USA – Tarnie
Student: Tarnie
Course: Bachelor of Business (Sport Management)
Program: Trimester exchange
How did you make friends and what sort of things did you do together?
I was lucky enough to get accommodation in a high rise building in a shared dorm on the best part of campus, which meant there were lots of opportunities to meet and interact with people. I made quite a few friends on my floor, as well as a couple of floors above, through floor get together and conversations in the common rooms. Most of my closest friendships, however, came through my American roommate. Because of this, I would definitely recommend choosing a shared room if you have the option and feel comfortable doing so. It’s a great way to put yourself out there and meet people from the beginning. My friends and I would spend time hanging out on campus, getting brunch in town, going to ice hockey and basketball games, attending parties and occasionally going on spontaneous day trips. One of the most memorable was when we drove 3 hours each way in a day to see the solar eclipse in an area in Vermont where it reached 100% viewing totality. In Massachusetts, the eclipse was only expected to reach around 75%, so we decided it was worth the long drive to experience the full eclipse together, which was one of the most memorable experiences. Before arriving, I joined a Facebook group for UMASS students who were transferring or studying internationally, and made a good friend who coincidentally ended up living on my floor.
What’s the most memorable thing you ate?
UMASS Amherst has been the #1 College for Dining for almost 10 years in a row now so there were many good meals I ate in my time there, but what takes top spot was the lobster and steak served on Halloween which is a yearly tradition at UMASS. It’s definitely not something you’d expect to be getting in a college dining hall, so I think that’s what made it memorable.
How did you spend your weekends?
UMASS Amherst is in a small town in Western Massachusetts, so there wasn’t always lots of places to go or things to see. However, UMASS has a strong sporting culture, particularly when it comes to ice hockey. The home games were always a highlight of my weekends. It was a great way to spend time with friends while also getting involved in the wider university community and letting out my inner sport fanatic. Outside of hockey and basketball, I would spend weekends hanging out with friends, going to Target – which quickly became the holy grail of American shopping for me – and visiting the nearby town of Northampton for shopping and the movies. I also went to concerts both on campus and in Boston, with one of the most unexpected highlights was seeing Flo Rida perform on campus which is insane to think about considering we were in the middle of nowhere Massachusetts. A few weekends, a group of us would stay near Boston and got to go to a couple professional MLB games at Fenway Park to watch the Boston Red Sox. We were lucky enough to see them win one time, and singing Sweet Caroline with the entire crowd afterwards made it feel like such a quintessentially American experience. There were also plenty of parties and social events I’d attend, as UMASS is known for having a very social campus atmosphere.
What is the one big thing you will always remember from your experience? Or one big lesson that you learnt?
The biggest lesson I learnt was the importance of putting yourself out there. By being willing to meet new people and say yes to different experiences, you create some of the most amazing and memorable friendships and experiences that you can carry with you for life. For example, during Thanksgiving break, I stayed with one of my friend’s families and got to experience a high school American football game as her brother was playing. It was exactly like something you would see in the movies, and it was an experience I never would have had if I hadn’t put myself out there. My experience was so meaningful that I’ve already returned to the US since studying abroad to visit my friends and revisit campus, and I’m actually going back again in October this year. It really shows how the connections you make while studying abroad can continue long after you return home.
How did you finance your trip? How much did your trip cost?
I was able to put around $7,000 per semester on my student loan and had also saved quite a bit of money through working. I was also very fortunate to have support from my parents. In total, my two semesters cost approximately $50,000, including trips. To break this down, accommodation was around $8,000 USD per semester and the dining plan was approximately $5,000 USD per semester. One unexpected cost was health insurance. Through Deakin Abroad, insurance is included, but due to Massachusetts state requirements, international students were required to have the host university’s health insurance as well. This cost around $2,500 USD. So, one piece of advice I would give future exchange students is to research these additional costs carefully before you go. There can be expenses that you don’t initially consider, and these can add up significantly to the overall cost of your exchange.
Did you go on any memorable trips to explore your host country or maybe a nearby country?
During my exchange, I was lucky enough to travel to several different parts of the US, including New York, New Jersey and Florida. In New York, I got to see Wicked on Broadway, and since I visited around Christmas, I got to see the city decorated, including the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, which made it more memorable. In Florida, I travelled with my parents and visited Disney and Universal. One of my favourite experiences was going to an NHL game to watch the Tampa Bay Lightning play the New Jersey Devils. I had completely fallen in love with ice hockey during my time at UMass, so getting to experience a professional game was really exciting.