An American in Melbourne: VU student blog

First off, here is a little about myself.

I am 21 years old and on the road to attaining my bachelor degree in Business Marketing at Sacramento State University.

I’ve always loved travelling, but didn’t officially realise I wanted to study abroad until my second year.

Ever since I could remember, I imagined myself leaving home after high school to be able to encounter an entirely different atmosphere to what I'd experienced growing up.

I certainly did experience this attending a college six hours away. This transition in my life caused me to grow in ways I could never have dreamed of.

Once I began to get used to this new atmosphere, and seeing how it positively changed my life, I was ready to take an even bigger leap.

It took a lot of courage to move across the Earth without knowing a single soul, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

It’s hard to put in words how much this trip has revolutionised my outlook on life.

Living here has truly been a dream.

Somehow, someway my love for this country continues to grow as time moves on.

I decided to do my year of studying abroad in Melbourne because I fell in love with everything it has to offer.

I love this city because it marches to its own drumbeat and never fails to amaze me.

From the food to the fashion to the innumerable hidden gems, Melbourne is truly one in a million.

Yes, Melbourne is one-of-a-kind and Australia is the best, but I can’t forget the main reason I’m here – to study!

Enrolling

Adjusting to a new university can be a nerve-wracking experience that takes some getting used to.

The key is to use your resources when you need help.

Students have the responsibility of deciding what units to take, and this should be done weeks before arriving.

I had trouble navigating the website when adding classes, which resulted in an incomplete schedule. I began to believe that my classes were set in stone and, of course, I started to panic.

To all future students, trust me on this - don’t worry if you aren’t able to add classes before arriving!

The Study Abroad team will graciously walk you through everything, answer all of your questions and, most importantly, ease your anxiety at orientation.

Student life

Uni life at Victoria University differs greatly from what I am used to, which I completely expected.

It is normal to only have three or four assignments per class in an entire semester, with a final exam that can be worth 40-60% of your overall grade.

Because of this, every assignment is very important and plays a significant role in your grade average, which can be a good or bad thing depending on the type of student you are!

Professor to student relationships are a lot more casual as well. Where I went to school in the United States, students wouldn’t dare call a teacher by their first name, but it is normal for a student to address a professor by his or her first name here in Australia.

It seemed odd to me at first, but after some time it felt more comfortable and I ended up building a far more personal relationship with my teachers, which improved my demeanor in class.

Accommodation

Deciding where to live when abroad can be a tough decision – especially when you’re sitting at home, thousands of miles away.

Some people wait until they arrive to figure out their accommodation, and others, myself included, want to lock in a place to live prior to arriving.

The options consist of either living in student accommodation, renting a room in an apartment or house, or maybe even renting an entire house if coming with friends.

I lived at UniLodge Victoria University for the first semester and moved into an off-campus apartment for my second semester, so I’ve had a taste of both.

If you’re the type of person who likes dorm-style apartments, loves being surrounded by friends 24/7 and living a two minute walk from school, UniLodge can be a great option for you.

Due to its convenience and location, it is a little more on the pricey side.

Renting a room in an apartment or home off-campus is the most economical option. You also have a number of amazing suburbs to choose from.

Websites such as Flatemate Finders, Flatmates, and Facebook groups like Melbourne- Houseshare/ Flatshare/Room for Rent

make it easy to access available rooms and even meet backpackers or other students to rent a house with.

As an exchange student there's a lot to organise before leaving home to study overseas.

Now that I’ve arrived in Melbourne, the craziness has settled down.

So now I can tell you what it's like leaving home...

What it is really like... (at least for me).

Pre-departure: getting ready to leave

To be honest, if anybody told you that the pre-departure study abroad process is going to be easy, they would be lying.

There’s a seemingly endless list of things to do, from applying to study overseas to arranging your visa, passport, housing and flights.

The entire process puts an extensive amount of responsibility on the student. Personally, I don’t know anybody else my age who has wired money, found a place to live in a foreign country, nor applied for a visa while going through finals – and working on top of that.

Preparing for such an imperative milestone takes time, hard-work and dedication to say the least – but it’s worth it in the end!

Everything I went through prior to leaving educated me on critical life lessons in such a short span of time. Every step I took to be in Australia has not only prepared me for my time abroad but also my future.

Mindset before leaving

My mindset continuously jumped from excitement to a great deal of anxiety in the months, weeks and days leading up to my departure date.

Leaving your home for a long period of time is always going to be a tough situation and my case wasn’t any different. I made sure I saved my money and spent as much time with family and friends before I left.

While I put so much effort in getting my mind, body and spirit in the right place prior to departure, nobody can be fully prepared for this type of life event and I am realizing now that that’s completely okay!

Departure: leaving home

I will never forget the day I left the USA for Melbourne, Australia.

Having worked so hard for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I was beyond ready to finally start my journey.

Although it was sad leaving my family and friends, the second I was on my own was one of the greatest feelings in the world.

I’ve always been so attracted to the “unknown” and stepping outside of my comfort zone.

Call me crazy, but the fact that I was about to fly to the other side of the world where I didn’t know a single soul was entirely invigorating.

Arrival: settling in

I arrived in Melbourne on a gorgeous hot summer day in February and was completely in awe that this was going to be my home for the next year.

I fell in love with not only the city but also the country of Australia right off the bat.

Acclimatising to Melbourne life couldn’t have been an easier transition. Being a study abroad student, you are surrounded by other students from around the world who are on the exact same boat as you are.

I didn’t adjust alone – we did it together. Figuring out public transport, laughing at our language barriers, going out, studying and starting an entirely new life together officially made Melbourne our home away from home.