Student Bloggers

One month in and a week left until the mid-semester break. Time has flown by since I first arrived in Aotearoa with my family for a brief family vacation before Arcadia orientation began. After a few weeks of walking around campus and getting lost a few times, it has become a far more familiar place than it once was. Like any study abroad semester, studying comes first. That being said, during orientation and these first few weeks of the semester, it was easy to forget that studying was a part of this journey. The more weeks go by, the more assignments, papers, and examinations pile up. I see it as two sides of the same coin by creating a stable schedule from studying, classes, and other flat chores. On the other side, it often left little room for spontaneity. 

In such a way, it feels similar to a semester back in the U.S. more than I imagined in that as everyone develops their own schedule, it gets more difficult to see one another regularly. I formed my own around classes and other responsibilities, such as grocery shopping and weekly flat cleanings. Consequently, I have not been able to see as many people as I used to on a daily basis. Whenever I haven’t talked to someone or seen them in a while, I often recall some words of wisdom from the past summer in a startup program at CU Boulder. It goes along the lines of keeping an excel sheet on your interactions with friends, family, and mentors to track when last you spoke and what it was about. I have yet to create such a document, but I have found it helpful to consider.

I briefly touched on it in the last post about FOMO and taking time for yourself, which I have found has become increasingly important as the main way you stay in contact with friends is through social media. Seeing what you’re missing out on can often take a mental toll, which can further feelings of loneliness and sometimes inadequacy. To offset feeling lonely, I often try to participate in something I have never done before. There are numerous opportunities to engage with the university community on campus and in the city. And yes, meeting new people and building lasting connections is difficult, especially when you are only here for a semester. Going into new situations with the support of your friends is always a better feeling than going alone. Challenging yourself to go alone opens more avenues to forge connections outside your immediate circle and find your place in a new community. 

For the entirety of my first year of university, I stayed in my room studying, which inhibited me from growing as much as I had done in the last few years of university. Since sophomore year, I have worked harder at trying new things and meeting new people, including stepping out of my comfort zone by striking up a conversation first or engaging in events or activities I usually don’t. I have taken a similar stance in studying abroad at the University of Auckland as I have more time, taking only three courses this semester. To make my free time here worthwhile, I decided to discover more on my own in hopes of branching out. Furthermore, I have strived to go to events that build a healthier mind, body, or spirit to balance personal and social time with growing and trying new things. 

Here are a few of the things that I have been getting involved in or am hoping to in the near future:

Clubs Expo & Building-held Events

A great chance to find ways to connect with others with similar interests. I joined the SASS, Tramping, and Dessert Club. Some other ones I am considering joining are the book and French club. There are so many clubs at the expo, ranging from special interest to more academic-based ones, that there is much choice. Do keep in mind that to join any club, there is usually an entry fee of sorts. The more sporty the club is, the more expensive the entry fee. Despite having a fee, there is a bonus to joining some clubs as they offer discounts at certain stores. Regarding building-held events, there are multiple held for holidays and more general meet-ups held by RAs. If not to meet new people, free food is always a bonus during a busy school week.

BNZ Lantern Festival 

Enjoy a fun night out with friends about an hour's train and bus ride south of Auckland at the Manukau Sports Bowl. There are lit lanterns in the trees and larger displays on the grass. A part of the festival is dedicated to food, which is a bit expensive for what it is, but there are a few interesting options, such as ice cream in a halved melon or Tanghulu (sugar-coated fruit on a skewer).

Coast-to-Coast Walk

The Tramping Club offered a coast-to-coast walk with around thirty other people. Taking a good part of the day, around five to six hours. We started at the ferry and headed south towards the Tasman Sea, passing through Mt. Eden and other landmarks and parks. Overall, the experience was positive, despite being quite out of breath numerous times throughout the course of it all. The bright greenness of the grass and the views from atop the hills were quite something. Definitely would go again, but at a slower pace for pictures and just to enjoy the scenery. 

Self Defense Training

A great way to meet other people who want to learn how to protect themselves in potentially dangerous situations. Many aspects beyond the physical part of self-defense can be quite useful to learn to become more empowered as an individual moving through the world confidently, assured of the power they hold, and having the knowledge to protect themselves.

Zumba Class

I have never been a dancer with two left feet, and an awful sense of rhythm contributes to my clumsy nature. Despite this quality/inability, which I am sure some onlookers get some form of amusement from, I tried it out with a friend. It was surprisingly a lot easier physically than I was expecting. The toll from taking the hour session didn’t leave me sore, but there was a lot of sweating. Five or six sessions seem to be the sweet spot for getting more comfortable doing Zumba. Fingers crossed, that will be the case in the upcoming weeks.

For all the successes and moments of self-growth, I have had numerous instances of embarrassment that I shall share now to end this post on a hopefully entertaining note. At the beginning of the semester, I was unaware I should not connect a US power strip to a power adapter. Consequently, the lights in my room and the half of the apartment closest to my room turned off and couldn’t be turned back on. Thankfully, the front desk sent someone to poke around in the electrical control box and turn the lights back on.

Secondly, I have discovered that the doors at the entrance of Carlaw are a tricky business.

Sometimes, you can walk right through. Other times, you must swipe your ID card or press the exit button. It takes only a moment to look like a fool when it comes to these doors. No matter how much you think you have a plan set forth for how you will get out those two doors, they have a mind of their own. I have done my fair share of near nose-to-nose contact with the door, believing it would open and staring at it momentarily before realising I needed to hit the button. Through all of these moments of embarrassment, I have learned to accept them as part of the journey of being abroad. In other words, not being afraid to try new things or walk through doors with minds of their own is bound to lead to some embarrassing scenarios, but it’s better to have tried than not at all.