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‘It was probably the most lonely experience I have ever had’: International students talk of Christmas away from home

“I didn’t have human contact for a month.”

Most students were unaffected by international travel restrictions. But for those that travelled from other countries to attend university, their stories are a lot different.

After the country found itself in lockdown during Christmas, second-year Sports Journalism student, Drake Rogut, was left unable to travel home to Arizona and was left feeling isolated.

“You have the obvious things like missing home, family and lacking a sense of togetherness you feel around the holidays. It just left me with the loneliest experience I will probably ever experience.”

Despite Drake’s isolating experience, not all students felt the same way.



En Yi Lee is a third-year international Film student from Malaysia that last travelled home before the coronavirus pandemic.


Despite the long time away from her family, En Yi felt supported by the university.

“The uni runs an event every week for international students called the global café. It’s a nice event to make new friends with people who share similar experiences, even if we are from different places.”

En Yi felt that she had a good support system around her and a lot of her friends also stayed at the university during the holidays. “We had a lot of house parties among ourselves.”

Drake, 19, felt more removed from his friends over the Christmas period and struggled the most when his WIFI went down for two days.

“I stay connected with my friends over the internet and when I didn’t have that… it was the worst experience of my life.”

As for support from the university, Drake personally didn’t take up any of there offers.

“I appreciate the emails that I received, like I was offered a Christmas get-together, so I will say the university did their best. I suppose there wasn’t much else they could do since I wasn’t willing to reach out.”

Asha Sutton, the Diversity and Welfare Officer for the Student Union said:
“Last year, we were very concerned for this cohort of students, and lobbied the university to have things in place for them if they needed to stay or isolate. We supported the accommodation team and the chaplaincy team to provide food hampers/deliveries and have free Christmas dinner meals available for a student, should they like one.”

As for this year, En Yi is not going home as she has to work, but says that “my friends do plan to visit the Christmas markets, so it will still be a fun one.”

Drake is excited to return home. “I will be here for Christmas, but in January I am going home for a week and it is indescribable relief and happiness that it brings me.”

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