UQ Program: Bachelor of Arts
I decided to do my study abroad semester at the University of Exeter in the UK which offers a great range of courses in my major, English Literature. The lecturers and tutors were great and the actual content of each class was well beyond what I had expected. I was a bit anxious about the possible differences between UQ and UE assessment criteria but after a couple of formative essays and consulting my tutor I found that it was pretty similar to UQ. Probably the most difficult part of the process was enrolling in my courses. When I arrived I was told all my chosen courses were full and I couldn’t actually be put in a class. After about an hour of conversation I think they realised it was necessary for me to be enrolled in something so eventually just put me in my original preferences. All I can say about this is get your preferences in SUPER early and then just hound whoever is your contact with emails until you get a response. No point doing maths when you major is English.
I lived in a block of flats with all international students which I actually preferred. We were all super clueless together and it was fun helping them improve their English and even learn some phrases from them. I also now have heaps of amazing friends from all over the world and people who I definitely intend to keep in contact with. They became a bit like a family to me and we all looked out for each other.
Exeter itself is a beautiful city. It’s not too big but has all the necessities for nights out, shopping and eating. It was pretty cold in January when I got there but Exeter is actually warm in comparison to the rest of the UK. Saying that, when it hit double digits people started sunbathing. The number one place to eat is Firehouse. Massive pizzas, cheap sangria jugs, live music and “apparently” J.K Rowling’s inspiration for the Leaky Cauldron. Although I’m sceptical on that last point it really is an awesome venue.
I managed to mostly stick to the budget supplied by UQ Abroad however, if you plan on doing lots of travelling, sometimes this is a little difficult. But a weekend in Paris more than makes up for a week of cereal based meals. I highly recommend the University of Exeter and the exchange experience in general. I had so much fun and just wished I could have stayed for longer. Coming back is truly the hardest part but I have so many memories and stories of the people I lived with now. The person on the left is me!