Are you a UBC undergrad thinking about going on a student exchange? It can be a daunting decision. You might wonder, what's it like spending a year or a semester in another country? How can you prepare? And how do you handle it when things go sideways? We talked with a group of UBC Global Ambassadors who studied abroad with a Go Global program. They spoke with us candidly, sharing their personal impressions, fears and misgivings, best memories, top tips and advice. (This is story is part of a series of Global Exchange Insider interviews.)
Meet Katrina Correa, 22, who is in her final year as an undergraduate student in the UBC School of Kinesiology (Faculty of Education). She grew up in Surrey, BC.
Day trip to London (photo: Katrina Correa)
Before you go
Why did you pick University of Sussex for your exchange? How did you hear about it?
I knew that I wanted to attend a university in an English-speaking region to eliminate any anxiety concerning potential language barriers. I narrowed down options in both the UK and Australia, ultimately selecting the UK given the opportunity to travel around Europe. I learned about the University of Sussex (in Brighton and Hove, England) from people who had documented their exchange experience on social media, sparking my initial interest in the school. The location of the university, right by the seaside city of Brighton, was a major pull-factor for me, paired with the close proximity to Central London and Gatwick airport. I knew attending this school would likely be a good fit for my goal of travelling while on exchange.
What was the application process like? Any tips?
During the application process, I recommend looking into any scholarships available to outbound exchange students. I applied to the One World International Scholarship and that helped alleviate some of my financial stress related to exchange.
Camden Market (photo: Katrina Correa)
How did you prepare? Anything to be aware of? (travel, cultural differences, classes, etc.)
Once I was nominated by UBC to attend the University of Sussex, I was sent information directly from the Sussex exchange office to apply to the school and register for modules (courses). I had to list my top six module preferences and I would be placed into modules that had space available. Something I found different from UBC was how much later things moved along. For instance, I did not know what courses I was in registered until a couple of days before classes started. I also did not receive an update regarding housing until the end of November, just over a month before moving to the UK.
When planning the logistics of my travel day with a friend who had previously gone on exchange, she shared that on her first night on exchange, she had to sleep on a towel over the dorm mattress because her plane landed late and all the stores were closed. To avoid this situation, I preordered a bedding pack before arriving at Sussex. These are available on the University of Sussex website and distributed upon check-in to your accommodation.
In preparation for exchange, the University of Sussex gave the incoming exchange students the opportunity to virtually connect while still in our home countries: through an app called Goin’ Connect. Similar to other social media platforms, the app had us create a profile, share about our interests and goals while on exchange and message those we wanted to connect with. This was especially valuable in my case as I was the only UBC student attending Sussex that semester.
Visiting the Seven Sisters Cliffs for the first time (photo: Katrina Correa)
What worries did you have beforehand? How did you overcome the anxiety?
Before my exchange, I was quite anxious about the logistics of travelling to England, especially since I had never been to the UK before. My biggest worry was the potential for travel disruptions, and I had not anticipated how much of an impact unexpected weather could have. The day that I was set to fly out was the exact day that Vancouver was hit with a snowstorm. I remember feeling a lot of anxiety about getting to the airport, given the road closures and potential flight cancellation. Luckily, my flight was only delayed a few hours. However, the delays resulted in a very late arrival into London Heathrow Airport. Due to the time of year, there were not any direct flights from YVR to Gatwick airport, so I had to fly into Heathrow, which was further away. From Heathrow, I took a two-hour coach to Brighton, and then an Uber to Sussex campus.
Although this weather-related issue was out of my control, I still recommend that students plan to arrive days before classes and orientation begin. In my case, I planned to arrive as soon as my accommodation was available, well before the first week events started, which gave me some flexibility to figure out alternative ways to get to Sussex without missing orientation and properly settle in.
Additionally, I experienced some housing-related issues when I first arrived. Since I was a Term 2 exchange student, the accommodation I was matched with was already occupied with Sussex students. Coming from UBC, something I was not used to was the fact that most student accommodations in UK universities are co-ed, including at Sussex. Not expecting this, I arrived at my accommodation surprised to find that I was placed on a floor with all first-year, male-identifying students. Living in this accommodation for approximately two weeks, several issues concerning shared-bathroom and kitchen cleanliness arose. After attempting to resolve these issues with my roommates directly, and then with the housing office, I ended up moving to a different accommodation. When faced with housing-related problems, I think that it is important to take initiative and not be afraid to reach out to the housing office for support.
On-campus cows (photo: Katrina Correa)
During the experience
How was the overall experience? What did you learn?
Incredible! Despite a few travel hiccups, and switching accommodations a couple of weeks into my exchange, I learned to be adaptable and embrace the unexpected. These challenges only made me more resilient and open to change. One of the most valuable lessons I learned is that you can build community anywhere. It is amazing how quickly I found a group of friends in Brighton, and the connections I made there have continued to thrive. In fact, two of my exchange friends have already visited me in Vancouver (from London and Toronto, respectively), and I have travelled to Toronto and New York to visit other friends from exchange. We have all continued to support each other despite the distance, illuminating how meaningful relationships can be formed anywhere in the world.
“I recommend students plan to arrive days before classes and orientation begin.”
If you could change something or do it differently, what would you change or do?
I would be more consistent with documenting the experience. Although I captured many photos, I wish I had journaled throughout my exchange. I purchased a new journal intending to document my experiences, but only ended up writing two entries in it. I vlogged a couple days of my exchange, sharing fun stories or events that occurred, so I could watch it in the future. Now that I am back, I wish I had done this more, so that I could remember every detail of the experience!
How were the academics?
During my exchange, I planned to take sociology courses in order to complete my minor. I was enrolled in two final year (3rd year in the UK) sociology courses at the University of Sussex, equivalent to 15 UBC credits. Both these courses were small seminar-style classes that emphasized student participation. The biggest difference I found between UBC and Sussex was the lack of continuous assessment. Our grade was instead based on our midterm and final papers (in one class, solely based on the final). Both of my professors were very accessible and always made time to chat about the class material or assignment-related questions. Given the small class sizes, the classes felt very personable, where my professors knew every student by name. One of my professors also encouraged the formation of study groups, to discuss the class material and share our collective ideas with the class on a weekly basis. This helped with making friends in my classes, especially because it can be easy to stick to exclusively hanging out with your exchange-student friends.
Walking the Brighton Palace Pier (photo: Katrina Correa)
How was the social aspect?
I found that my schedule at Sussex accommodated plenty of time for social activities. The campus itself is home to two pubs that my friends and I would frequent for a pint and a game of pool. Additionally, Sussex had plenty of student societies (clubs) that hosted social events for students. I even attended a Swiftie Society craft night event where I made friends with fellow Taylor Swift fans. I would also go to different sports matches at Sussex to support my friends on the teams. Outside of campus life, I would often go into Brighton to shop around “the Lanes,” try different cafés and restaurants, take Reformer pilates classes and catch the sunset on the beach. When friends and family came to visit from home, I took them to walk the Seven Sisters Cliffs, visit the Royal Pavilion and go on the Brighton Palace Pier rides.
The one-hour train ride to London allowed for plenty of day trips to the city to sightsee. What I enjoyed most about London was the plethora of events and shows hosted in the city. Some of my highlights include watching the musicals “Wicked” and “Mamma Mia” on the West End; seeing Olivia Rodrigo at the O2 arena; going to the Hampton Court Palace festival; and attending the Taylor Swift Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium. I also took the two-and-a-half-hour train ride from Brighton up to Cambridge. One of my Sussex flatmates kindly hosted me at her family home, allowing me to explore the city for two days. I loved getting to see the famous university, visiting the different museums and taking a punting boat tour. The Sussex campus was also close to Gatwick airport, making it convenient to travel to different European countries. I made trips to France, the Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Italy and Croatia.
Canal Cruise in Amsterdam (photo: Katrina Correa)
After the experience
Would you recommend this experience to others? What can they look forward to?
I would definitely recommend an exchange to the University of Sussex to other UBC students. Students can look forward to thought-provoking class discussions, exploring the vibrant city of Brighton and meeting lots of new friends!
What was the impact on your academic and personal development?
My time at the University of Sussex significantly contributed to both my academic and personal development. In terms of academic development, the “Medicine and the Body” module I took reaffirmed my interest in the academic areas of healthcare, policy and public health. Also, the UK context allowed me to approach these themes with a global perspective, which will inform my future studies. The seminar-style class allowed me to have meaningful conversations with my professor, whom I have since stayed in contact with regarding my future academic pursuits.
Regarding my personal growth, my exchange to Brighton allowed me to nurture my extroverted side, which thrives on meeting and connecting with new people, while also learning to enjoy my own company and growing in independence. Although many people talk about all the amazing people you meet on exchange, what was equally profound in my experience were the instances of exploring new places solo, which helped me develop a greater sense of self.
Brighton beach sunset (photo: Sidney Kaelin)
Read more Go Global student stories.