I have dreamed of going to college in the USA for such a long time and I can’t believe that I am finally getting to live out this dream. After studying for a semester in the USA in high school, I fell in love with the culture and I knew that I just had to come back for university. On the 15th of August I will be moving into my dorm at East Carolina University to begin my journey. I expect my trip to be full of adventure, making new friends and getting to see and explore another beautiful part of the world. I know that it will also be challenging as it will be my first time living on my own and I will need to be completely responsible for myself (laundry, meals, budgeting etc.). Because of this, I hope to grow as a person and increase my independence which will set me up for success not only in university but in life.
The thing that I am most excited about is experiencing the day to day life of an American college student. I am so excited to live in a dorm room on campus with my roommate who seems lovely! I can’t wait to eat in the dining hall, watch American football and hopefully get involved in the college community through clubs/sports. I am also really interested to find out the difference and similarities between the university education system in the USA vs Australia. I’m hoping to get the opportunity to explore Greenville where my college is located and other areas of North Carolina. I will also be travelling to other states once the semester finishes and then ending my trip by visiting family in the UK. It will be a total of seven months away from home which seems huge but I know it will fly past.
I have always wanted to go to college in the USA but the other reason that I decided to study overseas is that I found the Australian university system quite disappointing. We just don’t have the same sense of pride and community in our university as students do in America. After studying there during high school, I immediately began to research university study, trying to figure out what degree I wanted to do and whether it would allow me to study abroad. I think studying overseas is a great opportunity to travel, learn and grow and I am so thankful that Flinders offers this program. I chose East Carolina University as I wanted to go to a relatively large university, preferably on the East Coast. I researched my different options and ECU seemed like the best fit for me. I’m so excited to see what the next semester holds and I hope to have an incredible time learning in a different culture!
Emily Compton, Bachelor of Communication and Professional Writing student is undertaking an exchange to East Carolina University during S2, 2018