My name is Steffie Nuijts, I’m 21 years old and I’m currently studying Business Economics at Tilburg University. I just returned from Sydney, where I studied for 6 months.
Unlike most other students, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go on exchange at all. Tilburg felt like my new home, I really enjoyed living here and I had a busy student life. When the deadline for submitting for exchange came closer and closer, and more friends started talking about their decisions, I also started thinking about it more. I thought ‘what do I have to lose? Let’s try, and that’s where my search for a nice location and university started. Soon I realized I wanted to go to a country where the common language is English and where the culture is kind of the same as in Western Europe, although I didn’t want to go somewhere inside Europe. Australia seemed the perfect country and so I chose for University of Technology in Sydney.
By the time I heard that I was selected to go to my first choice, UTS, I was thrilled, but also scared about all the things that were waiting for me. I had to arrange so much; my visa, a place to live, plane tickets, submitting at university, English tests and choosing the courses I’d like to take. I was very lucky that two of my friends were also going to UTS, so we could arrange a lot of stuff together, that was really nice and comforting.
“I never experienced this kind of kindness in The Netherlands!”
In July we finally departed! I got a room at UTS Housing, a 6-share flat on campus. I lived together with 2 Australians, 1 German boy, 1 American girl and 1 other Dutch boy from Rotterdam. It was really nice living with people from different nationalities, especially living with two ‘real’ Australian people! Living at Campus is definitely something everyone should consider!
During the first few weeks in Sydney, UTS Housing organized a lot of activities for the new students. In this way I got to know Sydney and other exchange students really soon, this was so good! After a few activities we already had a nice group of friends with people from all over the world. The following weeks were especially about studying, but since this wasn’t that hard (3 hours a day, 4 days a week), we had enough spare time to do nice things together and especially to party!
In September we had one week off, called Springbreak. Together with 5 others I rented a campervan and we drove from Melbourne to Adelaide. This week was amazing! Australia is so beautiful! After this break, it was mostly studying and exploring Sydney itself again, and in November we had our final exams. Since UTS works with a lot of assignments, I already passed 2 out of the 4 courses I took without even taking the final! Because nobody was really busy with studying, there was plenty of time to explore Sydney and its surroundings; beaches, new neighbourhoods, national parks etcetera.
“I know it can be hard to make the decision, and it will definitely be scary, but it is so so worth it!”
In the middle of November I was finished studying and I started travelling. First I travelled down the East Coast of Australia with 3 friends and after that we went to New Zealand for two weeks. It was so amazing! It is unbelievable how fast you get to know new people and how social and kind everyone is you meet. This is so different compared to The Netherlands! People are truly interested when they ask ‘hi, how are you’ and the average Australian ask voluntarily to help you when they see you can’t find where to go, I never experienced this kind of kindness in The Netherlands!
Australia is a beautiful country, which has a lot to offer; beautiful big cities, intact nature, many beaches and all the nature wonders like the Great Barrief Reef, Fraser Island en Whitsundays.
During my 5 months in Australia I haven’t regret my decision once. It is a country where lot of different cultures get together, without conflicting, and is amazing to be part of this.
I would strongly encourage every single one of you to go on exchange. I know it can be hard to make the decision, and it will definitely be scary, but it is so so worth it!!
