After months of dreaming about what the UK had in store for me, two flights and a bus ride later, I finally arrived in Leeds at the end of January. Fast forward a couple of months, and I still cannot believe I get to live and study here!
Let’s rewind to when I first arrived: I hopped off the plane at Manchester Airport and was greeted by a wonderful University of Leeds (UoL) student guide who took me straight to my accommodation as part of UoL’s free pickup service. UoL has a great study abroad team that keeps you updated in the months leading up to your arrival, giving you info about money, travel, health & safety.
I was pleasantly surprised by my accommodation at Central Village, where I have a spacious room and bathroom and share a kitchen with five other exchange students! The most daunting thing about moving to a new country is not knowing anyone, but having nice flatmates was a great start. Luckily, Central Village has all exchange students in one building, and I have made many friends because of this.
Tip #1: get to know your fellow exchange students because they’re all in the same boat as you! I am so grateful to have such a good group of amazing, like-minded people who I honestly would not have met otherwise if not for coming here <333
The great thing about UoL is that there are over 14,000 exchange students here, so they offer many events, like a “City Scavenger Hunt” and day trips to York and Newcastle. They also have many clubs and encourage everyone to join at least two: I’m in the film society and Amnesty International!
In general, UoL itself is a great university. Like the UoA, It’s spread out across the city, with classes in different buildings rather than just one faculty building. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how friendly the teaching staff are, and my classes have given me an interesting perspective on Aotearoa’s progressive approach to law-making.
One of my biggest challenges has been the lighter workload compared to UoA. But I’ve made the most of it by travelling! Tip #2: A semester goes by faster than you think. Make a list of places you want to visit before you come here, but also be open to spontaneous trips!
Before I go, here is a quick list of my favourite things about being an exchange student in Leeds!
- Leeds is a walking city with a lively social scene, and there are always events happening, like a free Miffy museum exhibit and a fair in the town centre.
- While the GBP to NZD conversion rate is not incredible, living here is much cheaper than in a big city like London.
- The exchange lifestyle is a new type of independence! You quickly get used to the time difference, and home is only a phone call away.
That’s all for now, see you next time! <3