I wanted to go somewhere where people spoke English, so it was between England and Australia. Honestly, I chose to go to Macquarie because it was based in Sydney, and Macquarie was the only university my university had an exchange program with. I had heard so much about Sydney being a world class city, and it did not disappoint. From the Opera House, to the stunning beaches, it was a great choice.
Alumni Spotlight: Marco Reus
Marco is a recently graduated business student with a passion for travel. His trip to Macquarie University in Sydney was the highlight of his degree.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
My university provided me with the very basics of applying, and had some basic resources. For the rest of the stuff, I was on my own. I reached out to some Macquarie advisors for help with classes, and they were generally quite good. For housing, I had to do that on my own as well. I decided to live on campus at Dunmore Lang. It was good, but very expensive. I would suggest looking into cheaper accommodation off campus, perhaps near the city or near a beach. Housing is probably the biggest thing that someone has to take into account when planning.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
Just go, you'll have the best time of your degree, and probably the best time of your life. The people you meet, the places you see, the freedom that you'll have is impossible to describe. I still miss it weekly. Put aside all your insecurities and doubts and just go. Also, make sure you bring a good camera. There will be so many fantastic things you will want to capture. When you are there, take full advantage of everything your university and city have to offer. Make friends. Say yes to everything. Travel outside of your city.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
I was taking 4 fairly easy classes. I took 2 options and 2 cores, and this is a reasonable balance. I recommend taking more options and easier classes, so you can enjoy yourself. I did not go to class much, if at all, as all the courses were posted online. I did a lot of exploring the city, going on hikes, or going to beaches during the week. Not a lot of time was spent studying, and I think this is how you're supposed to do exchanges. I was also on a pass/fail, so it made it easier. Honestly take easy classes and do not worry about school too much. You're there to have fun.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
I think my biggest fear was just living on my own for 5 months. I combatted this a bit by going with Dunmore Lang, who had high quality rooms and also provided full meal service. This eliminated the need for me to cook. I think everyone is nervous before heading on exchange. This is normal. The important thing to know is that this passes fairly quickly, and soon you will be completely engaged in the program. As soon as the jet-lag wears off, all your fears will be gone.
What were the best and worst parts of exchange?
The best part was definitely living in a gorgeous city on your own, with minimal responsibilities. It was amazing to go for hikes in the middle of the week. To see the Opera House weekly. To take the ferry to Manly. The freedom is amazing, you will have so much fun.
The worst part was probably the loneliness at times. You don't have your family, or any friends from home. It's important to combat this by making and keeping connections that you can hang out with regularly. Also know that this is normal and lots of people go through it.