Has anyone here been on university exchange?

[Yoonability]

I'll be going pretty soon and I'm excited but also worried lol so I wondered if anyone has any tips?

 

I'm the kind of person that gets VERY bored when I have a lot of evenings where I don't meet up with friends and since I'll be alone in the beginning I'm not sure how I'll keep myself busy. But maybe I don't even have to worry about that lol idk I've heard my university doesn't host many international students' events so that's why I'm a bit worried.

[_Lucy_]

I did that 3 years ago. I went to a university in Brazil (I'm from France), it was honestly the best time of my life.

My mom was very worried so she stayed the first week there with me and then left once she was sure I was living in a safe place.

I also get bored easily, that's why (and also for safety reasons) that I lived in a really huge house full of exchange students and a few locals that went to the same uni, we were 35 people living there and we would go out every single night to bars and clubs, and we would make several trips together to the beaches, to visit the country, for the Carnival we went together to Rio de janeiro etc. It was so amazing, I met so many friends from many countries and I miss it all the time, it was really so much fun, I cried on the plane to go back home. 

Hope you enjoy it too OP

[Cobalt]

Exchange students will gravitate towards each other so once you find the cliques or the places that they gather you should be fine. But I personally also encourage you to take some free evenings to explore the town/city you'll be living in on your own. You're bound to stumble upon something fun since everything is a novelty. 

[monraine]

I went to Spain and it was great. One of the best years of my life.

Usually there are organisations dedicated to foreign/exchange students, I don't think the one where I went partained to the uni, but they introduced themselves through the uni so I trusted them. They usually organise a lot of events and trips for the students to know each other. Keep in mind that the majority of you are going to be a bit anxious about the foreign place you're in so you'll bond easier. I stayed one year and met a lot of people from all over the world, got to visit a whole lot of the country and there were activities and parties and fun things almost every night of the week.

Also if you're going to another country whose language you aren't so familiar with it would be best to look for accomodation with local students. This way you'll learn their language much easier, maybe they can also introduce you to their cliques (a lot of exchange students just socialise between themselves, this way you can meet a lot of locals as well) and help you with everything you need to know about the university/ maybe classes/ professors/ exams/ the city, things you couldn't find out on your own. Also try to befriend other exchange students that have the same courses as you cause you'll help each other a lot.

Hope you'll have a great time there, it's a great experience!