Felicity Pickering
Studying abroad has allowed me to reconsider my career prospects
Host university: SUNY New Paltz in New York, USA
What degree are you studying at UTS?
BA of Communcation (Writing and Cultural Studies)
What country/city/university did you visit for your Exchange semester?
I went to SUNY New Paltz in upstate New York, USA.
What did you like most about the city/country you visited?
Americans are extremely hospitable people. During my stay in America I was constantly overwhelmed by the Americans generosity of spirit. They are extremely welcoming and will do anything to accommodate you. Whether it’s driving you to the mall to get a Halloween costume, taking you home for the holidays or helping you out through homesickness, they will always have a smile and be ready to help.
Secondly, the US is interesting because we are so exposed to it in Australian culture. Don’t underestimate the culture shock! To finally see stereotypes first hand was extremely interesting. Yes there are frat parties! Similarly, it was great to see the range of Americans; they are such a varied culture. I feel that before coming to the US I would often lump all Americans together. After studying abroad I realised how unique the communities and demographics are.
Lastly, the holidays! They go crazy! New Paltz during Halloween is something else.
What was unique/different about the culture of your host city that differed from living in Sydney?
Coming from living in the city to go to a small town like New Paltz was hard. Having never lived in a small town in my life, it took a while to adjust. It was so strange to continuously see the same people.
However, once I understood the lifestyle and explored the town fully, I began to love it. New Paltz is an absolutely beautiful hippy town that has a wonderful outdoorsy vibe. Once I searched harder I discovered the vibrant art, spoken word and fringe culture. The town’s people were relaxed and extremely nice and many were artists working in New Paltz to shelter from the high prices of Manhattan. In time you begin to know people, and it’s nice to constantly see your friends!
Whenever I got bored of town, I’d catch the bus to Manhattan and check out the sites. It’s only 45 minutes away and the commute is easy! It was great to stay in Manhattan but I was always happy to come home to cheaper living.
List three factors that convinced you to go on Exchange.
- The first factor that convinced me to go on exchange was my love of travelling. I have always loved living in different places. There was no question in my mind that I wanted to continue this passion during my tertiary education.
- To learn new things about American culture.
- To make contacts that would help me some day establish myself in the US.
What was unique about studying in an overseas university?
Campus life was very different from being at UTS. While at UTS many students are commuters or mature aged, the vast majority of students at New Paltz were of the same age and lived on campus or nearby. This made campus life very engrossing. It’s like it’s own world.
There was a vast array of clubs and societies for every interest range. New Paltz has amazing eclectic clubs. For example they have LARPing society (Live Action Role Playing), an extreme crochet club and Humans vs Zombies, a club that throughout the year dressed up as zombies and attacked participating students. Additionally, their gym has great facilities and Americans are very into their sport.
Secondly, the teaching style in America is very different. It is highly participation based and at first I was shocked by the amount of assessments. However, for arts based subjects I found this very helpful. Suddenly, I was learning to turn out more work and generally assessments were a lot easier.
How did you spend your spare time, whilst not in the classroom?
When I wasn’t in the classroom I did a range of activities. Being a great area for climbing and hiking, the school outdoors club hosted several events such as rock scrambling and paintballing. Attending open mikes and poetry slams were also a great way to pass the time.
I tried to travel as much as possible with my free time. This allowed me to go to Boston, Washington, San Francisco, New Jersey and Baltimore. It was easy to travel because the students were more than happy to show you their hometown and there is a great bus system in New York.
Lastly, for a small town New Paltz has a vibrant nightlife, with a range of venues for every scene.
In what ways did going on Exchange benefit your degree/ your life?
Studying in New Paltz has greatly benefited my life. Not only did I make many new friends, but I have also learnt a lot about my life and myself. By going outside my comfort zone I was able to reflect upon my goals and reassess my life choices.
Studying abroad has allowed me to reconsider my career prospects. During my stay in the US I was a student ambassador for Austrade. Working with the Australian Embassy, I hosted several events on campus promoting studying in Australia. This allowed me to get a free flight to Washington for induction and meet university students studying all over America! With this experience under my belt, I have begun to consider a life in international relations or as an international spokesperson for a corporation or institution.
Most importantly, do you have any advice for other students who may be planning to go on Exchange?
Make sure you make friends beyond the internationals! It’s easy to stick to your fellow Australians when on exchange, but it limits your experience. Be outgoing, don’t be afraid to use the ‘I’m from Australia line’. Americans are excited to meet you! This is also almost essential because without a car you are limited to just the town.
Secondly, just go on exchange! You’ll love it.
