Samuel – University of Bristol – England
Semester 2, 2023
Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film, Screen and New Media)
When people think of studying in the UK, they think of London, Edinburgh, Cambridge and Oxford but there is nowhere I would recommend more for a study abroad program than Bristol. However, if you’re reading this blog and thinking to yourself where in world is this place? Don’t worry I was the same. As an Education and Film student, Bristol isn’t universally known so I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. But if I had to summarise my time in Bristol into one word, that word would be unforgettable.
A lot of people assume when you go on exchange that you travel around to different places during your semester. In truth, I believe it is much easier and better to do the exact opposite. Travel is important but my advice would be to do it either before or after the semester has finished to give you maximum time in your chosen city. For me, I began my time away with a Contiki trip (European Trail) which was a great way to see many places in a small amount of time. I also visited Wales and Scotland before the semester started, then France and Ireland after. This involved a lot of planning, and I would recommend having a plan as early as possible, best done before you leave Australia.
Now for Bristol, my first day was certainly one to remember. After I had finished my pre-semester travel, I took the train from Paddington Station into Bristol Temple Meads where there were heaps of other students travelling to Bristol for university. I hadn’t realised that Bristol is a massive student town. Something to keep in mind when choosing Bristol is that you’re not that far away from London, an easy 90-minute train journey. Once I arrived, I was taken aback by the art and culture of the city. Whilst being driving to my accommodation, I noticed the mix of modern art house graffiti on the walls mixed with conservative old-style monuments. The size of the city was also surprisingly huge and oh so hilly! All around Bristol there are many differing landscapes and places to visit; the Clifton Downs, Cribbs Causeway, The Clifton Suspension Bridge, The Christmas Steps and The Old Town which were some of my favourites.
In Bristol, the place I would recommend staying is in Clifton, especially at the accommodation I chose, Clifton Hill House. It has a very central location, and you are able to walk to the University of Bristol campus easily within 10 minutes. Sainsbury or Tesco are nearby (that’s a shopping centre like Woolworths or Coles) and there are many pubs around the accommodation as well. However, the best thing about CHH I believe is that it is a catered accommodation, one of the only ones that Bristol offers to study abroad students. This is because without it, I don’t know if I would’ve made so many friends in Bristol. Being able to sit and eat together was a great excuse to talk to people and helped me make friends so easily. On my first day I was so nervous to meet everyone, but one guy named Matt came over and sat next to me and just started talking to me. I had mentioned I had never been to a Weatherspoon’s before, a local pub franchise, and that night he invited me out with his flat to go to all the “spoons” around Bristol. Certainly, one of the highlights of my trip. From then on, those people became my closest friends there and if it wasn’t for that first day when he sat down next to me at dinner, I would’ve not had so many great experiences. I had Christmas dinner with that very flat, celebrating birthdays, going to the pub with my friends and indulging in British culture.
The other important aspect of study abroad is of course the education. At the University of Bristol, the resources available are immense, the teaching staff are passionate and there are a variety of units to choose to take. As a film student, there were many opportunities around Bristol, due to the city having its own BBC, seeing films/tv shows being filmed around Bristol such as Doctor Who, as well as attending a local film festival as a part of a unit I was taking. However, if you think that University of Bristol is just for film students, think again. Bristol is also home to all kinds of students undertaking all types of degrees. Some of which I didn’t even know existed. Although, one thing I wish I knew before I applied to England is that the British University system is different to Australia. This is because it is “impossible to score above a 75% in all undergraduate assessment” as they stated the first day, I got there that getting above 75% means that you should be at a level of a post-graduate degree. So don’t feel too disheartened if you receive a 74%.
One final thing I wanted to say before you can rest from all of this reading is that if you have any thoughts about doing exchange, then you should absolutely take the opportunity. Living somewhere other than your home country can be scary, I sure thought it was. But if you allow yourself to take this chance, I wholeheartedly believe that it will be one of the best experiences you will ever have. My parents gave me a great piece of advice; “I am able to travel to places whenever I want, but I will never be a student again in Bristol.” So what I believe is the most important thing about study abroad is actually living in the place you have chosen. That means if you can make friends from outside the Australian circle and get involved in Uni life, I guarantee that you will have an amazing time.
Find out how you can apply for exchange via the QUT Student Exchange website
