Hardi (Sem 2, 2022)

My Exchange at Northeastern University

In the Fall of 2022, I spent my semester in Boston, United States of America. Ever since I saw the 360 exchange brochures posted in UOA’s faculty help centres, I knew it would become a racing goal as long as I was a student. Arriving at Northeastern University felt exactly like the movies. The move-in day included their husky mascot welcoming in students, a band playing music, lots of volunteers showing us around and, of course, free food everywhere! Despite Boston being a walking city, the convenience of on-campus living was incredible; the student bar, convenience store, restaurants, dining hall and my favourite thrift store were right across from the accommodation.

During orientation week, I met the friendliest group of exchange students with whom I shared this exchange experience. They not only became my best friends (we travelled all over the east coast and Canada together) but an international family who I cannot wait to continue travelling with beyond the experience. Boston, where do I even start; a city full of students, yet it felt like home almost instantly. The red brick architecture, the beautiful nature, the accent, the food and the university spirit. Being the home of Harvard and MIT, it was not only a prestigious experience but inspiring to see how students in America can create a balance between social and academic lives. I was lucky enough to experience many festivals and seasons.

Thanksgiving was spent in a little hut in New Hampshire, sharing a warm lasagne with my European friends. I spent Halloween with my host university friends doing bar crawls, frat parties and dressing up. Lastly, I spent Christmas and New Years with my now best friends making gingerbread houses, drinking egg nog and watching the beautiful fireworks in Central park, New York.

Northeastern gave me many opportunities to make valuable connections, one being my Peace through Play volunteering group. Peace through Play gathered a fantastic group of students who volunteered each week at a local school, empowering maltreated kids of all ages to experience the joys of life. My highlight of the volunteering was the sundae party, where the kids made their sundaes and had the biggest grins on their faces. Volunteering was only part of what Northeastern University had to offer students.

Campus life was vibrant; we always had events happening each week, both academic and social. My favourites are movie nights, hot chocolate and dunkin’ doughnuts with our on-campus dogs, and investing events. My whole exchange experience will be an unmatched memory. Despite being more expensive than Auckland, it was worth it. The friends I’ve made, the knowledge I’ve gained and the places I’ve seen are something I will be grateful for, for the rest of my life.

Q&A

What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?

I completed 3 psychology courses over my exchange at Northeastern University. It was always so important to me that I selected courses I wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to learn about in Auckland. American education emphasised group projects and practical knowledge, which I enjoyed.

A highlight of this was when my professor brought a chinchilla from the local zoo into class, and we were shown how our learning and motivation theory was used in everyday life. Additionally, my cognition class had a protracted group project in which we created a real-life therapy plan for a case study given to us and presented it to professional American psychologists.

Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?

Northeastern had numerous activities presented to students. I recommend joining a volunteering group or many sports offerings, but their global experience office also offers specific activities to exchange students.

I recommend doing the duck tour, where they show you the city on land and water, the Red Sox baseball game, the ice hockey/NBA games held at TD Garden and the trip to Salem during Halloween. However, my all-time favourite activity was attending the ice hockey games on campus, which were accessible on campus, and the spirit of the game was breathtaking; I was obsessed!!

What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?

1. Try things you would only sometimes try in your home country, whether it is food, activities or just something out of your comfort zone. These new experiences can bring memories that you will carry forever.

2. Spend more money on travelling than shopping. While America has a greater variety of everything, the money I spent travelling was much more worthwhile.

3. Attend as many University held events as possible; that’s where you meet new people and understand university life away from your home country

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?

I budgeted about 25,000 NZD for my whole exchange, including visa, insurance, travel, accommodation and other miscellaneous costs. I spent a little over this budget as I travelled more than I thought I would. However, a lesson I have learned and could be helpful for future students is to make travel plans (with dates) well ahead of time as the USA offers services like AMTRAK (high-speed trains) that are a lot cheaper when you book 2-3 months in advance. Additionally, google flights will be your best friend during this time, always keep an eye out for when the flights are cheapest and plan your trips around that; you will save a lot of money!

What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?

Going into the exchange, I considered myself relatively introverted, but studying abroad helped me gain confidence and put into perspective the opportunities I can achieve when I put myself out there. I would never have been able to build lifelong connections and live out experiences if I didn’t push myself beyond my comfort zone. I also learnt a lot about independence and what it takes to travel alone and be able to solve challenges by myself.