Brianna is a Flinders Student who went on an exchange program in S2 2025.
Hey! I’m Bri and I studied in Maastricht, Netherlands through the Flinders Global Experience program in 2025. The highlight of my semester exchange was the incredible friends I made from all over the world who I got to explore Europe with. Everyday felt like a new ‘core memory’ just because of the excitement every fresh day has in store. I fully believe that studying abroad is the perfect chance to see what the world has to offer for better understanding yourself and creating doorways for your future.
How did living and studying in the Netherlands change the way you see yourself or your career?
The experience of living independently across the globe from what is familiar, trying new things, and establishing new connections has changed the way I view both myself and the world. Apart from improving my time and money management skills, I feel I have grown into myself as a person more and am very proud of who I have become. I got familiar with the unease of stepping out of my comfort zone, as well as the feeling of achievement afterwards. I learnt the importance of creating and maintaining social relationships, which was essential for my experience to be fulfilling rather than lonely. I have become a very spontaneous person, eagerly taking any opportunity for a new experience or adventure. The opportunity to be surrounded by people from various countries has enabled me to learn about their beautiful cultures and even travel to experience them firsthand. I feel unbelievably inspired as a result of my exchange, mostly from the international friends that have introduced me to different ways of existing, perceiving, and enjoying life.
All my life I had wanted to travel yet had never imagined my future or career outside of Adelaide. My exchange has made me aware of the extensive opportunities available all around the world and has shown me that these lifestyles, previously only dreamt of, are far more achievable than I thought. I no longer feel limited to Adelaide, or even Australia, and now have a strong motivation to experience what else the world has to offer.
