How Mido is making his time in the UK count

• 19 Nov, '18
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Mido is an international student living at [The Glassworks](https://www.iconinc.co.uk/locations/leeds-the-glassworks) in Leeds and he’s here to tell you a bit more about how he’s making the most of his time studying in the UK… The past few years in Leeds have been life changing for me, filled with countless activities that I would never have pictured myself doing in a million years. I’m currently in my second year at the University of Leeds and this year I’ve challenged myself to try things that I’ve not yet experienced while living in the UK. Things like going to Chester Zoo, doing the Otley Run, and visiting bars and restaurants that I’ve never been to before, are at the top of this year’s to-do list.

Here are some of the places and things that I’ve tried lately:

Headrow House

Just the other week I went to Headrow House, an event space in the city centre, to watch one of the best DJ sets I have ever experienced. There’s a beer hall where you can also get food, a cocktail bar and two roof terraces – it’s a really cool place. The event I went along to was played by Or:la a very famous techno DJ who combines funk and techno together. Since I’ve never been there before and had such a good night, the evening motivated me to try out more popular local places, rather than just heading to the usual places that my friends and I have come to know.

The Otley Run

In my search to find new activities to try in Leeds, me and my friends recently had a go at the Otley Run. The Otley Run is one of the most famous bar crawl challenges in the UK. All you need to do is gather a few friends that are as crazy as you and hit 16 bars along Otley Road. You can find the route [here](https://leeds-list.com/food-and-drink/the-beginners-guide-to-the-otley-run/). I must say that it was one of the funniest nights I have ever had while studying at Leeds. Even though we finished at the sixth bar, we all had a blast and I’m sure we’ll be revisiting this challenge again very soon. I feel as an international student it’s sometimes hard to take the risk and visit places you aren’t familiar with, but most of the time it will always be better than you’ve expected.

Roundhay Park

Another thing I have started to do recently is go to different parks around Leeds. I never knew that there was a park in Roundhay and it has quickly become one of my go-to places. I was surprised by the amount of Ducks, Geese and Swans that live in the park. It’s funny when they notice that you’ve brought bread and they all instantly run towards you. The entire park is also surrounded by beautiful trees and there’s a huge lake right in the heart of the park which adds to its beauty. My favourite thing about going to the park is all of the different things you can do there. You can walk around, do yoga, go for a jog, read a book on a bench – anything you like. Roundhay Park also has a mini zoo called Tropical World which has many types rainforest animals including lizards, frogs, snakes, birds and butterflies.

My message to everyone is to get out of their comfort zone and start to explore all of the places that are right here in Leeds just waiting for you. I promise you won’t regret it. Find out more about our vibrant student community, [here](https://www.iconinc.co.uk/our-community).