North America
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Environmental sponging
Scarlett Gilligan, la Universidad de las Américas Puebla, México I am penning a new term right now, hear me out. Being on your year abroad is about learning — obviously — everything you can’t in a classroom. I can say where I have learned the most about myself and about everything is my house. You are going to come across so many different things on your year abroad within an international community and your general environment. Be a sponge. I want you to absorb it. You are going to spend so, so, so much time here, and you don’t want to waste any time constantly asking why things are the…
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Reading Week Roadtrip: NYC, Boston and Vermont
By Katie Dolan, McGill University, Canada. Eight days, three states, and a ton of photos later, it’s safe to say that I’ll be thinking about this trip for a long time. New York With around 10 days off in October, some friends and myself decided to go on a trip to New York, Boston, and Vermont. We got a night bus from Montreal to New York which got us in at around 8am in the morning. You can imagine how much a NYC bagel and coffee hit the spot after the 8-hour bus ride. But in fairness, the bus wasn’t actually too bad at all and I would be lying…
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Sustainability in Canada: What I’ve Learned (and Am Still Learning)
By Deborah Oshidero, University of Calgary, Canada Since moving to Canada, I’ve been trying to live more sustainably – both in my daily habits and long-term choices. It’s definitely a challenge at times (especially with how far apart everything is!), but I’ve also found small ways to reduce waste and make more eco-conscious decisions.
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Studying at UCalgary: The Ins and Outs
By Deborah Oshidero, University of Calgary, Canada With mid-terms coming up and having settled into life here at UCalgary I thought it was appropriate time to talk about the reality of a law exchange year at UofC. I am a third-year undergraduate student enrolled in postgraduate-level law courses at the University of Calgary, not to make it sound daunting. In all honesty this journey so far has been both intense but still rewarding. Studying here offers a variety of academic courses, big campus life, and the experience of living in Canada.
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Learning to Learn
Scarlett Gilligan, Universidad de las Américas Puebla. At our age, we’re more than used to adapting to new ways of learning and our education systems constantly changing — one of the few good things to maybe have come out of COVID. Use this to your advantage because, at least for me, moving universities was such a strange experience. Thanks to our historical turmoil with education systems, we can use this adaptability to help us prepare and transition to new little flips. Keep in mind your experience may be totally different, this is just a bit of food for thought if you are preparing to leave! One big thing I had…
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Travel While You Can: My Year-Abroad Adventures
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers, USA One of the best parts of a year abroad is the freedom to explore. Rutgers’ location is perfect—you can hop on a train, book a budget flight, or pile into a car and see so many different sides of the U.S. I tried to say “yes” to every trip I could squeeze in between classes, and those journeys became some of my brightest memories. Here’s everywhere I went—and a few hacks to help you plan your own. Boston – 3 Days of New England Charm Boston was our first big getaway, and it ended up being more affordable than we’d imagined. We scored a $100…
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The Student’s Guide to Supermarkets in New Brunswick
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers New Brunswick, USA If you’re not on a full meal plan, knowing where to stock up on groceries and dorm essentials is an absolute survival skill. Over my year in New Brunswick, I learned where to go for the best deals, the freshest produce, and the random little things that make student life feel a bit more normal. Here’s my guide: Trader Joe’s – The Cult Favourite Hands down, Trader Joe’s was my number one pick for groceries. The vibe is friendly, the products are reliably tasty, and the prices are actually very good for the quality. Their snacks, frozen meals, and unique pantry staples are…
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Finding Your People: Societies and Club Sports at Rutgers
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers New Brunswick, USA One of the quickest ways to feel at home at Rutgers is by joining a society or a club sport. These groups provide instant community, built-in adventures, and a welcome break from the library grind. Two of my favourite experiences were with the Rutgers Ski & Snowboard Team (RUST) and Rutgers Club Field Hockey. Rutgers Ski & Snowboard Team (RUST) I’m an avid skier, and even though I’d heard that East Coast skiing is nothing like the Alps I grew up with, I was determined to find a ski club at Rutgers. I’m so lucky I found RUST. This is a competitive team that races during…
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My ultimate guide to Rutgers dining halls, swipe-friendly cafés, and the downtown New Brunswick food scene…
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers New Brunswick, USA Dining Halls: All-You-Can-Eat Livingston Dining Commons (Livi) – My Home Base 10/10Livi was my second home and easily the best dining hall on campus. I would sometimes swipe in once and stay the entire day, setting up my laptop in a booth with friends and turning it into our private study lounge. Unlimited coffee refills and decent Wi-Fi made it a surprisingly productive spot. The food kept us going too. The salad bar was my favourite on campus, with endless fresh toppings, grains, and seafood (sometimes even mussels and prawns) so you could build something different every time. The Asian section served stir-fries,…
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Rutgers: The Birthplace of College Football
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers University, USA Before I came to Rutgers, I thought American football was just… a worse rugby with more padding and commercials. But little did I know, game days here are a full cultural event—like a mix of a music festival, street fair, and sports match all rolled into one. Whether you’re into sports or just here for the vibes (#guilty), trust me when I say: you don’t want to miss this part of the Rutgers experience. So, here’s everything I wish I’d known before my first game day… The Basics: So, What Even Is American Football? And if you’re ever totally lost, just ask someone nearby.…
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The Ultimate Guide to the Rutgers Bus System, Campus Life, and Getting Around NJ
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers University, United States of America So you’ve landed in New Brunswick, bags unpacked, Target haul complete, and the emotional goodbyes are slowly fading into your mental rearview mirror. But now comes the real challenge: figuring out how to get around this sprawling maze of a campus (hello, five campuses?!) Fear not, future Scarlet Knight, buckle up for the lowdown on everything from the infamous Rutgers bus system to NJ Transit tips. RUTGERS BUS SYSTEM: CHAOS? YES. USEFUL? ALSO YES. Let’s start with the Rutgers bus system—both a miracle and a mild source of trauma. This free, student-only shuttle system connects all five New Brunswick campuses: College…
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Finding Accommodation, Settling in, and the reality of it
Deborah Oshidero, University of Calgary, Canada Moving abroad for school sounded exciting in my head. I imagined setting up my own space, exploring the city, and just getting into that whole “new chapter” vibe. But honestly? The reality of it hit me way faster than I expected. I realised the private accommodation I had arranged before arriving just wasn’t going to work. I had originally signed a lease for a private place off campus, this was because I applied for on-campus accommodation late and was put at 354 on the waitlist. I was optimistic thinking it would be perfect staying in a house, taking the C-train to get to UCalgary and…
