51²è¹Ý

Welcome to The 51²è¹Ý's Exchange Diaries, where you can find out what it's like to study abroad at our partner universities. We ask UOW students to share their stories, tips, and insider knowledge about their time overseas, so you land ready to live like a local. 

Today, Bachelor of Medical and Health Sciences (Honours) (Dean’s Scholar) student Floria Dixon tells us about her time at the , England. 

Live

_{University of Leeds campus} 

I lived in student accommodation, which is guaranteed for all exchange students. White Rose View is Leeds’ newest accommodation. It was right in the city and only a 10-minute walk from campus. There were lots of communal areas like study spaces, a movie theatre with reclining chairs, a private gym, pool and foosball tables, PlayStation/Xbox rooms, and a BBQ area. 

Exchange students were grouped together in flats, which made it easy to make friends with like-minded people. My room had an ensuite with a double bed, and I shared a kitchen with three other students. While it was slightly less social than other residences, the location and facilities were amazing. 

On a normal day, I would often only have one or two classes to attend at uni. I would spend the rest of the day catching up with friends, either at the library studying or exploring Leeds. The University of Leeds offered free exercise classes at their gym, which my friends and I would try to go to every day. There were social events most nights, either organised by the University or friends, so I would often go out at night if it wasn’t too cold. 

I got around by walking as everything was very close and accessible. There was a large shopping centre across the road from my accommodation. If there was bad weather, I would either take the bus or Amber Cars, which was Leeds’ taxi service. Aldi or Morrisons were the cheapest and closest grocery stores, and it cost me about $100 per week for food. I didn’t eat out regularly, but I often cooked meals with my roommates. 

My insider tip for exchange students in Leeds is to purchase a 16-25 Railcard for UK rail travel and try to book trains one week in advance; otherwise, prices go up heaps. 

Clubs and societies are a great way to make new friends with locals, and they sometimes get you discounts and access to fun events that aren’t open to the public. 

Study 

I enjoyed studying at Leeds. I had weekly lectures and a few labs throughout the term. There were no tutorials, so it’s highly recommended to attend the lectures. The teachers were great and clearly very interested in what they teach. 

Assessments were structured very differently to UOW, as final exams often made up your total mark for that subject. This meant there weren’t too many assessments throughout the semester, making it easier to travel, but you need to make sure you are keeping up with the work to avoid stress right before exam time. 

A lot of assessments were take-home style, where you had 24-48 hours to complete an unseen essay question. You had full access to notes, the internet, and resources. I really enjoyed this assessment style as it requires more problem-solving. 

My most valuable subject was my epidemiology subject, called ‘Human Populations.’ The professor was very enthusiastic and loved teaching this subject. It was a mix of health and human demography, which aligns perfectly with my passion for public health. We had some really interesting case studies, such as melanoma and HIV. The most valuable thing I learned was identifying effective public health campaigns and initiatives and understanding the reasons behind what made them so successful. I now see myself in a career that uses these important lessons I learned from exchange. 

The student life at Leeds is amazing and very catered to exchange students. When I arrived, there was an orientation timetable for exchange students to meet each other and explore the city, with activities basically every hour of the day. Every single night there was at least one social event. The local pubs offered good deals for students and usually had events every night of the week. There were great music events on that could be found on RA Guide, especially in nearby cities like Manchester. In general, Leeds is very much a student city, and I always felt comfortable in such a lively environment. It is impossible not to find your people with such a large cohort of students. 

Play 

_{Whitby Abbey in Yorkshire England.} 

I had so many amazing experiences during my semester exchange, but a memorable one close to Leeds was visiting York. York is filled with so much incredible history and beautiful architecture. It was the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series – such a magical town to visit. 

During my spare time, I was either exploring Leeds or taking weekend trips around Europe. I really tried to use every day to the fullest, knowing I was with other people from all around the world for a short amount of time. I travelled to the Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, Denmark, and stayed in other parts of the UK for over two months before starting my semester exchange. I then used weekend trips to travel further around the UK, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Poland, and Romania during the semester. It was easy to find very cheap flights on Skyscanner and Google Flights, sometimes for only $40 return. Flying was usually the fastest and cheapest method of transport, and I generally stayed in a mix of hostels and Airbnbs. 

There’s lots to see and do in Leeds. I had lots of fun second-hand shopping at the charity stores with friends. A must-eat is a Sunday roast at one of the many local pubs, where you can try a Yorkshire pudding. This is probably one of the most iconic meals you can have in the UK. 

I travelled to the coast near Leeds, to a town called Whitby. It is famous for its fish and chips, and they did not disappoint. I’d also recommend going to a high tea to eat some scones and crumpets. I travelled to a few places in the countryside, which really made the experience authentic.