Going on exchange challenged me because…

I did not have any friends and didn’t speak the language, which paired with my post pandemic social awkwardness made things difficult, but I ultimately used it as an opportunity to improve my communication skills.

I recommend goin gon exchange because…

There is no one specific reason. I believe that you will get whatever you make of it; not in the “I am going to Spain to learn Spanish” sense, but rather when you go on exchange you’ll experience many things you weren’t expecting and you can gain so much from those experiences.

I felt like I made a great decision to go on exchange when…

I met people I knew were going to be part of my life indefinitely. As cheesy as it sounds, I was having supper at my neighbour’s and it kind of dawned on me that we’re both enriching each other’s human experience and I just realized just how much value her and the other people I met have brought into my life.

A tip I would give to students applying for exchange is…

Apply with your heart rather than your CV in mind. Don’t let yourself get held up by strategic decisions and what you think would be best for your CV. Because at the end of the day what’s best for your CV is the takeaways you get from going on exchange, not how a university ranks or how recruiters may perceive a country.