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"This experience was invaluable in broadening my global awareness and leadership skills in the dynamic financial industry."

Trevor
_{Cornell University -
School of Industrial & Labour Relations}

"Since I was young, I had the dream studying in the United States and pursuing my “American Dream”! I could not believe this had come true and I even got to study at an Ivy League School for a full year during my degree. Cornell University has definitely allowed me to be exposed to a wide range of possibilities. I was able to engage in diverse coursework and extracurricular activities that significantly contributed to my personal and professional development. This experience was invaluable in broadening my global awareness and leadership skills in the dynamic financial industry.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that my experience at Cornell brought about a significant change in my mindset and personal growth. The positive and supportive culture in the US inspired me to venture beyond my comfort zone and embrace novel challenges with confidence. The encouraging conversations with my peers, professors, and professionals have impressed upon me the paramountcy of self-determination. By fostering a sense of self-efficacy, I have been able to elevate my proficiency in navigating complex scenarios characterized by ambiguity. Lately, I have been deliberately asking myself, "What have I got to lose? Why not?" when confronted with decisions, with the hope of internalizing this mentality in the future.

All in all, this one-year exchange at Cornell has been a transformative experience that has broadened my knowledge and catalysed a positive change in my mindset. It has molded and transformed my perspective toward life and future goals.

What are you waiting for? Go on an exchange and explore your potential!"

"Coming back from exchange, I feel reshaped into a better and more independent person."

Peter
_{New York University -
Stern School of Business}

"Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to go to New York because of movies such as Spider-man and Ghostbusters and so finally living in the city during my exchange was a dream come true. I had so much fun living the “American college experience” where presumably students get to live inside dormitories and enjoy late nights out in the city; where it’s amazingly bright and quite literally comes alive.

However, not only was exchange a fun experience; it was also a great learning experience. The opportunity to live by yourself was something I had not experienced before, and exchange invited me to do something out of the ordinary. Managing daily expenses, food, travelling and chores such as laundry, cooking and cleaning might seem annoying if you have never lived by yourself, but it reminded me that I was responsible for my own actions; it gave me more freedom than I had ever felt before and it gave me a preview of what it would be like living solo.

Signing up for exchange, I was worried about flying to an unknown place without any familiar friends or family to fall back upon, but I definitely don’t regret it. In fact, travelling by yourself is the most rewarding and in my opinion, is how you can get the most out of your exchange experience, as you are more inclined to meet new people and build connections. The connections I formed with my residence hall friends were so close (as we saw each other basically everyday), they even invited me to visit them in their home country! The ease with which you form friendships and connections with new, international people is one that is unique to the exchange experience and is something I would recommend to anyone.

Coming back from exchange, I feel reshaped into a better and more independent person and is an experience that I recommend to anyone willing to try something new and fun."

"At McGill, I was able to participate in classes that were one-of-a-kind... I felt supported by my professors, teaching assistants and classmates as I tried to adapt to the workload and academic system.”

Serena
_{McGill University, Canada}

"My exchange experience at McGill University began in the French dominant city of Montreal in the heart of winter. As McGill welcomes the most international students at all Canadian universities, with over 30% of students from international countries, I was easily able to meet and make friends with students from all over the world in my lectures and classes. This was also my first time experiencing a Canadian winter. I was so excited during snow days, ice-skating in outdoor rinks and walking through the park as it snowed.

At McGill, I was able to participate in classes that were one-of-a-kind to McGill in the geography department. I was able to learn from leading professors and researchers in Canadian planning to learn about Montreal’s urban planning and history. I felt supported by my professors, teaching assistants and classmates as I tried to adapt to the workload and academic system.

Living on campus was an amazing experience where I was able to meet and live with other exchange students from all over the world, and we organised trips together, had game nights and studied for finals together. The student life at McGill is incomparable, there were always multiple events happening every day, organised by university societies at SSMU. My favourite activities were skiing and snowboarding trips organised by the ski society, where we went on trips every weekend to Montreal’s ski resorts and night-skied on Thursday nights.

The highlight of my exchange was travelling across Canada and the U.S with my exchange friends, some organised by McGill’s Mustbus Society, with trips to Ottawa, Boston, New York City, Toronto and elsewhere during reading break and after the term. During my exchange journey I learned a lot about living independently and being resilient in the face of challenges which included adapting to Montreal’s French-dominant city. Overall, my exchange was an unforgettable experience which enriched both my academic and personal growth."