So, my time in Australia has unfortunately come to an end. I have had the most incredible time, and had the pleasure of meeting the most amazing people. This past year has gone by so unbelievably quickly; it feels just like yesterday that I was taking the long journey over here and stepping foot in a place I was so unsure of. But now, I am leaving the same place: a place I was once so nervous about, a place I now call home.

If you’d asked me a year ago, whether I would travel to 7 different states/territories around Australia, represent ANU in the Eastern University Games, or try my hand at AFL, I would’ve said no. But here I am! There are so many things that I have done this year that I would never have imagined I would do, and I can’t thank everyone here enough for helping to facilitate that. It has been an adventure, and an adventure I would repeat a thousand times over.

Now, as my time here has ended, I have left the cold Canberra winter to settle back home in the *slightly* warmer British summer, and prepare to start my third and final year of university.

But before I do, I have a couple of words of advice for anyone considering going on exchange.

Whether it is to ANU, to Australia, or to anywhere else:

  • Try not to fly under the radar
  • Try new things (cliché, I know)
  • Meet new people (also incredibly cliché)
  • Load your days up to the max
  • Don’t study too hard (find the perfect balance)
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help
  • Appreciate the people around you