Student living the dream in US
Thu 06 December 2007
Cushla Sherlock, Journalism
After four months of studying in the United States (US) Jacqui Thurecht still has to pinch herself to remember she is living her dream.
An exchange program through the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) has enabled the 20-year-old to achieve things she used to dream about and more, including travelling to an amazing 18 states in the US.
The journey began when Jacqui was living in a hostel with American exchange students during her first semester at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Making life-long friends combined with her burning desire to travel was the reason Jacqui chose the US.
From that point everything happened quickly – less than six months later she found herself in a new country with different surroundings, and mingling with new and interesting people.
“It is also a great opportunity to ... get real world experiences that would help me with my degree in tourism,” she said.
Quite an adventure for a girl who was only 19 when she arrived in South Carolina.
A real ‘make-the-most-of-it’ type of girl, Jacqui has noticed a few differences in university life between both countries during her time at the College of Charleston.
First, she said students are extremely polite on her new stomping ground. She said chivalry was still alive and thriving in the young generation in South Carolina.
She also said a lot of the American students she met attended university straight after high school. “In Australia it has been my experience and that of most of my friends to take a year off in-between study,” she said.
Her new accommodation took a bit of getting used to after coming from the USC accommodation, which she now thinks was luxurious. “My roommate and I sleep about two metres away from each other on small single beds ... Living in a dorm makes me feel like I am constantly indoors as there is no balcony, yard or large window,” she said.
Like a lot of university students, Jacqui loves to socialise with her mates and of course a drink or three is often on the menu. So Jacqui said she has had difficulty adjusting to the drinking age in the US. “The thing that bothers me most ... is the drinking age … I feel myself being treated as a kid over here because I’m not 21.”
Although Jacqui thinks the workload between both universities is similar, she said instead of having separate lectures and tutorials there are a combination of both in each class.
“I prefer the way we have lessons set up back home ... because I feel you get the information from the lecture and it is enforced through discussion in the tutorial.”
Another new and ongoing experience for Jacqui, one that she will be sad to end on her return to Australia has been playing girls’ rugby union.
But it will be more than just memories and friends’ phone numbers Jacqui will bring home. She said the exchange has helped her grow as a person and that will stay with her forever.
Another thing she will take away is the pride that comes with learning to be independent and responsible for herself. “I don’t have my parents nearby to help me out if I get in a jam,” she said. “I have also become stronger and have realised that I can do anything I put my mind to. Travel is very character building, especially when you are all by yourself.”
Jacqui said her personal growth, travel experiences and new and old friends have been the best part of her exchange, and it all still felt unreal.
Jacqui will return to the Sunshine Coast in February after a stint in Europe on her way home.
“… Studying abroad has opened up a whole new world of travel for me,” she said. “I definitely have more of a positive outlook on life”.
Image(s) designed by n/a