Reflecting on College

By Tara Brougham, University of Melbourne, Australia

I have now come to the end of my time at college, and officially left Melbourne though for a month of backpacking Vietnam, so it’s not quite over yet. However, now is a good time to reflect on my time at Trinity College, which will hopefully provide some insights for others who may be considering college as an option while they’re abroad.

My overall experience at college was incredible, and definitely made my exchange year what is was. However it was one that definitely has its pros and cons.

PROS

The Social Life

Undoubtedly the best part of college was the people I met, and the friends I made. Being a college, rather than just accommodation the range of people you meet is much wider and it meant my friends spanned year groups and even countries. Though it can be slightly overwhelming to meet so many people at once, I ended up becoming really close with my friends and even stayed with a number of them over the summer break.

The Lifestyle

Another aspect of college that I really enjoyed was the lifestyle. Compared to UK universities, the Australian uni culture seems to be far more relaxed and focused on living a balanced, healthy lifestyle. For example, it was just as common to go to gym classes with friends as going on a night out. Being in college meant this type of lifestyle was even more accessible to me, as I lived right on campus so joining uni clubs and socialising with friends was all within easy reach.

The Support

Being a residential college, there was heaps of extra support available alongside the accommodation, catering and social life. For example, Trinity has counsellors, academic advisors attentive support staff for international students. As such, it meant the experience of moving countries was less overwhelming, with Trinity even providing bedding on my arrival.

CONS

The Price

The main con of living at college is of course, the expense as it costs more than most other accommodation options. However, it is slightly more expensive than the private accommodation options, but I believe you get much more for your money. Furthermore, I valued the stability of having my accommodation sorted before I arrived, and knowing that no one could take it away from me. For example, I had a few friends who had to move sharehouses multiple times due to renting issues. Additionally, Trinity offered me a scholarship which reduced the price, so checking whether these are available to you would be a good starting point when choosing colleges. Further, the scholarships tend to be based on financial need alone, so there’s no pressure to create an application or anything.

Lack of Other International Students

Although I have listed this as a con, the lack of other international/exchange students is really a mix of both. It was definitely a little tougher settling in, exacerbated by the lack of others having the same experience of joining college as an exchange student. This was amplified by the fact that, as a British student, I joined at the start of Australia’s second semester so joined a cohort who had already spend a semester together. Despite these challenges, meeting new people and becoming part of Melbourne’s uni culture was a main goal of my exchange year and college was a great way to do so.

Overall, deciding on accommodation for your year abroad is a big deal, and not a decision to be taken lightly. As such, i hope this post gives you some idea of what college life is like and whether it’s something for you!