Hello folks! I am Aishwarya, an MBA student (with placement year) at Loughborough University. I was born and brought up in Bangalore, which is the IT hub of India.

Since I joined my MBA program in October, I felt it was a little too soon for me to visit my home country again for the winter break, considering the time and cost involved, hence I decided to stay back at Loughborough. I also had a couple of pieces of course work to submit in January-February, that would conclude the first term. As I hail from India, where we do not celebrate Christmas extensively and extravagantly, staying back in Loughborough let me explore the UK and learn more about the British Christmas traditions. Fortunately, I was able to witness the first snow of the year in the first week of December.

Business School get together

A week before the Christmas break, my mentor and program director, along with other module leaders, organised a Christmas party for the MBA cohort before we all planned to break for vacation. The party also involved secret santa, where I received cute alligator socks as a gift from an anonymous classmate. The event consisted of a great dinner, which included Asian cuisine. Some of us felt very emotional after dinner as the food reminded us of home. We also set up Karaoke sessions for students and lecturers. Post the event, we all had an after party across some of the off-campus accommodation where our classmates resided.

Moreover, our university organised a Christmas social, specially for Business School students, beneficial for networking. We also had a photobooth session for our social media, which was a free service offered at the event. The dinners at the events had a variety of meals and desserts to choose from, alongside two complimentary drinks. The dinner was followed by games, where some of my cohort involved their little ones, who added more joy to the night.

Uni support

Once we were done with the classes for first term, my classmate and friends at the apartment flew back to their home country to celebrate their vacation with their loved ones. Eventually, I started feeling homesick and encountered a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out) as I witnessed the Instagram stories of my international friends partying in their home country. Thanks to Loughborough University, I was able to get out of my comfort zone (and my bed every morning) looking forward to attending a couple of small gatherings and games, which contained lip-smacking pizzas and meal options.

These events were very insightful as I could network with people from different nationalities who had stayed back for Christmas. I also learned more about the British customs for Christmas. Moreover, I was also able to catch up with my on-campus classmates, whom I met in the library to have a chat, where we also discussed the coursework topics and brainstormed the report structure. We enjoyed some hot chocolates and cakes at the university cafes. I also visited Christmas markets that were spread across the town.

Trying new things

Since Tesco supermarket sold mulled wine (which we had never tried before), I purchased a bottle to share with my flat mates. We had an amazing evening, heating the mulled wine (since it is meant to be heated in a saucepan) and drinking it alongside some fried chicken and chips. Some of my friends who had also never tried mulled wine before thoroughly enjoyed its taste. It was a heartwarming experience for us as its spices reminded us of our home country.

Christmas and New Year Parties

On Christmas Eve, a resident at our student accommodation organised a house party for his birthday. We all listened to Christmas songs and drank London Dry Gin mixed with lemonade, which enchanted our senses. The house party helped me get familiar with my co-residents and build a bond that would last forever. Thankfully, I was able to collect some funny stories from the party, which I will cherish forever.

Despite the chilly weather throughout December and January, we planned to visit Nottingham for a New Year’s Eve party organised by the students at a pub. Everyone at the apartment got dressed in glittery, colourful attire to make the party more happening (and capture Instagrammable photos). Once we entered the party, we received complementary Prosecco at the bar. We had a great time, everyone chatted and danced all night long. Celebrating the New Year in the UK was a very enriching experience for me.

On the first of January, I was invited by my Chinese friends to celebrate with them. I arranged some desserts for the celebration. We gathered at John Phillips (on-campus student accommodation), where my Chinese classmates made the arrangements. We all joined in helping make different types of steamed dumplings. I came across a very surprising Chinese tradition where gold coins were hidden in dumplings. My friend mentioned that this signifies good fortune and prosperity to whoever receives the dumpling with a gold coin.

Next Christmas

Overall, I had a great experience celebrating Christmas at Loughborough, along with my classmates and flatmates. Despite feeling homesick, I tried to enjoy every second in the UK. This year, I will be spending Christmas with my family in the UK and I am looking forward to welcoming them so they can learn more about British Christmas celebrations and make the most of their Christmas holidays. I look forward to collecting more memories this Christmas (and New Year).