{"id":5672,"date":"2019-01-11T15:04:16","date_gmt":"2019-01-11T05:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/qut-exchange-students\/?p=5672"},"modified":"2019-01-11T15:14:10","modified_gmt":"2019-01-11T05:14:10","slug":"onto-ontario","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/11\/onto-ontario\/","title":{"rendered":"Onto Ontario!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sebastian Voges-Haug, Bachelor of Business\/Bachelor of Creative Industries
\nQueens University, Canada (Semester 1, 2018)
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I had an amazing sem\"\"<\/a>ester of exchange attending Queen\u2019s University in Ontario, Canada. It was definitely a worthwhile experience and if I had the chance I\u2019d do it again. Being on the other side of the globe, attending in the winter term in which the country experienced one of their harshest winters in decades could have been a setback, but it didn\u2019t stop me from having the best time in true Canadian conditions.<\/p>\n

Studying at the Smith School of Business (Queen\u2019s University)<\/span>
\nClasses at Queen\u2019s were different with the university approaching their teaching style in a different way. Firstly the majority of my commerce classes required participation, of which consisted of 5-10% of your grade. This not only meant attending every class (even the early 8:30am sessions) but actively engaging in discussion with your professor and classmates. Nothing is recorded so you are unable to watch lectures online, however all my professors supplied the powerpoint slides on their version of Blackboard. This may be a turn-off for some students used to the QUT arrangements, but in attending one of Canada\u2019s leading and most competitive business schools, the professors were some of the best in the country and were all actively engaging and friendly. You will most likely end up building a great rapport with them and they are always happy to help when needed \u2013 they especially like Australians.<\/p>\n

Living at Queen\u2019s<\/span>
\nLife at the university was comparable to a lot of the college stereotypes. I lived in a great share house which was only a 2 minute walk from my classes. My housemates were really welcoming and the students you meet are definitely professionals at balancing their busy academic and social lives. Queen\u2019s definitely has the best student culture I\u2019ve ever witnessed and it won\u2019t take long to feel right at home. The only thing that took some getting used to was the weather \u2013 one day it would be -25C with snow and wind chill, the next it would be raining with sleet and dangerously slippery ground. Coming from the sunshine state of Queensland it was definitely different, but it was great to experience something different from the norm.\"\"<\/a>The Exchange Program<\/span>
\nThe ETC (Exchange Transfer Committee) at Queen\u2019s were extremely well-managed, who truly integrated foreign exchange students from all around the globe into the country hosting multiple events to meet other students who are in the same shoes. The executive committee is partly run by students in their 4th year, each of which became some of my best mates. They arranged multiple events and trips, from visiting Montreal and Ottawa for weekend visits, viewing live hockey games, maple syrup farm visits and overall a tonne of social events. They also have a buddy program where you\u2019ll get to meet more local Canadians who can provide local information for anything from class registration to travel tips.<\/p>\n

Finances<\/span>
\nI cannot over-emphasize the importance of a budget on exchange. The cost of living in Canada on face value is very similar to Australia, however after currency exchange, you will end up losing a fair bit of money outside of your allocated budget. Tax isn\u2019t included on price tags and tipping is expected in multiple venues, this took some getting used to. Rent and utilities are often around $600-700 a month depending on the house, and I often used $85 CAD a fortnight for food. Most grocery stores offered cheap Tuesday\/Thursdays for students, so I saved my shopping for then. Health insurance is a compulsory offering by the university however it is extremely affordable, you\u2019ll have to pay for this on the first month of visiting. The two main setbacks are phone plans and transport \u2013 both in Ontario are extremely expensive so budgeting for their payment was vital.<\/p>\n

Important Tips for Incoming Students:<\/span><\/p>\n