Living in Adelaide for the last five months has been such an extraordinary experience. Not only have I been able to live and learn in a new country, but I have become a more independent and confident person than I was before.
I live in Cary and I went to school in Raleigh for most of my life, so even in college I was never more than ten miles from home. In Adelaide, I was completely responsible for myself. I broadened my cooking skills and took the opportunity to start eating healthier. I also got much better at time management. I started studying at cafes, to explore the city while getting work done. I also learned how to plan trips. My parents plan most of the details when my family travels. After planning my trips to New Zealand, Melbourne, Sydney, and Broken Hill, I have learned how find the cheapest flights, accommodation, and even how to rent a car.
Attending an Australian university helped me become a more self-motivated learner. Unlike at NC State, attendance is not counted for a grade and tests are not worth much more than assignments in some of my classes. It was my responsibility to myself to make sure that I went to class and learned the material well before the final exam, which counted for up to seventy percent of my grade in some classes. I plan to apply these new skills to manage my workload next semester back home.
I also hope to bring back sustainable practices that Adelaide has instilled in me. Almost every store in the city required customers to bring their own reusable bags. I got into the habit of always carrying a tote bag in my purse, in case I needed to buy something. Being in the Fair Trade Collective at University of Adelaide, I volunteered for a clothing swap and learned about the impact of fast fashion. There was a lot of environmental activism going on while I was in Australia and I learned about the enormous impact that textile waste has on our planet. As a student at the Wilson College of Textiles, I feel that it is especially pertinent for me to pay attention to where my clothes come from and where they go after I am done with them. I plan to make little changes: bringing a reusable cup to coffee shops, carrying my own bags to the grocery store, and thrifting clothes instead of going to stores like H&M.
Overall, my experiences abroad in Australia have changed me for the better and I look forward to sharing my experiences when I get home.