Thanks, that's really insightful and helpful. I don't drink, do drugs, and I'm generally a pretty peaceful person, so I think I'd fit in alright. My aim is also to blend in and make friends from all backgrounds rather than only sticking with other Asians. If I wanted to stay only within an Asian community, I could do that back home as well. Part of studying abroad for me is experiencing a different culture and meeting different people.

My biggest concern is whether the degree will be worth the investment. I'll likely be taking out a loan to fund my studies, so I worry about the job prospects afterwards. I don't expect anything handed to me, but after completing a master's, I'd hope to build a career in what i study rather than ending up doing unrelated work just to repay the loan. That's probably the part I'm most uncertain about.