Hithere!MynameisDianaStromvigandI’mfromEswatini,formerlyknownasSwaziland.IamcurrentlytheonlySwaziatZUSTandI’maproudZUSTer!I’mpresentlya3rdyearInternationalEconomicsandTradestudentandpresidentoftheInternationalStudentsUnion2020/2021.Thesepast3yearsatZUSThavetaughtmenothingmorethantoberesilient,hardworkingandbetteryet,adventurous.

Isettledinveryquicklyduringmyfirstyear,thefriendlyatmosphereatZUSTallowedmetodoso.AtZUSTyouwillbeamazedbyhowmanyinternationalstudentsareactivelyassistingnewstudents,handlingofficerelatedmatters,andjustalwaysvolunteeringadviceandinformationinbigstudentgroups.IgreatlyappreciateaboutZUSTbecauseitallowedmetobeopentoexploremanyextentsattheoffice,extra-curricularactivitiesandthereadilyavailablesupportsystemevenboostedmyconfidenceintheclassroom.

Theysay‘teamworkmakesthedreamwork’,IlearntwhatthisactuallymeansduringmysecondyearatZUSTwhenIwaselectedSecretaryoftheISU.Thiswasnosimpletask,butittaughtmehowtointeractwithdifferentpersonalities,timemanagementskillsandlastly,thatworkdoesn’talwayshavetobegrimandserious,wefoundjoyinservingstudentssoeverythingwedidasateamwasfun.

ThisinturnenabledmetotakeonaveryheavyandsignificantroleasPresidentoftheISU2020/2021.Ihaveawonderful,vibrantandverysupportiveteam,eventhoughwehavehadtryingtimesduringthisCOVID-19era,Icouldn’thavechosenabetterteamtocallmyfriends.Personally,IhavehadtoovercomechallengesI’dneverimagined.IappreciatethatwithZUSTIhaveevolved,grownandmaturedinwaysunbelievablethatcontinuetopreparemeforthefuture.

BeingatZUSTpushedmetowardsmyhobbies.Myveryfirsthobbyistotraveltheworld,partofthereasonIcametostudyinChinaisbecauseoftheburningpassionIhavefornewworlds,culturesandlanguages.I’mgladIchoseChina.BecausenotonlydidImeetacoupleofirreplaceablefriends,butIalsogottolearnaremarkablelanguage-Chinese.WithmyChineselevelI’vebeenabletomakeChinesefriends,join2poetryrecitationcompetitions,whereIhavelanded3rdplace;writtenHSKexamsandlastly,travelleddifferentpartsofChina,withnofearofgettinglostbecauseofthelanguagebarrier.

ThefirstclubsIjoinedweredanceclubanddebateclub.Mytwoleftfeetquicklyshowedmethatdebateclubwasmystrongersuit.I’vebeenadebatememberforfirstyear.IhavealwaysadmiredactressesandactorsonTV,butatZUST,Iwasgivenanopportunitytoexperienceatinybitofacting.Ienjoyedeverysecondofit.It’ssafetosaythatactingistrulyoneofmyhobbies.IwashonoredtomeettwodifferentDramaclubsatZUSTwhichIfoundasecondfamilyin.It’snevertoolatetofindnewpassions,IimploreZUSTerstotryoutnewclubs,makeitahabittosnapoutofyourcomfortzoneeverynowandthen,you’llbeamazedhowmanynewfriendsyouwillmakeandwhatskillsyouhavewaitingtobediscovered.Aftermultipleactingskitsonstagewemanagedtofilmoneshortmovie

I’mintriguedbyeveryChinesefestival,andsoitwasanhonortobepartofZUST’sofficialDragonBoatteamin2018.Ihaddiscoveredanewfavoritewateractivity.

I’mafirstDanTaekwondoblackbelt,IjoinedthisMartialArtsin2011.Thisismyonelongtruepassionaftertravelingtheworld.I’veexploredthemodelingworldaswell,becauseweonlyliveonceandIimploreanyonewhohasn’tfoundhis/herpassionyettogoallout.

Asidefromallthenewlydevelopedtalents,I’maneconomistbyprofession.I’mafirmbelieverthatuniversitydaysareforfunandforexploringnewthingsbutI’veneverletthatgetinthewayofmystudies.Ipridemyselfofbeingabletomanagemytimewell,Iurgemanyuniversitystudentstodothesame.Letplaytimebeplaytimeandworktimebeworktime.Withthisdriveandmentality,Ihavemanagedtoacquirefulltuitionscholarships,withaGPAranking1twice,year2&3.IwillforeverbegratefulthatZUSTrewardshardwork.

Universityyearsaremeantforustofindourselves,havefunandbeadventurousbutdon’tneglectyourpriorities.Myadvicetonewstudentsisyoucandoanythingyousetyourmindto.MakeuseoftheZUST’sresources,teachers,seniorstudents,ISUActivitiesforrelaxationandmanymore.Livealittle,findyourpathevenbusinesswise,butsetyourboundaries.Toexistingandpotentialgraduates;thehigheryougo,thetougheritgets,mayyouallfindthestrengthnecessarytogiveityourultimatebest.