Australia: Dylan Finger

Program: University of Sydney Exchange, Fall

Major: Molecular and Cell Biology

How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison? 

The academics were a lot more independent. As many of my Australian classmates were commuters, we did not have as many in-person discussions or lab classes as at UW. This also meant fewer opportunities to talk to professors or TA’s to ask questions or clarify concepts. I feel professors at UW tend to go more in depth on topics and discuss them over weeks, while at Sydney, we would discuss concepts for only a handful of lectures and not show too much connection back to them later in the semester. I also had a lot more lecturers at the university in Sydney. They would change about every other week. At first this learning format was difficult, but as I became more comfortable living in Sydney, I was able to budget my time better and study the concepts addressed in lectures.

What is your most memorable experience from your program?

The most memorable moment from my experience was orientation in the Great Hall. During orientation, I not only met students studying abroad, but I also met students from Australia. I was also able to see the architecture of the campus. This includes newer buildings like the Susan Wakil building, where I had my internship, and also Cambridge-inspired castle-like buildings like the Great Hall. Lastly, before starting my semester, I attended a recognition of country performance that introduced me to Aboriginal culture and the respect the university has for it. Overall, it was one of the most memorable moments during my time in Australia.

What did you learn about yourself or the world because of your experience?

I learned to be a lot more flexible. I was trying to plan my experiences for the entire four months I was there, but as the program went on, I learned that it was just not possible. There were too many things that would be planned last-minute, or that I had forgotten about until a few hours before the event. From this, I also learned to take every opportunity that I had. For example, I met an Australian guy named Julio while riding my bike through the Central Business District (CBD). We had a short conversation at a stoplight and by the time we went our separate ways, I had a plan to get dinner with him and his family. During my travels, I learned to be more spontaneous and flexible in order to embrace as many adventures as possible during my studies.