

I am a uni student from Japan.

After I got accepted into Meiji University in Japan, I went to California State University in the United States as an exchange student.

It was also a good experience for me, however, it was not a convenient environment to move around without a car in California.

So, I decided to come to the UK for study so that I could widen my friend groups and experiences.

And the reason why I chose London Met Uni is because it is close to the city centre in London and it allows me to be independent. I like the convenient transportation and good access to the other European countries.

What's your favourite part of the course?

I really like the business courses because there are lots of classes that I can’t take in Japan. For example, a project management class. We can learn about that in the management class but it is only surface. I really like that project management has its own class.

Tell us about any work-related experience you've had as part of your time at London Met

I was working as a Social Media Ambassador in marketing for the University. I could use my experience as a social marketing intern in Japan. It was so much fun to shoot film about the University and the life in London with colleagues.

What's been most challenging about being a student?

I would say living costs. Since the Japanese currency exchange rate is so bad right now, I always needed to save up some money. For me, I had to pay twice as much as a Londoner.

How have you found the professors / teachers?

I like that the professors have so much passion to teach us their knowledge with their own experiences.

What drives you? 

I really like to be stimulated in lots of ways. And I really like to challenge myself.

What are you most proud of in your life so far? 

I am so proud of myself that I kept putting myself in a harsh environment. For me, living in two different countries in several years in a row was so challenging. I had lots of hardships because of the cultural differences and friendships. My environment constantly changed and I had to adopt to that well.

Do you have a favourite place within the University and why?

I like the cafe on the first floor. I really like their tasty drinks and tasty patisserie. I often bought some treats for myself.

And a favourite place in London?

I love Soho. Every time I go there, I buy both Mango bubble bloom from Heytea and Malatang. I also love to see many historic buildings around there. It always made me think that it was good choice to come to London.

Tell us a little bit about your interests outside of uni and why they are important to you.

I put importance on my friendships. Since I regretted that I was in the international student community in America and didn’t hang out with local people, I tried to be friends with people from the University and proactively ask them to hang out. This was my best decision. Local friends showed me around London and gave me lots of experiences I would never have if I were only mingling with international students.

What's your career plan, and how do you think London Met will help you succeed in this? 

I am thinking to apply for international companies in Japan. This whole Study Abroad session helped me to acquire good communication skills in English and helped me to get used to talk with someone in English without getting overwhelmed. And I could take advantage of these skills in the job market in Japan.

Anything else you'd like to mention that we didn't talk about above? 

This experience also helped me to travel around Europe. It had been in my bucket list for ages. Thanks to the good London location, I have traveled around more than 12 countries by myself during this Study Abroad program for two semesters.

Any tips for students new to London Met?

You can make friends in a seminar class. Don’t be shy!! Everyone is so sweet and they will talk to you.