These past 6 months have really been the best months ever! Never have I been so grateful for being given such an amazing opportunity. Studying at the University of Adelaide enabled me to meet many other students of the same and similar courses, learn about different topics which we would not usually touch in Southampton as well as carry out lab work in a different to home. Being surrounded by all these really did give me an insight to what I wanted to do in the future and not just in an academic view. After my semester finished, I stuck around for an extra month to travel Australia and honestly, this was one of the best decisions I’ve made and would recommend it to anyone who is also studying abroad. During this time, I learnt a lot about the country I was in, the culture but most importantly I learnt a lot about myself. Throwing myself in the deep-end and going travelling meant there were many first-time experiences for me and I am now able to do things I were not able to do before. I can now peel my own prawns, eat oysters, swim in the sea and even go camping! But, I think the achievement I am most proud of is becoming a more open individual. There are many interesting people around this world and you will not know what you will find unless you start interacting with people you do not know. The university held a number of events which allowed international students as well as local students to mingle, from trips to the outer regions of Adelaide to free food meet ups. This as well as staying in hostels when travelling and encounters with people in the cities I visited had allowed me to meet a number of amazing people in the last few months. I have made many memories but this is just the beginning as I realise now that there are many more counties I have yet to discover and studying abroad unlocked this door for me.
If you’re going abroad soon, or even thinking about applying, my advice to you is to make the most of your time away. Do things you wouldn’t usually do at home! Step out of your comfort zone and I promise you that you will have the best time if your life and experience things you will never forget!