Bill Bryson Library – My home these days!
Today’s post is going to be a little more real than my posts usually are; we aren’t talking about the glamorous side of exchange today. Instead I’ll be writing about one of the least popular times of any year – exam time. Yes, even if you’re on exchange you have to write exams. And no, they aren’t magically better than they would be at UBC. I’ve taken a break between reading “Perception and Action Are Based on the Same Visual Information: Distinction Between Position and Velocity” and reading “Dynamical systems approach to emotional development” to write this post so trust me, you’ll have exams.
The first thing I’ll say about studying for exams while on exchange is that it will probably be tougher in a lot of ways than usual. The exams will be in a different format, there are different expectations, you probably don’t have the same academic background as your coursemates, and you probably just don’t have a lot of motivation. It’s no secret that student’s go on exchange to relax and explore the world for a year. While it is a great way to improve your resume, gain new perspectives, and challenge yourself, it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime adventure and you probably didn’t travel thousands of miles to spend three weeks living in the library. But I think it’s worth spending at least the exam season really putting in some good academic work.
Getting good grades while on exchange can really impress a grad school, if you choose to go to one. Imagine being able to say “While studying abroad at [my institution], I was challenged by the new academic expectations that I had to adjust to. However I was able to adapt quickly and overcome those challenges and managed to thrive when I was faced with adversity.” Of course grad schools will love this – it demonstrates resilience, hard work, flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to thrive under pressure. Doing well at one school, in one setting, in one country is great. Doing well at more than one makes you really stand out.
It’s also an opportunity to gain the most from your degree. One of the things students often lose sight of is that they are a student – they’re paying tuition fees to gain not just a degree but an education. Going on exchange and putting in that effort during exams (and the rest of the year) makes that education all the more valuable. If you’re studying International Relations and are seeking a job in the field, the experience you gain from going abroad and developing that international perspective is incredibly valuable. It’s something truly unique to an exchange and can really help in your future career.
Good grades and hard work during exams can also help your employability. Take my exchange to the United Kingdom, for example. Employers in the UK look very closely at grades during University – in the UK you graduate with either a 1st, 2:1, 2:2, or 3rd and this relates to your academic performance. If I ever am looking for a career in the UK, being able to show both my degree from UBC and a strong performance at a UK university will really make me stand out from the crowd for the exact reasons I’ve discussed above. Good grades while you’re on exchange can make the difference between being an average candidate and an exceptional one.
I feel compelled, however, to discuss the inverse as I think a lot of students will struggle while on exchange as it is a challenging experience, both academically and personally. Personally, I have faced an uphill battle when it comes to academics this year as my courses are in very different areas than my focus at UBC. When it comes to Political Science I’ve always focused on Canadian politics and shockingly Durham has no courses in this area. I’ve taken some very Britain and Euro-centric courses instead, including one on political economy and one on theory – two fields I have no real experience with. Psychologically speaking I’m taking neuropsych which is about as far from social psychology as you can get. While I’ve enjoyed all my courses immensely it hasn’t been easy and I don’t necessarily recommend going so wild with course selection, particularly if you choose to do upper year courses like I have.
But moving past that, I think there are a few things to keep in mind if you do struggle while on your exchange. Most importantly is that you shouldn’t let academic struggles prevent you from enjoying the cultural experiences you went on exchange for. I’m not saying give up, but don’t take it personally. Keep going on weekend adventures, spending time with new friends, seeing new things. Academic struggles can replace things like Netflix and Buzzfeed instead of the once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
It’s also not the end of the world if you come out of the exchange disappointed in your grades. As long as you can articulate to an employer or graduate school why your grades while on exchange are not a reflection of your overall character and achievements, there’s no reason they should discount you because you struggled for a year. While it is great to be able to say ‘look at how well I did!’, it is entirely okay to say ‘I’ll admit I struggled academically but I also gained a lot of skills while abroad’. If your grades post-exchange match your grades pre-exchange, it will be easy to do this.
To make your exams easier, I think it’s a good idea to stick around in your new home country or region for a little longer after the academic year ends. Exams are stressful enough without the added emotional toll from saying goodbye to a place you’ve grown to love. I had to say goodbye to one of my close friends in Durham before an exam and it was hard, I’ll admit it. So stick around for a while so that you have something to look forward to while writing exams, instead of something to dread. Maybe take a trip with a few friends or just relax and enjoy their company. But don’t add to your own stress by trying to leave the moment you put down your pen.
As a final thought, I’ll quote one of my favourite professors at UBC – Catherine Rawn. Before every exam, Dr Rawn sits her class down at tells them that no exam can define them as a person. No matter how badly it goes, it is not a reflection of their entire self worth. So don’t stress out too much, don’t worry too much, work hard and have fun. Isn’t that what exchange is about at the end of the day?