The person I am now is so different from who I was before I left, In the best possible way.

Why did you choose to study this course?

Originally, I was studying the Japanese and Business Management dual honours degree as I have always loved learning languages and learning about cultures that are different from my own,  however, due to my learning difficulties I couldn’t keep up with the language side of the degree and decided to switch to International Business Management. I chose this degree specifically because I still wanted the year abroad that my first degree offered, and because I felt it had the most relevant modules to my desired career of International marketing.

How did you decide where you wanted to go on your year abroad?

I have been very lucky in that I have managed to do a lot of travelling in my life, however, before my year abroad I had never been to Asia. The colourful architecture, cuisines, lively traditions, and the emphasis on community in the East has always really drawn me in. I looked at the universities we partner with over there and compared what modules they advertised, which made my top three choices (Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) really stand out. They all seemed to emphasise how international they were, and had modules that really captured my interest.

How did you adapt to life in a different country?

Adapting to a different way of life was much easier than I anticipated. I think what helps a lot is that there are always other exchange students around you who are going through the same thing, and there are always local students and teachers around to help you. In England, we have a tendency to try and work things out on our own but from my experience, if you have a question or you’re struggling with something (even if it feels silly) then it is almost certain that someone else also has that question or struggle. This can honestly be a great way to bond with other exchange students as you try to navigate new situations together – or it can allow for some really fun interactions/conversations with locals!

Another thing I think is important in order to keep you grounded is keeping your routines and allowing time for yourself. There can be a lot of things that need to change when you’re living somewhere new, even down to what kind of ingredients are available for you to cook with, and so the way I reduced the impact these changes had on my mental health was making sure I made time for the things that would make me feel at home. For me, I missed my dog a lot, so I volunteered at the dog walking society at my host university. I also made sure to stick to my normal gym routine, and I found a decent European restaurant for when I needed comfort food.

What were your top three highlights whilst studying abroad?

I wish I could fit all of the amazing experiences I had into this one little space! I got to try so many new things, see some amazing places and meet all kinds of different people who turned into lifelong friends. What always comes to mind first when I get asked about my time abroad are the times I went exploring on my own. In Taiwan, I would take myself to some of the other cities for a few days to go sightseeing and the best of these was a trip I took to a smaller town outside of the capital with old market streets that you could easily get lost in. All of the stalls were handing out food and tea samples, it was a nice foggy day, and all of the lanterns were lit along the paths, and I had the most incredible beef noodles. The highlight for me, though, was while I was sat waiting for my return bus in a little dessert shop and the owner came started a conversation with me where we ended up sharing stories and doing our best to overcome the language barrier.

I don’t think I could talk about my exchange without mentioning the nightlife in Hong Kong; we did everything from jazz bars and classy rooftop bars, to going clubbing in Central and watching a drag show in an underground bar. Every time we went out together, we would always get more out of the night than we originally planned, and it was almost always because of the people we’d meet. For Valentine’s day a group of us got dressed up quite formally to go to a really nice jazz bar with live music and great wine. We expected just a quiet sit-down evening chatting and listening to the music but instead the singer took a liking to our group, getting some of us to join her onstage, which in turn got some of the slightly older groups of locals to start doing karaoke on stage. It didn’t take long before we’d befriended everyone in the (quite small) venue. We were all up, singing and dancing together – we even got a group photo with everyone at the end of the night, and the next day the singer messaged me to invite us to the bar that her son owned. That was an amazing night.

Lastly, getting involved in all of the traditions and holidays that we don’t celebrate here was always something I enjoyed doing. I managed to make some really wonderful local friends who took me to the temples, set off fireworks for us during the moon festival, taught me how to play mahjong, dressed me in more traditional clothes, and let me try all of the festival foods. Chinese New Year was so special, my roommate gifted me lots of hand painted decorations to help make our dorm feel more festive, and then I was able to spend the main celebrations in Shenyang with a friend and her family.

What did you gain from your year abroad and placement that might help in your future career?

Of course, an employer will appreciate seeing that you’ve done a year abroad on your CV, but you gain so much more than what you see on paper. The person I am now is so different from who I was before I left, In the best possible way. I was such a socially anxious person before I left to go abroad but now, I offer to speak during open day talks to rooms of about a hundred people. Not only did I gain the confidence in social situations, but the self-assurance that I can continuously push myself to be in new or uncomfortable situations and know that I would be able to handle it.

I gained so many life-long friends that want to go into similar fields to me, which will turn into useful connections after I graduate – connections I have already been able to use while researching where I want to study my master’s degree. An underrated mindset that I picked up is learning to give people more credit, by this I mean that the world is a much friendlier place than it is often made out to be and anytime I needed help from a stranger I was met with kindness. This is important to me because asking questions or asking for help should not be scary, and in a workplace environment it is so crucial that you feel comfortable asking if you’ve understood a task correctly or to ask for feedback. On the other side of that, learning to have grace and be patient when people approach you with questions is equally valuable. It works to build an environment of trust and tolerance.

What would you say to someone who was unsure about spending a period of time studying abroad?

Everyone has something to gain from a year abroad. No matter where you go, you’ll have the chance to make amazing friends and try so many new things. You also get a lot of freedom with what modules you choose at your host university, meaning you can take some really interesting courses that you might not have chosen here. There was a lot I was worried about before going, like how to get a visa or the right accommodation, but you get so much support and guidance before you go and while you’re away. You have contact with the University of Sheffield the whole time you’re away and have a main contact at your host university as well as all of your lecturers. 

If you’re nervous about being completely independent, it is no more demanding than what you have to do for yourself in the first year of university here.

What is the one thing you wish you'd known before you left?

It goes by way too fast! In Taiwan, I took my time getting to know the people around me but by the time the first semester came to an end I realised I hadn’t gotten to know them as well as I wanted. In my second semester when I arrived in Hong Kong, I signed up for everything, joined every group activity, and made sure to invite everyone I knew to everything, which gave me a much more fulfilling experience. So, make the most of it!