Host uni: Exeter University Time period: S2, 2016 Degree: Sport Science (PE in Otago terms) Exchange experience: I had an absolute blast on my exchange to Exeter University. It is the top (or one of the) university in the UK for sports science, unbeknown to me beforehand, which is pretty cool to be able to claim. I took all third year papers (which is their final year over there) which, while it didn t allow me the most freedom, allowed me to gain a tonne of experience in labs and in class. I took a physiology paper, biomechanics paper and a kids in exercise paper. All of these had labs and used slightly different equipment and programmes to Otago which helps in the long run with experience. Being in classes with labs also helps with making friends and I was easily able to mingle into British groups which made everything a lot easier. Sport science and health sciences in general study on a different campus to the main one which has its own gym, cafe and fully equipped lab rooms, lecture theatres, library and study spaces. I liked being able to work here as it was a lot calmer than main campus, had less hills to walk up to get there and was closer to my accommodation. I lived in James Owen Court while I was in Exeter. This is uni accommodation, making the organising and moving in process super easy. You get your own room and en-suite and have a shared kitchen. It s in a City Col kind of layout and you have your own block and within that your own flat, who you share a kitchen with. There are freshers on site but to be honest you barely encounter them. This is also the place that all of the internationals stay so it is awesome fun and you can easily find travel buddies. Travel to and from Exeter is easy with a fairly cheap bus directly to Heathrow and London. There is an even more convenient bus, the Falcon, which does 5 pound return trips to Bristol airport where there are lots of cheap flights to Europe in and out of it. Travel to, from and around Europe is super easy and weekend trips are a must! England is highly stereotypical and everything they say about clubs and societies being a big deal? So very true. There were hundreds to choose from, from Jane Austin appreciation society to Hide and Seek society to Snowsports to Star Wars to every sport under the sun; it
was there. I joined touch rugby and snowsports and had a wicked time. I got lucky in touch rugby, both being there for the first semester when they were re-choosing teams and also being the only one with previous experience in the sport on my team when they were selecting for the top two teams. This allowed me to get into the second team and be properly introduced to the sport I played socially over summer and knew only the threeman drive. My golly was my mind blown when we learnt proper moves. Snowsports is also a definite to put on the list to join. It is the biggest club on campus and is an absolute tonne of fun, given you get involved. I joined the FRep group (fresher representative) which got you extra events, trips and socials. You also get fully into the British friend groups and scenes which is fantastic and you make friends to last. You will also experience dry slopes which are just the weirdest thing out and, if you re lucky, a jump into an airbag on skis. There is also jump club, freestyle club and the most insane week ski trip of your life to the French Alps. You will not be disappointed. Money: I was a bit behind on the money situation given a previous semesters exchange and the Northern Hemisphere summer of travel but I had two forms of loan coming in; one from study link and the other from my parents (will be thanking them until the day I die). Honestly cannot stress enough the benefit of saving as much as possible because you WILL use it all. All I can say is get involved. I lived with some students who didn t and they regretted it. Make as many international friends as you do local friends and you will not only have places to stay all over the globe but friends for life. You re all in the exchange experience together and the support from them is unreal.