In honor of the tenth anniversary of Drammen International we have decided to interview some former Drammen International students. Bilal Sheikh is a student at NTNU in Trondheim, where he is currently studying Energy and Electrical Engineering. However, he also takes a great interest in politics, as energy and politics are closely connected these days.
When asked about the reasons why he chose Drammen International, as opposed to general studies (studiespesialisering), he said that DI was an interesting alternative, especially the fact that many subjects were taught in English, which meant that students were encouraged to adopt an international perspective.
Another thing that he appreciated is the fact that in a DI class students automatically find class-mates with whom they have a lot in common. Most importantly, perhaps, is the fact that everybody shares the same ambition – becoming proficient in English.
So, to what extent has his advanced level of English been useful in his studies? As Sheikh is doing an Engineering degree at NTNU, most of his textbooks are in English. In fact having experience studying various subjects in English in Drammen International has turned out to be a great advantage.
In his experience DI students enjoyed a very good relationship with their teachers. One of his best memories is the trip to London with his class when he was in his final year. He says that ever since the first year, his class-mates were really excited about this trip. In London they explored the city, watched the musical Mamma Mia and visited various museums and had a lot of fun together. He says: “It was the most memorable trip we had together”.
After having graduated from Drammen International he has stayed in touch with his class-mates, even though they are studying at many different universities, in Norway and abroad. Sometimes his class organizes get-togethers. Recently he went to Australia to visit the class-mate who sat next to him on the very first day at Drammen videregående. That’s truly in the spirit of Drammen International!
Looking back, what advice would he give present DI students? Firstly, he says that students should not really focus so much on getting top grades. After all, grades don’t define who you are. Many opportunities are open to students who get average grades, too. Don’t let the pursuit of top marks overshadow everything else.
What he does think is important to learn in upper secondary school, however, is self-discipline and working systematically. At university, there are few requirements when it comes to presence and students have to plan and structure their days themselves, which may be a challenge for students who have not already developed their skills to do so. At university people don’t really care what you do. Whether you do your work or not is entirely your own responsibility. To be able to succeed as a university student it is important to start preparing while in upper secondary. In Sheik’s opinion, Drammen International proved to be an excellent way to prepare for his future studies.
Tekst: Gabriela Barraza Svennevig og Siri Hunstadbråten