Ernie Ho

Hi everyone! My name is Ernie. I am a Year 2 student studying BSc Medical Sciences. I like my course a lot because I can acquire knowledge in different areas of medical sciences, such as human physiology, pharmacology, microbiology and else. This allows me to understand the root causes of different diseases and how we can tackle them effectively by investigating new treatments or discovering new drugs. This can potentially help people relieve or even get rid of currently incurable diseases.

I studied in secondary school in Hong Kong and finished the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) before coming to the University of Leeds. I chose to come to Leeds University because Leeds has a good reputation in life sciences and they have many advanced equipment and learning tools, allowing me to learn biomedical sciences effectively.

My experience at the University of Leeds is very wonderful. Students and all the staff here are very nice and supportive and they are eager to support me and answer my questions patiently when I have questions or problems. I remembered that when I first came to the UK, I was not confident enough to talk to local people because English is not my first language and I am afraid of making mistakes. However, my flatmates and classmates were very friendly and patient. They tried to understand my speaking and they did not mind when I asked them to repeat what they said several times. They even taught me some more jargon and vocabulary so I can understand local people’s speaking more easily.

Also, there are many clubs and societies provided by the Leeds University Union (LUU). I am a member of the chorus and Faculty of Biological Sciences (FOBS) society this year. In the chorus, we sing together every week and there will be concerts from time to time so that we can have some chance to perform. In the FOBS society, there are many socials and I can talk to people with similar interests as all of us are interested in Biology!

Besides clubs and societies, the University has given me many opportunities. I joined the Leeds KAIST International Leadership Programme last summer. In the programme, Leeds students cooperated with fifteen students from KAIST, which is a university in South Korea. This allows me to know more about Korean culture and how to work with people from different countries. Also, I visited different organizations during the programme, making me understand different social issues faced in the UK. Furthermore, I am an employee of JobLink, which is an employee agency in LUU. It provides a wide variety of shifts from different companies and I gained working experience by taking part in different shifts.

This year, I live in an en-suite in Central Village, which is a university accommodation. I have my own bathroom and I shared the kitchen with five other flatmates. Central Village is very good as it is near both the campus and the city centre. It is only a five-minute walk to the campus or the city centre. Also, there are many facilities in Central Village, including table tennis, pool tables and an on-site gym.

Leeds is a very good place to live and I have an amazing life at the University of Leeds!

In my spare time, I like singing and playing piano. I think singing is a very good way for me to express my feeling and I feel happy when I am playing music. Also, I enjoyed travelling, especially during Christmas and Easter break. I have been to Manchester, York, Durham, London and else. All of them are very lovely and there are different characteristics in different places. There are many historical landmarks in Durham and York and there is a bustling vibe in London and Manchester. Leeds has a very good location as it is in the middle of the UK. Many famous cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and York are nearby. I can go there by train in at most two hours.

If you want to chat with me about anything, feel free to message me on Unibuddy or through email ernie-link@leeds.ac.uk. Looking forward to hearing from you!