Rebecca Young

University Degree Title: BA Geography
Host University: McMaster University
Year of Study Abroad: 2009/2010

Where did you live? Would you recommend it?

I lived in Bates Residence which is the one of the biggest on campus. It tends to be where the majority of the international students are placed. I really enjoyed living in Bates, it has a great atmosphere and being such a big residence you meet a huge range of people from Canadians to people from all over the world. You live in small apartments with a kitchen and fairly big lounge area. The only possible downside to Bates is that you have to purchase a meal plan and the choice of food on campus does get a bit repetitive. However the meal plan also gives you a discount on food!

Which department(s) did you study in?

I studied in Geography mainly but also in Political Science. The Geography department is great, the professors are all really friendly and there are many perks to being an international student. I got to delay a midterm because I wanted to go on a ski trip!

How does the workload/classes/teaching styles vary to Sheffield?

The workload was fairly different in the sense that you I found I was regularly doing assignments. I had something in every few weeks but this isn´t so bad when your final exam is fairly short and not worth a huge percentage of the module. The other difference is that you have to do midterms which can be a shock.

What did you do for fun/ at weekends / holidays?

I travelled loads while I was in Canada. The McMaster Outdoors Club is great. The organise laods of trips and different things to do. I did loads of skiing and canoeing and visited loads of different places such as Niagara Falls, Quebec and New York City. The location of McMaster is really good, you can easily get into Toronto so it was easy to go shopping or you can visit Cootes Paradise, the botanical gardens behind the campus where the lake freezes over so you can skate or just explore.

Did you join any societies or clubs?

I joined the Outdoor Club which had great trips and socials and the Geography and Earth Sciences Society which also planned events for students.

Describe the University/City/things to do

The McMaster campus is really pretty, it´s very green and often on your way back from a night out you would see deer wandering around. There is a great pub on campus called The Phoenix and the uni club called 1280. The city of Hamilton is a bit like Sheffield in the sense it was a steel city however it is still fairly run down. The McMaster student card gives you free bus journeys within Hamilton so it is easy to get around for example to the cinema or Limeridge Mall. Hess village has all the clubs, bars and pubs and its where the majority of the students go. Westdale is the area right next to campus which has loads of cafes and restaurants and is a great place for lunch.

Could you give any travel or immigration tips?

The second semester finishes in April so definitely take the chance to travel. I managed to go across to the west of Canada to Banff and Vancouver which was amazing. I also got to visit Mexico for two weeks and stay with a friend I had met in my first semester at Mac.Other advice would just to be apply for your visa early because they can take a while to get it back to you.

Could you give any advice or tips to a student preparing to go or tell them anything you wished you knew in advance?

I wish I had read the move in dates properly. I moved in to Bates when it told me the upper year move in date was and it turned out everyone else had moved in two days before which meant I was pretty much alone and didn´t know where to go. However I quickly met people by just talking to everyone I could. Don´t be scared to speak to people because as soon as they hear your accent they will be really excited and Canadians are always more than happy to help!

Would you say it is cheaper or more expensive to live than Sheffield?

Living costs are fairly similar and clothes are often cheaper than they would be in the UK. I found that I did fine just getting my student loan and the third part of it came at a great time, just when the semester finished in Canada so I had the whole of my loan to go travelling!