My Exchange at Northeastern University
This 360 exchange programme has been one of the best experiences of my life. I went to Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts for one semester. It is one of the most incredible cities, and the university was really nice. The first day was orientation which was amazing because I saw the people I was going to become friends with for the next 4 months in America. I got to meet lots of different people from around the world, and there were cool interactive activities. The day itself was long, with lots of information just like any other orientation. Accommodation was not exactly ideal as I was in a forced triple dorm (so I was sharing with 2 other girls), which was a tight squeeze, and there wasn’t much privacy. But we all became good friends, which was nice.
The courses I took were very interesting as the classes were smaller and more interactive. Group projects are a big thing in America so all my courses had big group projects. The content was also a lot more relatable personally and allowed me to become more aware of my personal situations in the settings discussed in class which was really insightful. The content was much easier relative to UoA. On campus I was part of a couple of clubs; the women’s social waterpolo team and the school newspaper team where you write one article a month about selected topics. Through these extra-curricular activities, I was able to make my American friends. It was a nice way to socialise, go to events and just understand the American culture more.
Boston was a lot more expensive than Auckland, making it hard to enjoy the food culture out. Everything from food to transport to retail shopping was costly. But apart from that it was a safe, fun city where the people are nice and the architecture is beautiful. I made lots of exchange friends who become very close and we went on road trips around the country. During our uni life we would go to classes, eat food at the dining halls and usually explore the city or hang out at someone’s dorm. The dining halls were really nice and full of options. I would enjoy eating there. I think my favourite part of exchange was meeting new people and learning about different cultures, it was extremely insightful and interesting.
I also loved traveling with these new friends who become family. We made so many memories across so many different cities which I will never forget. Advice for future students: try travel as much as possible & overestimate costs just in case. Have the time of your life!
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
Having class discussions and more interactive & engaging classes.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Go to Ice Hockey games at Northeastern!
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Overestimate costs for exchange so you have a buffer budget.
- Don’t be shy to make friends through clubs
- Travel as much as possible!
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 around $15k USD which was just enough for the amount of travel I was doing. I didn’t realise Boston was so expensive.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
How different the american culture is and how much I now know about the European culture as all my friends were european.