Allysa – Nanyang Technological University
Semester 2, 2024
Bachelor of Design
Hello! My name is Allysa, and I am currently pursuing a degree in Architecture at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). As part of my academic journey, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in an exchange program at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. I chose this destination because of both academic and personal aspirations. The university offered courses I was interested in. Beyond academics Singapore’s vibrant culture, rich history and different lifestyle presented an opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone. In this post, I will share my first impressions of Singapore and my stay at NTU.
I felt the humidity straight away as I arrived at Changi Airport in Singapore. The hot and humid weather was just one of the things you just have to embrace in the country, but it didn’t overpower the unique and fun experience I had there. I was very excited to catch an Uber to NTU, which is about 40 mins from the airport. Keep in mind the ride was expensive and this was one of the few times I chose to catch a taxi so that I wouldn’t be late for my hall registration. I stayed in campus accommodation, which they call Halls of Residence. When we reached my hall, I noticed there were no elevators so I had to drag my luggage up flights of stairs. Luckily, the taxi driver helped me, otherwise feel free to ask for help from other exchange students waiting in front of the hall office.
The University was huge. As a joke, students would call it “Pulau NTU” which means, “Island NTU” as the campus is quite far from the city and is so big, it is like its own island. This meant that there were many activities to do around the campus. The University houses schools for each discipline, such as Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, the Business School, Engineering department and etc. The first week for exchange students were filled with orientation events to give us a chance to meet other exchange students. Some schools also hosted their own orientation day for us to get to know what our subjects will be like in that school and to get to know our classmates. The orientation events provided us with information and tours on how to get around the school, specifically using the loop buses. We also had the chance to sign up for a Singapore tour on our first weekend there, where we were taken to Singapore’s most famous spots.
Most of the friends I met in my first few weeks became the people I hung out with for the rest of my exchange. It was great to have people to lean on to and experience the new culture together so that you could laugh, cry, and share your culture with them. Eventually, I got used to life in Singapore and built routines there. However, my biggest advice would be to embrace the unfamiliarity, be curious about people and where they come from and have a positive mind that is open to new experiences, which will ensure you a really fun exchange journey. The experience was indeed, character building. I’ve never grown so much in the past years I was in Uni than the four months I spent in a new country.
Find out more on how you can apply: Student Exchange
