UQ Program: Bachelor of Engineering
After a semester of studying abroad at UCSD, I am now deeply in love with America and its people. When I first arrived at orientation, I was super nervous about fitting into the new environment. However, everyone there was so kind and welcoming that I immediately settled in with no difficulty. On that same day, not only did I met new fellow Australian mates but also heaps others from France, Japan, Mexico, etc.
For my accommodation, I lived at International house on campus. Living on campus was a brand new experience for me and I absolutely loved it! I had 3 roommates, two Americans and one from Estonia. Although we were all from different cultures and backgrounds, we all bonded really well and we even stayed up one night just talking and comparing the different cultures and traditions in each country!
I think if anyone didn’t live on campus during their study abroad, they would miss out on a lot of activities, events and PARTIES!!!
Recreation at UCSD campus is very convenient. As international house is located very close to the gym, it was very easy for me to go there for a quick workout; the gym and all sporting facilities are FREE for UCSD student and staff! (I think UQ should do that too!) I was able to participate in one of the recreational classes, Bollywood dancing. I had never done this type of dance before, but it was really fun and burnt most of the extra fat that I had accumulated throughout the weeks in America. So, thankfully I didn’t gain any extra weight when I came back to Australia.
UCSD is located in La Jolla, very close to the beach. From where I lived, the closest beach was only a cliff down. So for beach and surf lovers, I think this would be the ideal university to go to on exchange.
Academically, I thought the American college system differed vastly from the UQ way. As my major is Chemical Engineering, there were usually a lot of tute questions and assignments to complete. At UQ, the tutors go through examples and guide you through sample questions, which usually are pretty similar to assignment or exam questions. However, in America, they will teach you the concept and expect you to do everything else yourself. For me, this was the most difficult part of the exchange. But thankfully, I had a friend from UQ doing the same major on exchange.
One interesting experience I had when I was enrolling to courses was that, although I had enrolled in the compulsory chemical engineering courses I needed, I still had'nt fulfilled the full time student criteria as an exchange student. By that time, most classes were full except for this one course that really caught my interest- Gospel Choir. The course was very intriguing and all you had to do in that class was to sing and donly attendance counted. UCSD is a lot more flexible in choosing electives or minor courses. They have courses like Asian film study, dance training and even media related courses that can count towards your unit. For those who get the opportunity to do so, I think it’s quite worthwhile as you would really enjoy the exchange experience to do something different.
I also experienced Halloween and Thanksgiving in America. They are both big celebrations in the States, especially Thanksgiving, it was one of the most memorable moments I had in USA. I stayed with my American friend during Thanksgiving. Everyone in her family was very friendly and had a great sense of humor. The variety and amount of food served that day was just extravagant. My food baby was just getting bigger and bigger. On that following day, we went Black Friday shopping which is like Boxing Day in Australia, but everything in America is so much cheaper than Australia.
Overall, throughout my study abroad exchange, I believe I have learnt to engage, communicate, and understand the attitude, values and beliefs of people from all around the world. I believe I have also observed a wider picture of the different education system and living style of different nations.
I strongly recommend everyone to go study abroad as it will broaden your vision about the world and extend the ability of what you can achieve in your study and the future.