Before I elaborate on things, I just want to say that I loved every single moment spent as an exchange student at the National University of Singapore (NUS)!
Similar to many other SUTD students who have participated in Singapore University Student Exchange Programme (SUSEP) 2021, we were bummed out when we learned that we could not go for overseas exchange and were offered local exchange instead. However, personally, I was actually thankful for the opportunity and got really excited because I have always wanted to experience the best of both worlds from NUS and SUTD!
Before SUSEP started, I told myself that I was going to make this experience memorable and fun! I made sure to involve myself as much as possible in the NUS school culture and utilize the facilities there whenever I can. I did so by joining a Fifth-Row (also known as CCA) in NUS and committed myself to attending physical lessons there. Even though traveling can be tough, I did not want to miss out on any opportunity to have the best experiences as a local exchange student especially during this covid-19 period. Sure enough, those were the best decisions I have made for myself in 2021! I successfully made really good new friends at NUS, experienced studying in NUS lecture halls, ate a variety of food that you may not get in SUTD, bus hopped to many random buildings, and caught up with some old pals!
After graduating from SUSEP, I can confidently say that the experience gained from any local exchange can be just as enriching and awesome! A change in environment can spark excitement, however, it’s what you do there that makes it memorable! So do not settle with online learning and stay at home when you’ve successfully applied for SUSEP, go to the universities, and get involved with the surroundings, food, activities, people, and physical classes as much as possible! Trust me, you will not regret them, haha!
