My Exchange at University College London
I originally chose London as my exchange destination as a way to assess whether I wanted to live there after I graduated University.
Studying in London is incredibly unique due to the high proportion of international students. I found that even full-time students at UCL were from other countries rather than the United Kingdom. Furthermore, as one of the only english-predominant European Cities, there were many American exchange students. These students made up the predominant part of my exchange friend group, and I learned a lot about American Culture, even more so than British Culture.
UK universities in general place a significantly larger portion of class time on theory and pre-readings. New Zealand Universities tend to be more practical focussed. The Property department specifically has many industry lecturers or connections who make the content very applicable to the real world. Given that UK universities are more known for thought leadership, it is understandable that they place greater emphasis on who came up with what theory and when. While I enjoyed this style of learning for the six months I was there, and was exposed to many new ideas from a range of thinkers, it would have been hard to study there permanently whilst feeling disjointed from the real work. The structure of the classes were the same as UoA (1-2 lectures, and a tutorial each week), though it had compulsory attendance which meant classes were more full and fun. Furthermore, UCL is well-known for its research. While this meant that there were some very cool interdisciplinary classes available to take, this did not necessarily translate to undergraduate teaching across all faculties. I thought I would enjoy the interdisciplinary Business for Bioscience class, but ended up enjoying International Strategy the most. It solidified that anywhere, the quality of the lecturers, tutors and how engaging they make their face-to-face time is the most important.
Highlights of the programme had to be the amount of things available to do all the time in London. With scale comes activities, and there was never a shortage of shows to see, things to eat, and museums to visit in one of the Historic Capitals of the World. Since many of my friends shared the same mentality of experiencing as many new things as possible, we would be exploring different areas of London every weekend.
When we were not exploring London, we were exploring Europe. The two B’s (best friends and budget travelling) made the perfect recipe for unforgettable experiences. We were once able to purchase $40 NZD return tickets to Spain. Given that I am solar-powered, it also offered needed respite from the Harsh london winter and the ensuing seasonal sadness I experienced. It was hard to go from NZ summer to winter, then return from European summer back to New Zealand Winter. I would recommend students to do it in reverse.
Another highlight was being able to attend the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Conference. Through UCL Real Estate Society, I received a free ticket to attend and was able to visit Leeds and network with many young professionals in the Industry. This reaffirmed the Property Industry as being one of the most friendly and welcoming, no matter where you are in the world. With scale also comes the ability to have huge learning and development events like this one – which was incredible.
Though I ended up deciding that London would not be where I did my Grad Role, I would still recommend going on Exchange there to everyone. The reason why I decided not to, is in fact the same reason I would recommend it. If you have enough income to be able to afford London, you likely do not have the time. If you have the time, you may be struggling to put aside enough for your future / travel. However, given you will have saved up for the exchange, you are able to have both savings and time to truly explore and enjoy the city.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
I thoroughly enjoyed studying British Politics in an Election Year. Analysing events and discourse as it was happening was very very interesting. It was also one of the classes that was held in a discussion form which made it very interesting and engaging. Politics students are outspoken and opinionated, which allowed me to learn a lot about youth engagement in politics in the UK also.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Sports clubs! It may be odd as I did not do them, but the friends that I know did, made many friends from this, and also protected their physical health. I would also recommend the West End shows (which you can get for discounted rates on the day of or for students on TodayTix). The number of concerts around the city at any given time is mind blowing also. These shows and concerts are held in very cool buildings, whether they are historic, heritage or ultra-modern.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Do not be afraid to make the first move in making new friends, whether that be asking to grab a coffee or walking up to someone on the first day and introducing yourself. Everyone else is in the same boat as you, and they will be relieved and delighted that you decided to approach them.
- Make sure you enjoy the city you live in as well as travelling. UCL’s clubs and societies are an incredible way to immerse yourself in the student culture and create a genuine network for the city that you are in.
- Take care of your health. Living, studying in and travelling to and from your host city can take a toll on your body and your health is incredibly important to preserve to enjoy these experiences. London is population dense, and has varying temperatures with much rain. This means you are likely to get sick often and you should prepare to take care of yourself.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
London is incredibly expensive and I would suggest budgeting more than you think you need. While accommodation is often the biggest expense, university accommodation is “relatively” more affordable. It is unlikely that you will be able to live in Zone 1 Central for the same price (even if the accommodation is very unhealthy). Do not set expectations incredibly high for accommodation either.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
I learned to appreciate my Youth, and the freedom and privilege I had to explore different cultures, cuisines and cities that the world has to offer. I also learned to appreciate what New Zealand has to offer. We are so lucky to have the nature, temperate weather, and culture that we do. The Australians and Kiwis that I met while abroad reaffirmed that we are some of the most down-to-earth, friendly people on the planet. However, living abroad also taught me that the world, and the opportunities within it are significantly greater than what we assume in New Zealand. We often limit ourselves with tall poppy syndrome, whilst the Brits and Americans I had met strongly supported each other’s growth mindsets. This is something that I will bring back with me.
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
I travelled to 17 countries and Spain twice – definitely made the most out of exchange, Ryanair, and the extensive train network around European Countries. I would recommend the countries that are often overlooked. My favourites were Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Southern Spain. They are oftentimes cheaper and more authentic than the capital cities we are accustomed to want to go to. My favourite trip within the UK was to the Seven Sisters Cliffs – a beautiful hike all the way through the English Countryside and absolutely a must-do day trip from London.