Advice before going abroad
Originally published on https://uosstudyingabroad.wordpress.com/
As the beginning of my second term at the Université de Lausanne approaches, I have been thinking about the start of my study abroad experience, everything I wish I had done, and what I’m going to try to do next term.
Classes:
As a literature student, I was dead set on taking literature courses, so I wouldn’t spend an entire year without studying literature. I now wish I hadn’t, they were extremely interesting courses, but turns out studying literature in Switzerland is completely different than studying it in England (how shocking), and what I learned wouldn’t necessarily be useful next year. I found that my favourite courses during the autumn semester were language classes.
They helped me improve my confidence in speaking French, as my other courses were standard, passive, sit-and-take-notes lessons, while language classes focused on participation. I also met my friends in those classes, and it was refreshing to meet other exchange students from around the world who were in the same shoes as me.
These language classes were given at the EFLE- école française langue étranger, meaning a department dedicated to learning French as a second language. They also hosted events such as Christmas parties and movie nights, which I would definitely recommend attending.
So make sure to think about what you want to get out of this year, and don’t be afraid to try out different classes! There is no shame in switching if you realise a course just isn’t for you.
ESN
Speaking of friends, before leaving for your year abroad, if you are heading to Europe, I would recommend finding your host university’s ESN account and following it. ESN, standing for Erasmus Student Network, is run by students for exchange students. They host events, ranging from day trips, weekend ski trips, and activities such as club nights, sport events, and crafty events. It’s a great opportunity to make friends and travel for a lower price.
I personally took part in the Basel day trip and paid around 30 CHF for it- which included the train ride there and back, a boat trip, and museum tickets. Tickets for such events run out quickly as there are limited places, so if they say they start selling them at 10 am on Friday, be there on time, or even arrive a bit early, or you will find yourself hearing that the tickets are sold out while you are still in the queue.
They also organise a welcome week of events before the start of classes. They do have a deadline for signing up, so if you are interested, make sure you sign up in time.
On a similar note, these networks tend to be run on Telegram, so download it and join their groups. You can directly contact them and talk to others for things such as reselling tickets or needing to contact them if you are lost while out on the trip.
Emails
This one is kind of obvious but check your emails often! Chances are your host uni has been emailing you about things you must do before the start of term, or even general advice. In my case, I was sent a whole survival kit email, with advice on where to get a cheap sim card, and how to register to the population office… and I almost missed this email, doing everything by myself would have been way more stressful and taken a longer time, so I’m grateful for how considerate they were.
They also send you links to join telegram groups with other Erasmus/ foreign students so you can ask for advice and start meeting a few people, which I definitely found helpful.
Sheffield
Don’t be afraid to email the global opps department if you have any issues. I struggled to find accommodation and I found my host uni wasn’t capable to help me out, so I emailed Sheffield, who put me in contact with other Sheffield students who were also heading to Lausanne, as well as past students so I could talk to them about where else to look for accommodation.
I also struggled due to the workload, credits work differently abroad, and Sheffield and Lausanne required me to take different amounts so I wasn’t sure which ‘guidelines’ to follow. I was able to book a quick meeting with a Sheffield member of staff to get advice. So if you are struggling with something, remember that Sheffield can always help you even if you are in another country.
Overall, there is so much to take care of, so you are bound to miss a thing or two at the beginning. Just remember that no mistake is too great to be rectified, and every problem has a solution. You aren’t the first student to do a year abroad. So there will always be someone who has had a similar past experience whom you can contact for advice. Moving and studying in another country can be stressful, but it’s also such a unique experience, in my opinion definitely worth the hassle.