Ayushmaan's Story
Hi, I’m Ayushmaan Poul, an international student pursuing International Law at the University of Birmingham. Law, for me, has never just been about books, cases, or courtrooms it’s about understanding the world. What truly drew me here was the idea of stepping beyond borders, both geographically and intellectually. International law represents that bridge between nations, cultures, conflicts, and cooperation.
A new beginning at Birmingham
When I first walked through the gates of the University of Birmingham, I had stepped into a life I had imagined yet wasn’t sure I truly belonged.
And yet, there I was, sitting in lecture halls where those very ideas were no longer abstract. They were alive. Debated. Challenged. Questioned. For the first time, I wasn’t just learning about the world I was beginning to understand my place within it.
There were moments, especially in the early days, when the silence of my room felt louder than any lecture. I’ve always been a person of few words – not quite an introvert but not someone who blends into unfamiliar groups easily. I initially found it difficult to engage and truly enjoy the environment. A new country has a way of confronting you with yourself. No familiar faces. No routines to fall back on. Just you, your thoughts, and the quiet question: can I really build something here?
The small moments that changed everything
But then came the small shifts.
One fine night, I saw my seniors engrossed in a game of chess. I walked up, asked if I could join the next round—and won. That single win broke the ice. What followed were conversations about notes, professors, and everything I needed to find my footing. Since then, they’ve been a constant source of guidance and now, I always have a chess partner.
A conversation with my classmates after class that lasted longer than expected. A laugh shared over something trivial that somehow made everything feel lighter. Slowly, almost without realizing it, Birmingham stopped feeling like a place I had arrived at and started feeling like a place I was becoming part of.
The people of Birmingham are very sweet. One evening, while heading back from classes, I was quietly carrying the weight of a bad day. Then, out of nowhere, a stranger complimented the way I walk. Such a small, fleeting moment—yet it meant everything. It softened something within me, turned my day around, and just like that, I couldn’t even remember what had felt so heavy that morning.
It’s funny how the simplest things - a “good morning” from a stranger, a quiet path, a shared smile -can make your mood happy.
Lessons beyond the classroom
Studying international law here has taught me more than legal frameworks or global systems. It has taught me adaptability. Perspective. Resilience. It has shown me that growth doesn’t always come in big, dramatic moments but in the subtle, everyday experiences that slowly shape who you are.
If there’s one thing I’ve realized, it’s this: coming here wasn’t just about pursuing a degree. It was about stepping into uncertainty and discovering that I could belong in it. Today, after months of being here, I’ve built friendships, connections, and a network that I know will shape my future. It’s not just about knowing people—it’s about having those who have your back, where a single call can pull you out of a situation, and where support flows both ways. Building a network isn’t always easy, but with the right intentions, it never really goes wrong.
And maybe that’s what international law is really about: not just bridging nations, but understanding how individuals, like me, find their place within a world that’s constantly evolving.
This isn’t the end of my story at Birmingham.
If anything, it’s just the beginning.