I am Umar and I would like to be your one of your next NUS Representatives. As a first-year international undergraduate student of computing, I have noticed and personally experienced that settling in as an international student is not always easy especially in this time of COVID-19. I believe a lot more can be done to improve the supports available for the students who live thousands of miles away from home. No one should feel isolated; just because you have not grown up here, it does not mean you do not belong.
I possess the required experience and knowledge to carry out this role, but I genuinely want to help students that are going through hard times. I am hopeful that my current experience has put me in a strong position to carry out this role.
During my time in this role, I have set out certain goals I wish to achieve, alongside continuing the amazing work started by those before me.
We all know how mental health can affect our studies and life for all students on campus and sometimes our voices can be forgotten so one of our key focuses will be to be that voice for you!
Rent can sometimes drag us into overdrafts or even have us living off pot noodles because of how expensive it can get, which is why we will stand with Rent Strike to voice affordable rent for students!
Climate change is on the uprise more than ever, and as students, we should be fighting to protect our planet, which is why we want to make sure that our national union of students is doing everything to prioritize sustainability and the environment!