As cliché as it sounds, the past 8 months that I have spent on my year abroad have been the best of my life. I have experienced so many new things and met people that will undoubtedly be my friends for life. I cannot recommend a year abroad enough.

My home university, the University of Leeds, and McMaster University have a big exchange program and so not only had I already heard a lot of positive feedback from past Leeds student’s times at McMaster, but I knew that I wouldn’t be alone when I first arrived.

I flew to Toronto at the end of August 2015 and its safe to say, none of us were expecting the heat. We chose Canada for our year abroad because we thought it would be cold! Of course, come the winter, albeit a mild one, we would have happily welcomed back the sun. Nevertheless, we spent the first couple of weeks setting up bank accounts, phone contracts etc. whilst exploring Hamilton and Toronto. It was challenging trying to manage tasks such as banks and phones in a country that you’ve never been to before but I certainly learned a lot from it and it reassured me that I will be able to manage in the ‘real world’ so to speak after graduating.

Learning about the Canadian culture has definitely been a great benefit of doing an exchange year. In terms of the difference between English and Canadian universities, there is definitely more work at McMaster, but to an extent, it is easier. The campuses are quite similar although I would say Canadians are more enthusiastic during times such as welcome week yet this made for an amazing experience. It did take a while to get used to things such as leaving tips at restaurants and being on the opposite side of the road, but establishing these little, otherwise trivial concepts into my new daily life is what has made the experience so worthwhile. Living in a new culture from what you’re used to is for me, irreplaceable.

During my time at McMaster I have been able to try new things such as canoeing at Algonquin National Park with the Outdoor Club, skiing at Mount Tremblant with Snow Jam and exploring places such as Niagara Falls with the Internationals’ society. During Fall Break I visited Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa, and during Spring Break I went to Las Vegas. I have also been to New York and once exams have finished I am travelling across to the West of Canada and then around the USA until I return to England in the summer. Without being a part of the exchange program, none of these opportunities would have been possible.

Furthermore, one of the most beneficial parts of an exchange for me has been how much it has boosted my confidence. By being put in an unfamiliar situation on almost a weekly basis and being able to deal with it well is a lifelong skill that I have gained. It has also taught me to remain open-minded about things; even if they seem daunting or difficult, and thinking about how rewarding it will be.

Ultimately, apart from the obvious advantages of a year abroad such as exploring new places and meeting new people, there are other, more substantial things that I have gained from the year, such as developing as an individual. All I can say is for anyone even slightly considering doing an exchange year, wherever it is in the world, absolutely seize the opportunity while it is there.

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To learn more about exchange opportunities visit the International Student Services website.