Habits that helped a Chinese international student — who started at the UTAS Language Centre — make English feel normal.
Your English is better than you think
Exams train reading and listening, so speaking lags behind — that is normal for almost everyone. Speaking improves through repetition, not more grammar study.
Practise in tiny moments
Say one extra sentence to the barista, the bus driver or the cashier each day. After a month, small talk stops being scary.
One regular group beats random chats
Pick a weekly group and keep going back. Familiar faces and repeated topics make talking much easier than meeting strangers every time.
Keep your circle, expand your voice
It's fine to find activities through Chinese-speaking friends — just agree to speak English once you're there. And don't worry about your accent: Hobart locals are patient and used to many accents.
Ready to connect with your industry?
Once you feel more confident speaking, it's time to meet people in ICT.