UK – Elise
Student: Elise
Course: Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science
Program: Trimester exchange T2 2024
Describe the city you were living in: the landscape, the culture, the weather etc
I lived in Glasgow, a city I found to be both naturally beautiful as well as very cool and progressive. I lived in the city’s West End which was vibrant and full of lovely parks, cafes and museums. I felt very safe in this area and was pleasantly surprised with how much the student culture impacts the city. Most food places had special deals or discounts for uni students and buses were free for all students under the age of 22. My favourite season was Autumn as all the parks turn the most beautiful colours. Whilst Winter wasn’t too cold it was hard to get used to the early sunsets.
Did you go on any memorable trips to explore your host country or maybe a nearby country?
I went on a road trip through Scotland including Inverness, Isle of Skye, St Andrews and Aberdeen. Scotland has some of the prettiest landscapes and natural beauty I’ve ever seen, and it was a really great opportunity to experience all aspects of the country I was living in. I also had many opportunities to travel to other countries including doing a trip with my housemates to Dublin, as well as travelling in the European summer before my exchange began.
How did you make friends and what sort of things did you do together?
I made friends with my housemates which was easy as I was spending a lot of time with them. I was friendly with all my housemates however I found myself spending the most time with two of them. We all signed up to the university gym together so would walk to workout classes together, get coffee together and we also joined the uni netball squad together. I think the easiest way to find friends on exchange is to bond over similar interests and then you can have company doing the things you love. I also attended orientation week events which allowed me to meet new people.
What was something that challenged you?
Even though I was having an amazing time I did experience a lot of home sickness as to do this exchange I had to leave a lot of the people I love at home. I found that having a set time every day where I could facetime someone from home really helped as it became a part of my schedule. It also helps to know that an exchange is only a small chapter in your life and in no time the experience will be over, so you need to make the most of it.
How will your trip add value to your studies ie. Did you gain credit? Was it to increase your employability?
I will have gained 4 credits from my studies at the University of Glasgow. The units that I completed were all electives which meant that I could really enjoy my studies overseas. I find myself really enjoying studying throughout the trimester because I could fully immerse myself in student life and just learn for the fun of it without no other working commitments. Coming back from my exchange has also made me feel so refreshed and inspired to finish the last year in my course.