UQ Program: Bachelor of Arts
I just cannot believe that it is time to say goodbye to UCLA and to US. The past five months is like a dream. A sweet dream, definitely.
I still remember the first day I went to UCLA. I forgot to take my umbrella and it rained heavily. The campus is huge and I totally got lost. People’s accent was so American and it seemed that I was in the setting of an American drama. I wanted to buy some tacos for my lunch while the staff greeted me in a strange language I did not understand. This was such a world where I had no friends to have classes together and I felt uncomfortable because I was familiar with nothing. So I was so upset and I wondered how I could survive in the following months. Did I make a right decision to come here? I really missed UQ and everything in Australia.
But now, you can figure out how much I enjoy staying here. Everything starts with a difficult beginning, once you overcome it, you will see it differently. For example, I can reply “Muy bien” when someone asks “¿Cómo estás?” and “Hola” and “Gracias” have also become my daily expression. I did not know that Spanish is used so widely in America before I came here. Spanish seems to be the second official language that you are supposed to be able to speak somewhat. I even took Spanish class as my elective and what I learn helps me to better understand the multiculturalism of American society.
Studying in UCLA is really a challege because you need to adjust to quarter system instead of semester system. An academic year is constituted of three quarters, which means you have less time in every quarter. In addition, UCLA’s exams are scheduled from Saturday of the final week, which means you do not have a revision week to prepare for your exam. Therefore, you really need to make sure you spend enough time on your daily assignments. Another important thing you need to pay attention to is the class enrollment process. Unlike UQ, the enrollment will not open until one or two weeks before the next quarter. Students in different years (senior, junior, etc) are assigned in different time slot to enrol. If a class is full, you may be put on a waitlist. Most professors will enrol students in the waitlist, but be careful that some of them will not. If you cannot even enrol in a waitlist, you’d better talk to the professor.
Believe it or not, being an exchange student in another country will be your once-in-a-lifetime unforgettable experience. Open your mind and everything you encounter will surprise you.
Tips: Watch out for the daylight saving time if applicable (it usally begins from March).
Try Californians’ favourite burger at In & Out. The shake there is the best one I’ve ever had.
Co-op is a good alternative if you do not want to stay on-campus. Meals are included in the rent and you have a good opportunity to meet lots of people from all over the world.
Register with the Dashew center for international students. The staff are really friendly and helpful. They not only care about your problems (academic or personal), but also organize various kinds of interesting activities you can enjoy (movie night, group travel, coffee break, etc).