Don't do what I did

I went to study abroad mostly so I could take courses in a more lenient grading system and have the grades transfer back to boost my GPA. My program mandated that I HAD to take 4 courses to count as a full time student, so that's what I did. I verified that my courses would qualify and carry over, and by the time the next term went around, I had both of those goals accomplished.

However, Christchurch is an absolutely depressing place to stay. The neighborhoods are lifeless, the majority of people you'll meet are as emotive as worker drones, and the most available source of fun comes from alcohol.

The rest of the islands are so much more interesting. Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, and Dunedin all offer so much more to see, hear, and do than Christchurch. It's great if you can take courses that'll count towards your degree back home (the grading system is so worth it), but don't take all upper division courses like I did. I sacrificed pretty much all of my free time just to study and it was a slog to go through.