Seize this great opportunity!

When asked to provide a brief overview of my semester abroad at the University of Reading, I genuinely found it hard to summarise. While it is an old cliché to talk about exchange as a ‘life changing experience’, it is certainly well deserved for my semester at Reading.

Coming from Australia, what is practically the other side of the world, I did initially feel daunted by the task of surviving on my own. However, the Study Abroad team worked tirelessly to ensure that all exchange students were settled in as soon as possible. This was done by organising trips around the UK, frequently communicating with us over email, and providing academic advisors to ensure we were on track with our studies and campus life.

Come November, I really felt that I had settled in to life in the UK. I was really enjoying my classes, had met great people from Britain and the rest of the world, and felt part of a community on campus. During the mid-semester break I even got to travel to London and Berlin!

Come December, I realised that my time had flown by, but I felt that I had really made the most of my semester. It was a great way to end with the winter ball and Christmas celebrations around campus. While my time at Reading certainly felt short, I think that’s a testament to how great the experience was! At no point did I feel it dragged, or that I made a mistake coming here. So to anyone reading this who’s deciding whether to come to Reading on exchange, please seize this great opportunity!