Libby's Exchange to University of Dundee | Scotland
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| Photo from https://www.futurelearn.com/partners/university-of-dundee |
If you were to ask me why I decided to go on student exchange I would not know where to begin. Not because the question is unanswerable, the opposite in fact: there are an infinite number of reasons why; reasons which just one word, sentence or even this testimonial can do proper justice to.
I first heard about the exchange program offered at Murdoch University when I was still in high school. I had been interested in exchange for as long as I can remember (courtesy of watching too many American TV shows which always featured a mysterious foreign exchange student), so it is fair to say that in many ways my mind was made up about exchange before I even got to university. However, there are other reasons why I thought exchange was a good opportunity. First and foremost was the opportunities such an experience would allow me.
I am a law student and from my first class in the discipline I realised that law exists in a much wider world than my classroom, city and country. It is global and with as many disciplines as one can think of I could spend my entire life studying it and never learn everything there is to know; but exchange seemed the most appropriate way to at least try. What lead me to Scotland was part necessity and part personal desire: you have limited opportunities in law because of jurisdictional issues but I have always wanted to travel to Scotland, an opportunity to study there for a semester was like a dream come true. The University of Dundee itself is regarded as the best university in Scotland and has an exceptional record for academic excellence; I would be ignorant not to consider how that would look to future employers.
Studying at Dundee also offered me the opportunity to read areas of law which were not offered at Murdoch, particularly in areas in which Australian law is still developing. In regards to my actual study topics, the biggest hurdle was not wrapping my head around another jurisdiction but finding the right time in my degree to go. Law is heavily regimented because of the strict learning objectives expected and there was only one opportune semester to go overseas without effecting my graduation date. A few other minor challenges were the differences in academic referencing and the level of self-regulated study, but ultimately I could not have wished for a more supportive or conducive institution to study at.
The staff were incomparable; enthusiastic and invested, I was incredibly lucky to develop a good relationship with one professor in particular which has opened up the possibility of returning next year to study for my master’s degree. If you had asked me what I expected to gain at the start of the semester I would not have known, but I can assure you I could not have imagined that. Dundee gave me a learning experience which was invaluable and reignited a passion for law which I had found slowly disappearing as I learnt about reality of the discipline. I was reminded of the reason why I chose to study law in the first place and that in itself is more than I could have ever expected to take from my exchange experience.
Despite all that I learnt about my field of study, I found that it was another area of my life that I discovered the biggest learning opportunity; myself. Prior to exchange I had always been fiercely independent but I had never considered myself particularly brave. While bravery isn’t necessary for exchange I couldn’t help but think of myself as so. There will be times in your experience where it may become too much; too hard and too alien. I was lucky and studied in a country where English is the main language but even then there will be differences in culture and society which will leave you feeling very alone and isolated. My first week was spent mostly alone in an empty flat and while I was blissfully happy to be doing what I had for so long had my heart set on, I was homesick. I missed my friends and my family but mostly a feeling of security; I grasped the idea that if anything were to go wrong I was here by myself and would have to deal with it largely on my own. It’s a terrifying thought but one that you must not let defeat you. Every day I woke up and the first thing I did was smile because I was proud of myself; proud for studying away from everything familiar, for travelling to different cities alone and embracing every new opportunity.
Perhaps the biggest surprise on exchange were the friendships I made; I could not have expected just how strong and genuine they would be, nor how much I would miss them once I was back home. I made incredible friends of all nationalities at my university, the flat where I lived and also in my time travelling. It is astounding how quickly a bond can develop when you find yourself in a strange place with strange people but all it takes is one “hello” and you can make a friend who will make you laugh and who will be there when you get homesick, or you just need someone to talk to. I adore my friends in Dundee and the United Kingdom in general and I honestly cannot wait to be back there and back in their company.
The hardest part of exchange isn’t the experience itself; it’s coming back that is the real struggle. To return from what was the most incredible time of my life back to normality was a little heartbreaking. I missed everything about Scotland the minute I stepped on the plane back home and while I was thrilled to see my friends and family again, a big part of me still wishes I am back there. I am in the lucky position to have my friends and family realise that this is not a reflection on them but rather that I have found a place in the world where I am happy and their support is what drives me to go back but to also explore the wider world.
It is impossible not to change after an experience like this. I think I’m more independent (if that’s possible). I’m more calm, capable, confident and content. Being back at Murdoch is wonderful and it’s only now that I am realising how much I have changed. As someone who deals with crippling shyness I can’t believe how much more confidant exchange has made me, I’m more open and willing to engage in conversation. I also find that issues, which I had considered massive problems before are now insignificant or at least nothing to lose sleep over – once you’ve almost missed your bus back to Scotland from London once, a tutorial presentation is a piece of cake. I can honestly say that exchange has changed me for the better.
Considering this all started with a quote written in my Letter of Motivation which I wrote over a year ago, it appears only fitting I end on the same note.
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”
– Oliver Wendell Holmes
- Libby studied abroad at the University of Dundee in Scotland
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