Blogs

As a first-year student at Vanderbilt University, I’m ready to take advantage of and enjoy the next four years of my liberal arts education. It’s the first time in our lives that we are pretty much autonomous, and whether you’re trying to decide what you’re going to eat for dinner or what you’re going to major in at university, everything is an exciting opportunity. My day can vary all the time, but this is a rough guideline of what I get up to as a university student in the US. 

At the beginning of my fourth month in London, I would like to reflect on some of the expectations and realities of my exchange. Here’s a breakdown of the expectations I had before coming to London and what the reality has been.

Expectation: The weather being rainy, foggy, and not really much else. 

When applying to study in the US, one of the biggest draws for me was the amount of opportunity that would be available. The connections I have made while at university in New York City have opened doors to many things that I couldn't have expected. 

US universities focus greatly on their alumni, and students are encouraged to stay in touch with their university long after graduating. This has advantages for those of us currently studying, who often have the chance to meet and connect with former students now thriving in various fields.

I have just arrived back in Australia after being home in the US for a few weeks in December and January and have been enjoying the warm, sunny weather. While I was home I basically had two weeks of placement at my local veterinary clinic and two weeks of vacation with my family and friends.

I graduated with academic honours without ever meeting my professors, embarking on an all-nighter with classmates and, technically, never having gone to a class at all. I was an online-only student, and as online degree programmes grow in popularity, my past three years of study were a crash-course in the unique challenges of learning online, as well as a glimpse into what the future of higher education might look like.

While at university, I and many of my friends were sexually assaulted on a regular basis. This can be a tough statement to accept for some people, but virtually every woman (and some men, too) can unfortunately confirm that it is true.

Sexual assault doesn’t just mean rape in a dark alley by a stranger – it’s groping on a night out, inappropriate comments or being pressured by a friend or partner into a sexual act.

Misconceptions around consent, sexual assault and even rape are inescapable and far too common. It’s almost become normalised, an accepted part of student life.

My name is Gwen and I was born in Singapore but I lived in Japan for a few years too. Although I graduated from an Australian high school, I have also experienced the Singaporean and US school systems.

After high school, I spent a year at the Durham University.

I chose to do a foundation year programme with Durham University is part of that exclusive list.

We’re told that free speech should not be limited, most of all not on a university campus. Even the current government recognises that speech should be free and unfettered, represented best by the push by former universities minister Jo Johnson.

Globally, student debt is rising. According to 2016 data, the average student debt for US graduates is $37,000 for bachelor’s degrees and $57,000 for graduate degrees. Students in the UK are in even greater debt, owing $55,000 (£40,000) for a bachelor’s degree, while in Sweden – where tuition is free – students can owe $20,000 on average upon graduation.

In a moment of optimism several months ago, I signed up to lobby with the Harvard Democrats at the Massachusetts State House. I was reminded of my decision a couple of days before the event by an email detailing my shifts and the bills I had to lobby on behalf of.