Motivation
Growing up watching American movies and television, I had always been curious to experience US college life for myself. UC San Diego was also an obvious choice for me as an avid surfer and spearfisher, with world-class surf only about five minutes from campus. I also wanted the opportunity to take classes that were not available within my degree at UQ.
Personal Development
I made a tonne of friends from all over the world, including through living in regular on-campus student accommodation with roommates from several different cultural backgrounds. I was already fairly independent before exchange, but the experience made me more outgoing and more comfortable putting myself into unfamiliar situations. Studying in the US gave me a greater appreciation for different cultures and for how many different perspectives there are on almost everything. I was also lucky enough to travel through five US states, explore much of the Californian coast and visit parts of Central and South America during and after exchange, picking up a small amount of Spanish along the way.
San Diego itself is an amazing place to live. The whole city is beautiful, especially La Jolla, and the sunsets are pretty nuts. It is also a food lover’s heaven. I was not much of a foodie before moving there, but there were so many genuinely great places to eat within a short distance of campus that I definitely became one. It made me appreciate how good we have it in Australia, but also how much we can still learn from other places. In particular, it showed me how welcoming and inclusive university can feel when social connection and campus life are a top priority.
Academic Development
I got to take classes that are not offered at UQ and experience practical labs and teaching styles that were possible because of the high level of student engagement. A lot of my classes had only around 30–40 students, which meant much more face time with lecturers and tutors. They got to know their students and seemed genuinely invested in how we were going.
The ten-week quarter system was an adjustment because everything moved quickly and there was no mid-semester break to catch up if you fell behind. Putting every assessment date into my calendar at the beginning of the quarter made it much easier to stay on top of things. The workload in a single quarter was generally lower than a full UQ semester, but I completed six courses across two quarters. I really liked taking three courses at a time because I could focus more closely on each one while still trying a wider variety of subjects across the exchange.
Professional Development 
I joined Triton Consulting Group, the Sustainable Investment Group and social clubs including Trailblazers and the Surf Club. The clubs were extremely active and operated at a different level from anything I had previously experienced. The support, experience and interview preparation I received through Triton Consulting Group directly contributed to me receiving a graduate offer from an MBB consulting firm.
One of the biggest cultural adjustments was realising that tall-poppy syndrome is not really a thing in the US. You have to pump your tyres up a little and be comfortable explaining what you are good at in order to be taken seriously. That did not come naturally to me, but it made me much better at communicating my strengths and advocating for myself. I also developed a network of seriously impressive people with very bright futures, which I hope to maintain well beyond the exchange.
Costs and Funding
The US is expensive, so save hard and expect to spend more than you originally budgeted. My UCSD housing and dining package cost approximately USD $12,000 for six months. The dining plan still did not cover every meal, so I also had to pay for breakfast and some lunches. There were also approximately USD $500 in additional university fees.
I chose not to buy a car and instead used an e-bike, public transport, UCSD’s car-share system and lifts with friends. Across the six months, I spent roughly AUD $20,000–$25,000, which was around $5K or so more than I had expected. Cooking simple meals and making friends with people who had cars and also liked doing fun things cheaply saved me a lot of money. Many things appear to cost about the same as they do in Australia, but the exchange rate makes them roughly 40% more expensive. Start saving early, budget properly at the beginning and leave yourself enough money to travel at the end.
I received a UQ Global Experiences Grant and OS-HELP funding, which I supplemented with personal savings and some family support. I would not have been able to go without the funding I received. It covered most of my accommodation and dining costs, as well as my flights to and from the US, and made the experience possible.
Accommodation
I chose to live on campus because I wanted the full university experience. The main advantages were how simple it was, how close I was to my classes and how easy it made meeting other students. The disadvantages were that it was expensive, fairly dated and sparsely furnished for the price, and I had no control over who I lived with. I got very lucky and loved my roommates, so that ended up being one of the best parts of the experience.
For on-campus accommodation, apply as soon as applications open, seconds can genuinely matter. For off-campus housing, I would consider booking temporary accommodation for the first two or three weeks and searching once you arrive. It is difficult to properly judge housing from overseas, and there are plenty of scams, so being able to inspect places in person is valuable.
Highlights
The biggest highlight was the friends I made. I met some of the kindest and warmest people I have ever known and shared experiences with them that I will never forget. Getting to surf some pretty ridiculous waves five minutes from where I lived was also hard to beat, and the San Diego sunsets are pretty nuts too.
Top Tips
Do it, you will not regret it. Pick somewhere that lets you do things you already love or have always wanted to try.
Apply for accommodation immediately, save more than you think you will need and put yourself out there from the beginning. The exchange goes unbelievably quickly, so put yourself out there and trying new things while you have the chance.
