“The quality of teaching staff is very good. As the only exchange student in my class, they made sure I felt included and when I was struggling with schoolwork, they offered advice.”
Why did you choose Adelaide and what were your first impressions? What’s one thing you love about Adelaide?
I originally chose Adelaide because I wanted to come to Australia and study in a smaller city. Coming from Toronto, I know how it feels to live a very busy life and I wanted to experience something different. One thing I love about Adelaide is the amount of activities you can do without having access to a car or even leaving the city including being able to visit beaches, the zoo, botanical gardens and the Adelaide Oval.
Describe your first weeks, settling into classes, settling into life in Australia? Did you feel supported during this time? How did you find the support from local students (buddies)? How was your Orientation?
My first week was very busy. As I was in one of the programs which started a couple weeks early, I had to adjust and attend orientation as well as complete schoolwork quickly. I did however, feel very supported during this time. The orientation and buddies program also helped me meet a lot of other exchange students, which was really beneficial.
How would you describe the quality of teaching staff? How have they supported you during your studies?
The quality of the teaching staff is very good. As the only exchange student in my class, they made sure I felt included and when I was struggling with schoolwork, they offered advice.
What do you think of the campus facilities? Do you have a favourite spot on campus?
The campus facilities are very nice and caters well to students.
What accommodation options were available to you? How affordable was accommodation and would you recommend the same option to others?
There were a few accommodation options open to me however, I ended up going with Scape (student accommodation). It was a little more on the expensive side, taking into account the size of the room and living space I was given, but it was nice because I was grouped with other exchange students. I would recommend this option to others if they are able to afford it.
If you were to describe life in Adelaide to someone who hasn’t been here before, what would you say?
Adelaide is more on the quieter side, which means a tighter knit community. I very often saw people I have already met outside on the streets and on campus. There is so much to do here if you just look!
What advice would you give to a student who is hesitant about joining the exchange program?
I would say you need to face your fears and trust that this could be one of the best experiences of your lifetime if you want it to be. There’s going to be times where you feel scared and homesick, but it is all part of the learning curve, and you will come out of it a better person.
