On IKEA hotdogs, halal food and finding your true self

Welcome to First Year Diaries, our student blog series where we look back on the many different experiences of first year at Queen Mary. This entry was written by Aiman, a law student from Kashmir.

The photos used do not represent the people in the stories. Names have been changed for privacy.

How old were you when you started your first year at Queen Mary? 18

Had you ever been to university before? No

Arrival Day

Tell us a bit about your life growing up

I grew up between Kashmir and Saudi Arabia, which gave me a unique perspective on life from an early age. As a kid, I was quite shy, but school changed that; I met my longtime friends there, and with them I was the funniest and most extroverted person in the room. University was always the goal for me, as I knew I wanted to study at a higher level. But what really pushed me towards law was witnessing the tragic conditions in Kashmir. It made me want to understand the legal system and how it shapes people’s lives by studying law.

What was it like to say goodbye to your parents?

Initially, convincing my parents about studying abroad wasn’t easy, but my dad never questioned me. He was different from most relatives around us. I grew up in a small town, so before even reaching London, I had to travel to the capital first. The first round of goodbyes with my family felt fine; I was excited for this new chapter.

But I still remember walking into the airport alone, with my dad being the last person to say goodbye. When I looked back, it hit me—everything ahead was uncertain. In that moment, I could see that he reflected my anxieties, and it made the goodbye even heavier. I didn’t cry because I wanted to start this journey on a good note, but that last moment was incredibly emotional. My dad had worked so hard for this, and now he was sending me off, silently sharing my fears. It’s a memory that still stays with me.

As for advice, there wasn’t much. I was the first in my family of doctors to study law, let alone in a whole new country, so no one really had guidance to offer. I started in a state of confusion, figuring things out as I went. But I sought advice from seniors I met at Queen Mary, who helped me navigate this new world. The rest? I’m still figuring it out.

How did it feel when you got to campus for the first time?

The first time I stepped onto campus was during Welcome Week, after a long, chaotic journey. I had just hailed a random taxi from the airport to QM, and on the way I saw a poster of Harry Styles, which was my first oh wow, I’m really in Britain moment.

When I arrived, I had no clue where Maynard House was. I stopped a random girl for directions and she was super helpful in guiding me. Emotionally? I barely remember—I think after 20+ hours of travel, I had exactly one functioning brain cell.

As soon as I entered Maynard, my flatmates rushed toward me. We didn’t know each other at all, but their kindness really struck me. I was struggling with my luggage, and before I could even ask, they just started carrying it for me. Later, they invited me to go to IKEA with them, which made me feel so welcome. One of them is still one of my closest friends today—she even nominated me for a kindness card through ResLife, even though she was the real kind one.

Despite the exhaustion, I was running on pure adrenaline. I spent the whole day at IKEA, chatting with my new flatmates, and traveling back like I hadn’t just crossed continents. My first meal in London? An IKEA vegan hot dog—which, in hindsight, is hilarious. That night, as I finally lay in bed, staring at the sky outside my window, I just thought to myself: Where will life take me next?

Which hall of residence did you live in?

Maynard House

Did you start unpacking as soon as you got to the room?

I didn’t really unpack right away. The moment I stepped into my flat, my flatmates suggested a trip to IKEA, and without even thinking, my one functioning brain cell immediately said YES. I was excited, I wanted to be involved, and I was ready to explore as much as possible. Unpacking? That could wait. I actually didn’t get around to it until much later that week!

Tell us about meeting your first new flatmate

Since I arrived last, I was the newest flatmate, but the ones already there were incredibly welcoming. It didn’t take long for Maynard 13 to feel like our own little home—we’d have study dates together and even started a weekly dinner night where we’d cook as a flat.

I do wonder what my flatmates thought of me as the “new one,” but one thing that really stuck with me was how accommodating they were. Before moving, people back home had warned me: What if you don’t find halal food? What if you meet someone who’s Islamophobic? I had heard horror stories, like a girl’s hijab being snatched, and those fears lingered in my mind.

But then, one of my flatmates suggested we buy a cutting board together, and I explained that I couldn’t share one for meat because I only ate halal and was afraid of cross-contamination. I was ready for an awkward moment—but instead, she was completely understanding. Later on, whenever she bought me food, she’d always be the first to check if it was halal or not.

That small act of kindness meant so much to me. It reassured me that, despite my worries, I had found a space where I was respected and valued.

What did you do in the evening?

I technically explored London… but only as far as IKEA Greenwich. The funny part? While my one brain cell was quick to say yes to any plan with my flatmates, I still hadn’t figured out my UK bank account or cards. Turns out, that’s a bit of a problem in a city where most places only accept card payments.

But once again, my flatmate came to the rescue—she let me use her card, and I transferred money to her for my first day in London. When we got back in the evening, we all gathered in the kitchen, exchanging loose change and sorting through our brand-new IKEA cutlery. It felt like my first proper adulting experience.

Oh! And I can’t forget this, one of my flatmates was also new to the UK, and when she wanted to pay me back £2 for something, she handed me two pence instead. I thought it was hilarious, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her. I didn’t want her to pay me back anyway!

How were you feeling when you went to sleep that night?

That night, as I lay in bed, I kept thinking about where life would take me, what God had in store for me, and whether I had made the right decision leaving my support system behind. I’ve always been an indecisive person—no matter what choice I make, I usually find a way to regret it. But thankfully, moving abroad isn’t one of those regrets. It has already taught me so much.

I felt a mix of uncertainty and excitement for my new life in London, tucked away in my little Maynard room. But amidst all the deep thoughts, I also remembered something very important: I had completely forgotten to eat the fries that came with my IKEA hot dog. And honestly? I was still thinking about how IKEA food was such a steal—£2?! Like, yes, absolutely.

Freshers Week

Describe freshers week at Queen Mary in one word:

Diverse

What did you get up to?

During my first week I met lots of new people. One of them was actually someone I had connected with through a random international students’ Discord server! Other than that, I spent a lot of time figuring out where to buy groceries, hopping between different stores to decide which would be the go-to.

I didn’t meet too many people beyond my flatmates and a few friends I made in lectures, but I did go on the Food Society’s Chinatown tour, which was super fun! Trying different foods in Chinatown was such a cool experience.

For flat bonding, one of my favorite moments was when my flatmate and I made a Hello Kitty pizza (picture below). It was chaotic but so much fun.

Honestly, during that first week, I was still running on my one brain cell. Between trying to cook for myself, keeping up with chores, and balancing uni and extracurriculars, I barely had time to even think about homesickness or isolation. I was just in full survival mode.

How did you feel when the first day of classes was looming?

I was actually looking forward to my first ever lecture in Contract Law. But what I wasn’t prepared for was the aggressive sound of typing. I wasn’t used to taking notes on Google Docs or Microsoft Word, so it felt strange to see everyone so prepped, typing away like professional stenographers.

To be honest, I was confused. I usually just listen to lectures and jot down key points, so I was surprised to see students typing out their own notes in real time instead of annotating the material. And they were fast. By this point, you already know my one decent brain cell was doing its best—but this? This was intimidating even for that little girlie.

The First Week of Classes

What was your very first class/lecture like?

Overwhelming and intimidating for how different the lecture was to the teaching I was used to.

Did you meet any memorable people in your classes?

Me and my Discord server friend were determined to become the next Harvey Specter around this time, so you know I was trying to attend as many law firm events as possible while also wrapping my head around how different studying law actually was.

Now, I have a hilarious memory from those early days. We set up this group chat called "Study Group" (cue Back Packer—what a banger from the Study Group drama). You’d think it would be just as cool as the show, right? Wrong. From the very first session, two people didn’t even bother showing up. And for the rest of our "sessions"? Yeah, they never did.

One of those people, let’s call her Pumpkin, is actually one of my closest friends now, which makes it even funnier that she ghosted our study sessions. But the real plot twist? One of the guys, let’s call him Apple, turned out to be a total weirdo. He was doing some very sketchy stuff online, and honestly, that’s probably what led to the Study Group completely falling apart.

So yeah… no first-class legal dreams with that group anymore. LOL.

One Year On…

How did your feelings about your classes change with time?

Some classes were tough, while others were easier to get by. But the whole time, I was anxious—I had no idea if what I was doing was enough to get the grades I wanted. Law was completely new to me, and coming from a background of physics, chemistry, and biology (because, of course, my doctor family wouldn’t let me escape those subjects LOL), it felt like a whole different world.

But then, I got my very first grade back—for Land Law, of all things—and it was a First Class. I was overjoyed but also even more determined to keep improving in this new field. Law felt like uncharted territory, but slowly, I was figuring it out. Do I have it all in stride now? Not quite. I still need help sometimes, but I’m definitely not as lost as I was in the beginning.

On the whole, what was your first year at Queen Mary like?

Looking back, my first year at Queen Mary wasn’t particularly impressive or disappointing—I felt pretty neutral about it. I didn’t meet too many people in the first week, and funnily enough, my closest friends now aren’t the ones I met back then. In fact, I’m not really close to any of my first-week acquaintances at all.

One big lesson I learned was that you really have to find your own crowd, and that’s not always easy. Even after three years, I’m still not sure if I’ve fully found mine. But what I have found is myself. I’ve learned so much more about who I am, and honestly, that’s something I’m really happy about.  

If you had any advice for current or incoming first year students, what would it be?

Do you. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it. Just for the sake of an experience, I personally don’t think it’s worth going against your values. And honestly, when you’re just yourself, you’ll find people like you much more easily.

If you’re shy, don’t beat yourself up about it. There’s probably someone even more introverted than you, and you might just click with them.

Equally, if you do want to do something, DO IT. Don’t wait for a bucket list to pile up, don’t wait for the perfect opportunity, and don’t even wait for a friend to tag along. Just go for it.