However actually, I'm simply penning this submit in good enjoyable and don't imply to offend anybody.
Okay? Wonderful. Listed here are my principal observations.
Faculty Pleasure
That is the large distinction. In Australia, it's mainly social suicide to put on any college merchandise on campus. Nicely, that's apart from perhaps in winter. When your entire different choices have been exhausted, it could be satisfactory to put on your college hoodie. And albeit, nobody cares about any of the college’s sporting groups. The one time there may be any faculty pleasure is presumably in arguments with/a few rival college.
Nonetheless, college delight is severe enterprise within the US. Folks stay and breathe their school’s colors – lengthy after their commencement, too! I swear I've by no means seen such a various vary of merchandise than for the USC Gamecocks (and I'm positive that is true for a lot of different large schools all through the US) – all sorts of clothes, sneakers, jewelry, homewares, baggage, pet equipment, backyard gnomes, workplace provides, licence plates, letterbox covers – the checklist goes on. Some school stadiums are larger than most professional stadiums in Australia. The coaches receives a commission thousands and thousands per yr. It's loopy, however so superior. We positively get ripped off in Australia on this division.
Style
Okay, that is one space the place I a lot desire UQ over USC. I do know that that is very subjective and might be only a matter of preferring what I'm used to, however truthfully, the ladies right here at USC are the a number of the most poorly dressed folks I've ever encountered in my life. In Australia, there's a large social stigma in opposition to carrying leggings as pants. Nevertheless, at USC, that is the style selection of virtually each woman in winter. And now that the climate is warming up, the leggings have been changed by operating shorts. In every single place. The pattern appears to be to decorate as if you're going to the gymnasium always, no matter whether or not that is really the case. And even this “gymnasium put on” is extra informal than in Australia. It's so arduous for me and lots of the different change college students to understand. Again house, even on the times the place I put the least quantity of effort into how I costume for a day at college, I'm nonetheless extra presentable than what I see on campus right here.
Dressing for an evening out right here is fascinating too. In the principle nightlife space, 5 Factors, dressing informal continues to be key. School college students can principally get away with something. Heck, individuals put on sweatpants out. Cue the seems to be of horror from my Australian mates studying this. One of many oddest developments is that guys put on caps out to bars – sure, at nighttime! And camouflage looking jackets, too. My boyfriend is within the military, so I'll all the time have a tender spot for camo – however honey, it has no place on an evening out. If individuals in Australia dressed the way in which they do right here, they might significantly not be allowed entry into many, if not most, bars and nightclubs again residence.
Class Construction
This has most likely been the most important adjustment. Again in Australia, I'm used to having two or three items of evaluation per course every semester. Right here within the US, I've evaluation due practically on a regular basis. It's insane. However the expectations are a lot, a lot decrease. I've not needed to do any analysis for a single piece but. And one other huge distinction is that class attendance is obligatory. Obligatory! The professors really take a roll. As somebody who hardly ever attends courses again residence (as a result of they're all recorded on-line anyway), that idea is sort of unimaginable for me to compute. It appears like we're continuously being babied right here. A number of of us Aussie change college students agree that school within the US is rather like an extension of highschool – whereas, in Australia, there's a a lot better step up in independence, expectations and maturity between highschool and college. Possibly that's the reason school is a lot extra enjoyable (or possibly it's simply the truth that alcohol is sort of a quarter of the value right here)!
Campus Tradition
This continues on from faculty satisfaction. There may be all the time one thing happening right here at USC – whether or not or not it's one of many many sporting occasions, theatre productions, scholar affiliation nights or markets. And the perfect half is that almost all of them are free! One other unimaginable free factor on campus is the health club. It seems like a resort. And it has a rock-climbing wall and beautiful out of doors pool. And did I point out that it's free?! Not solely is the gymnasium at UQ nowhere close to as luxurious, however you additionally must pay to make use of it.
There may be additionally greek life. Sororities and fraternities are merely nonexistent in Australia – a lot to the horror and disbelief of a lot of my American associates. Right here, they've their very own village. It's actually a village stuffed with mansions owned by sororities and fraternities, the place a few of their members reside. Every thing about greek life appears precisely like it's portrayed within the films. And actually, sororities and fraternities simply appear like cults to me, which individuals be part of in an effort to acquire some form of social standing. I'm nonetheless attempting to grasp it…
Then there may be additionally the distinction that the overwhelming majority of scholars stay on or very near campus. I really like dwelling on campus right here. Firstly, all the superior issues that I discussed above are very accessible. Secondly, all of my associates are principally inside strolling distance. And thirdly, it means I can get up fifteen minutes earlier than class and nonetheless make it on time. Again in Australia, I'm used to commuting for an hour to get to campus. I believe I'll wrestle to regulate again into this upon my return!
So, there are my major observations within the variations between my expertise at UQ in Australia and USC within the US. In case you can't inform, I'm completely loving being on change and would suggest it to anybody. Every system has its personal positives and negatives, so it has been such a privilege to have the ability to expertise each.
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