Life Starts at the End of Your Comfort Zone
Studying abroad is such an adventure. You’re starting a new life for yourself in a different country, and you have no idea how it’s going to unfold. People say that “life starts at the end of your comfort zone”. This is so true, and applies perfectly to study abroad. When I arrived in Adelaide, I had my doubts about making new friends and living in a new city. Little did I know, tons of great experiences and amazing people were in my future!
Growing as a Person
In the four or so short months that I’ve been here, I’ve learned to be more independent and confident. Having to navigate a new city and meet new people isn’t always easy, but once you know you can do it, it’s a big confidence boost. As someone who lives with their parents at home, this was an even bigger step for me in terms of independence. It is a great feeling to know that I can now travel alone again and probably do just fine.
Another thing I’ve learned during my exchange is to be more adaptable and easy going. I never realized that I lived such a sheltered life at home with my parents. At home, I’ve always had things the way I like them. On residence, things were obviously different. From loud housemates to shared bathrooms – I’ve had to adapt and deal with different living conditions. Furthermore, living with housemates has taught me 1) you can’t always have everything the way you like it, and 2) don’t let the little things get to you. I believe I can take these realizations with me and apply them to different areas of my life in the future.
Just Do It
Studying at Flinders has been an amazing experience. Flinders is a great choice because there is such a strong community feel. The Uni organizes fun activities to give you the best chance of making new friends and enjoying yourself! If you are considering Studying Abroad, just do it. Don’t let fear and doubt hold you back from an experience that you will remember forever!
Fiona Swartz, exchange student from Simon Fraser University, Canada visited Flinders during S1 2020
Fiona’s semester exchange was partially funded by the Australian Federal Governments Endeavour Leadership Program
Read Fiona’s 1st blog post here!