"Where there is a will, there is a way." Although I had a lot of worries and difficulties before going to the United Kingdom as an exchange student, I believed this phrase and decided to believe in myself! And eventually, I was able to go to Northumbria University in England as an exchange student. All the time and moments in England were amazingly fun and unforgettable, to the point where the worries I had in Korea were overshadowed. Now, if someone asked me what the most memorable part of my college life was, I would say it was the six months I spent as an exchange student in England.

Having a Great Time with friends in the Accommodation

After I decided to go to Northumbria for sure, I had to choose my accommodation for living in England. There were many options, but I chose “Claude Gibb” hall which served meals for students because I'm really bad at cooking. I think this was the best choice for me. In fact, at first, I was worried about how to get close to people. However, there were opportunities to meet various people at the canteen every mealtime, so I could make many friends naturally by eating meals together. Also, because of the advantage of providing meals, there were many exchange students like me from various countries and universities in the hall. I think we, my friends and I, were able to get closer because we all had something in common as exchange students. Plus, the quality of the food was also good. Since there was also a separate menu for students with special food needs such as vegan orientation and religion, most students preferred to use the restaurant.

Next to the canteen in the accommodation, there were spaces for students called “Common Rooms.” People could play games such as pool or table football there and there was a screen where people could enjoy movies together. Therefore, everyone would gather there and enjoy the party freely. During Freshers Week, people had a party and got together to greet new friends and I also enjoyed the party. I used to watch movies in the TV room, and I also watched the “Squid Game” there with foreign friends for the first time. However, the most memorable party was the Halloween party! Almost all people in the accommodation gathered in costumes and took pictures together. I had a marvelous time. It was my first Halloween party dressed up properly, and it was an impressive and amazing day.

Enjoying Entertainment in Stylish Cafeterias

Besides the canteen of Claude Gibb, there were many different restaurants in the university, and I often used the cafeteria called “Habita.” The quality of the food was awesome and the price was also very reasonable compared to restaurants outside campus. It was available as a cafe during the daytime and a pub at night, and various events were held especially in the evening. Every day, I could get drinks for free or at a discounted price by participating in the ‘Push the Button’ game, and could enjoy a general knowledge quiz contest every Monday. Furthermore, every Thursday was "Karaoke" day, so if people applied, they could sing on the stage. To sing in front of people required a lot of courage for me, but I was made to sing with friends after all. It was a really special experience and more fun than I thought.

Living in an unfamiliar culture and speaking an unfamiliar language was difficult and a little scary, but unexpected and exciting things happened at that time and I had special experiences, too. If you're considering going abroad or thinking about an exchange student program, I hope you try it!

By Yang Yi-sak, Junior, Faculty of Business Administration