If You Were Looking for a Sign, this is It: Apply for Exchange.

When I accepted my offer to the University of Exeter last May, I was both excited and nervous. However, I knew I would regret it if I decided not to go. I knew that it was something I had to do because I didn’t know when or if I would ever have an opportunity like it again. If you too, have thought about going on exchange and have had these same thoughts, keep reading.

I moved to England in September, not knowing anyone. Truly, it felt like first-year move-in day all over again. However, not knowing anyone allowed me to put myself out there and meet new people. Over the last few months, I’ve been able to meet people from all over the world from places like New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, and Germany just to name a few.

Exeter is a small, quaint city in the south of England enriched with history and British charm. Although it is different from the small-town lifestyle at StFX, I have loved living in a city. You can walk everywhere. You can run to the grocery store to grab something quick for dinner and there are endless cafes, restaurants, pubs, and clothing shops. Truly, you don’t ever get bored. Living in a small city has been refreshing, giving me many different opportunities. I have been able to visit sites like the Exeter Cathedral, the on-campus Cinema Museum, and the Exeter Theatre. As well, the campus here is much bigger than StFX. The 25-minute walk–all uphill–is something I won’t miss; however, the campus is large, and there is so much to do on campus. There is a surplus of study spots, places to meet up with friends and places to grab a bite to eat between classes.

Outside of Exeter, I have been able to make it to many places on my bucket list like Scotland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Truly, being able to take the train or fly an hour to a different country is something I will never get over. Although Exeter is about a four-hour train ride from London, I have been able to take many day trips by train to cities close by. Last month, I was able to go to Exmouth and Torquay, both small, seaside towns. From visiting these towns in England, I can confirm that it is true what they say, England is full of lots of old buildings, rolling hills and potentially the greatest number of cows and sheep I have ever seen.

As I am sitting here writing this, it's hard to believe my three months at Exeter are coming to an end. Just like every semester, it flew by. I realized that I was right: I would’ve regretted not taking the leap to study abroad. Of course, there are days when you may miss home, but living and studying in another country makes it all worth it. If you are ever considering applying for a study abroad at StFX, do it. Who knows where it will take you.