Amelia Hutchinson

Why did you choose your host university?

I choose the University of Liverpool because I had few options of partners that my course would give me credit for and of these I choose Liverpool as the thought of having the rest of Europe so close greatly appealed to me.

What was the university like?

The University of Liverpool is a very highly regarded university in England and is part of the prestigious Russel Group. The classes and contact hours are very similar to UniSA. The greatest difference for me as an architecture student was having most of my grades achieved at the very end of the semester with a 100% studio assignment and 70% exams which is different to UniSA having assignments spread out across the semester however, this depends on the course you are studying. Architecture students, Liverpool Uni is great because they provide you with all the materials you will need, you have free access to the laser cutter, 3D printing and large scale printing!

What did you gain from your exchange experience and has it changed the way you think or altered your approach to life?

I have become a lot more confident in approaching people and new experiences since exchange and now if I am not constantly doing something I find I am bored. I have also begun to care less what people think of me and how I act/look and focused on doing what I enjoy.

What accommodation options were available to you?  How affordable was accommodation and would you recommend the same option to others?

The university offered a wide range of accommodation, but I would recommend staying at the exchange student campus housing called Tudor Close. Tudor Close has 15 houses/flats and in each live 5-9 exchange students. It is a great place to meet people as everyone is there for similar reasons and you can find your niche, as well as meet people from all over the world.

If Tudor Close is full then exchange students are housed in Melville Grove which is where the first year Liverpool students live but you are placed in a house of just exchange students which is lots of fun. Both accommodations are ideally located, in the heart of the University Campus and five minutes walk to the town centre. The accommodation is self-catered and you get your own room, it is reasonably priced for its location, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else!

Describe your travel experiences; did you travel locally or to neighbouring countries? 

I definitely took advantage of having Europe at my doorstep. Liverpool has an international airport and trains and buses that take you around the UK, if you have another destination in mind Manchester airport is only an hour away and has plenty more options. It is so much cheaper to travel to different European cities than trying to go Australia. I have come to realise I never spent more than three weeks in Liverpool because weekend trips to neighbouring countries was far too tempting! During the semester we also had a three-week Easter break which allowed for more time to travel and I also spent two months following my exchange to travel more of Europe.

Describe how you adjusted to life in a different country and how you met new people.

England did not have a huge culture shock for me expect the gloomy weather was something to get used to. Meeting new people was relatively easy because I was living with exchange students and we all didn’t know anyone and we all had to get out of our comforts zone, so that we have people to hang out with. Orientation is a day to really try and get to know as many people as you can because all the exchange students are in one place. Everyone lived within 50 metres of each other and there was always something to do and everyone is very accepting. Liverpool is a student city so there was somewhere to go every night of the week.

Can you see any benefits from this exchange to your future career?

I think one of the huge benefits of being on exchange is how much more confident I am talking to people and talking about myself. It has also opened my eyes to the opportunities abroad and how much you can experience and learn from over cultures. I think people are also very impressed when they look at your resume and see that you have taken advantage of the opportunity to live away from home and study in another country.

What advice would you give to a student who was hesitant or considering joining the exchange program?

DO IT! You may never get the opportunity to live overseas especially while you are young and studying. Australia doesn’t have the ‘college experience’ that over countries do so definitely take advantage of chance to experience it while you can. You meet people from all around the world and make friendships and memories that last a life time.