{"id":38662,"date":"2023-08-07T18:03:01","date_gmt":"2023-08-07T10:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/?p=38662"},"modified":"2023-09-18T10:45:19","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T02:45:19","slug":"youtrips-student-exchange-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/blog\/youtrips-student-exchange-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"YouTrip’s Ultimate Guide To Student Exchange 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Planning out your overseas student adventures? Read on for real-life tips from YouTrooper Pei Ling as she shares the deets on how to have the best student exchange experience possible!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Ask anyone about their exchange experience and you\u2019re more than likely to be hit with the phrases \u201cbest time of my life\u201d, \u201camazing memories\u201d, or simply the word \u201cawesome\u201d \u2014 unless you\u2019re a COVID-19 graduate, in which case your phrase would be \u201cI didn\u2019t get to go\u201d (sorry!)<\/em>. Thankfully the pandemic is under control and travel is back to the old<\/em> normal (thank you governments and scientists). If you\u2019re one of the lucky ones approved and en route for student exchange 2023, you might be in the exciting phase of planning your exchange now. If so, read on as I share some tips from my student exchange experience in sunny Los Angeles, USA, that will help you have the best time ever!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udc9c Student Cheatsheet:
<\/strong>– How To Save Money On A Student Exchange Programme 2022<\/a>
– How to Get a Student Loan in Singapore 2022: Bank Comparisons<\/a>
– How I Conquered 14 Countries in 4 Months on Exchange<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip #1: Do You<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Image Credits: Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The first key decision you\u2019ll have to make is which exchange location and school you\u2019ll head to. I had my student exchange at the University of Southern California, a choice determined entirely by location and availability of modules \u2014 not by where my friends wanted to go which was Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is my first tip: Pay no heed to where your buddies are headed and strike out bravely on your own \u2014 you\u2019ll make even more friends and memories this way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YouTrip’s Ultimate Guide To Student Exchange 2023: Find out more here<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip #2: Safety & Accommodation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Image Credits: University of Miami<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the perks of living on campus? Easy access to school event venues such as game stadiums! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will be your home for the next few months, so invest some time into looking for a suitable spot to cosy up. At USC, I stayed on campus in Troy Hall, but other options included private housing (The Lorenzo<\/a> is a popular condo-type apartment within walking distance), and Airbnb. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factors to look out for:<\/strong>
\u2705 Price<\/strong>
\u2705 Location: <\/strong>You\u2019ll want to find somewhere near the school and key attractions
\u2705 Amenities: <\/strong>Proximity to supermarkets, laundries, and recreational spaces
\u2705 Safety: <\/strong>One thing to take note of specifically for USC \u2014 the surrounding areas in South Los Angeles<\/a> are pretty dangerous. So be sure to Google your neighbourhoods thoroughly, especially if you\u2019re going for the Airbnb or off-campus route <\/p>\n\n\n\n

YouTrip’s Ultimate Guide To Student Exchange 2023: Check out our guide<\/a><\/strong> on saving money on a student exchange <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip #3: Planning Your Pre, During, and Post-Exchange Adventures <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Image Credits: Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here comes the fun part! Now that you’ve got your home base sorted out, you can start searching for must-visit spots and side trips to take during your exchange period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re craving to be amongst the party crowd, the US is no stranger to large-scale<\/a> music festivals. You\u2019ll be able to catch big names at Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits, and even go to a few raves at Ultra Music Festival or the Electric Daisy Carnival if you go during the Fall semester. It was a little out of the way, but Cuba was one of my pre-exchange stops before settling in LA. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factor in the major sights and cities on your exchange bucket list \u2014 in my opinion, LA is a great springboard for weekend trips to San Francisco, the Grand Canyon, Portland, and of course, Las Vegas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

YouTrip’s Ultimate Guide To Student Exchange 2023: Check out our guide<\/a><\/strong> to the best foodie spots in LA<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip #4: Making Friends <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Image Credits: Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tapping on the exchange or international student network is a great way to check off country visits (and another reason to pick a different destination from your friends). I scored free accommodation and \u201clocal\u201d guides in San Francisco, Georgia, Canada, and Spain during my time on exchange \u2014 so reach out and organise some mini-exchanges (it\u2019s fun to host too) between friends for an even more international experience! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exchange student Facebook groups are also one of the best ways to get to know fellow exchangers. Often, there will be a page set up for each incoming batch of students by the host school, so look out for the invite to join! Otherwise, local student groups or the university\u2019s Singapore Society Groups are good places to start as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

YouTrip’s Ultimate Guide To Student Exchange 2023: Check out our guide<\/a><\/strong> to tourist traps in Europe you should avoid<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip #5: Budgeting & Saving Up <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Image Credits: Our Escape Clause<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now that you\u2019ve planned out the main cost items \u2014 i.e. accommodations and experiences, you\u2019ll have a rough idea of the budget needed for your student exchange. Don\u2019t forget to add in a healthy amount for miscellaneous items such as food, travel insurance<\/a>, visas, bills, souvenirs, and emergency funds! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At USC, I got by with the help of prepaid meal coupons (these give you access to a buffet-style cafeteria), occasionally eating out, and cooking at home. The portions in the US are huge, so one meal can become two by taking away whatever you can\u2019t finish in a doggy bag. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-tip:<\/strong> Depositing a set amount into my YouTrip multi-currency card each month instead of spending directly from my savings really helped me to keep within the limit. Additionally, the card\u2019s easily accessible transaction history was great for keeping track of my spending \u2014 and nipping any errant costs in the bud. This way, you don\u2019t have to create a whole new US bank account while still enjoying the best rates all day and zero bank fees. Score!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

YouTrip’s Ultimate Guide To Student Exchange 2023: Find out more about our HLAS Travel Insurance here<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip #6: Learn To Sleep On The Go <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Image Credits: Best Western Travel Zone<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The moment you land at LAX, time is ticking \u2014 the countdown towards the end of the exchange begins, so go on as many adventures as possible. Try and get as much rest as you possibly can when you\u2019re on the plane, or on your way to the next destination. I suggest investing in some good eye covers, earplugs (for noisy dorms), and neck pillows \u2014 all of which you can get extra discounts and cashback when purchasing from Shopee<\/a>, Lazada<\/a>, and Amazon.sg with YouTrip Perks<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most importantly, say yes to as many invitations as you can!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YouTrip’s Ultimate Guide To Student Exchange 2023: Find out more here<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip #7: Leave Space For Spontaneity & How To Score Cheap Tickets<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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As much as planning is key, part of the fun of exchange is being surprised by new and unknown experiences. Maybe a new friend will invite you to their house for Thanksgiving, or bring you to their cousin\u2019s apartment in Texas \u2014 anything can happen! Sites like Secret Flying<\/a> were my go-to’s when classes got too boring (which was rare if my parents are reading this). It was here that I found a ton of error fares and super cheap tickets to fill out my free weekends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

YouTrip’s Ultimate Guide To Student Exchange 2023: Check out our guide<\/strong><\/a> to scoring cheaper flights & accommodations on Trip.com<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip #8: Health Is Wealth (aka<\/em> Try Not To Get COVID-19 Overseas)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Image Credits: Apartment Therapy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It’s easier said than done but it is necessary given the current circumstances. It\u2019s never fun to get sick overseas, especially when you could be out having fun. So eat healthily, work out, sanitise frequently, and bring along your vitamins!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YouTrip’s Ultimate Guide To Student Exchange 2023:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 Have A Blast On Your Student Exchange 2023 With YouTrip!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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While it may seem daunting to plan for a whole life overseas (albeit a very short-lived six months), especially after years of being grounded, I hope this guide has been a little useful in shining a light on some stuff to look out for in the process. Here\u2019s to making student exchange 2023 one of the best times of your life! Just don\u2019t forget to pack along your YouTrip card to enjoy the best rates all day<\/a> with zero bank fees when booking your trips and when travelling around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have a YouTrip card yet, sign up now and be sure to check out our YouTrip Perks<\/a> page for exclusive offers and promotions too! For more great tips and articles like this, join our Telegram(@YouTripSG)<\/a> and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here<\/a> or down below! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while you’re at it, why not join the conversation with thousands of #YouTroopers in our very own Community Telegram Group @YouTripSquad<\/a>? Get tips and tricks to everything YouTrip including exclusive invites to exciting events and experiences, & be part of the #YouTripSquad! \ud83d\udc9c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay safe, and happy travels!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Related Articles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>What To Do When You\u2019re Homesick: Guide for Singaporeans Living Abroad<\/a>
How To Save Money On A Student Exchange Programme<\/a>
Places To Go This September Holidays For A Short Weekend Getaway<\/a>
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Make the most of your time in college!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":58395,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8119,623,624],"tags":[39821,39278,39281],"class_list":["post-38662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides-tips","category-lifestyle","category-travel","tag-2023-student-exchange","tag-student-exchange","tag-student-travel"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38662"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38662\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}