THE PERFECT EXPERIENCE OF STUDYING IN SYDNEY

BySiwuLAI (International Finance 094)

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In the summer of the year 2014, I knocked on the door of my home-stay family with two luggages in my hands, and that was when I started my journey of studying abroad in Sydney.

Everything was brand new to me during the first few days in Australia, taking unfamiliar buses, spending unfamiliar Australian dollars, having Italian cuisine made by my immigrant host. In this country, everybody wears smile on their face, never hesitating to help strangers. My worry about racial discrimination and personal safety was fading away.

The main stress came from study. Thanks to the all-in-English education I received in the JXUFE International College, I am more readily accustomed to the teaching methodology in the University of Sydney. When my Chinese classmates were still complaining about those assignments, quizzes and exams listed on the study plan, I was confident for I had experienced them all in JXUFE. However, slow reading pace and sometimes failing to catch up with professor’s lectures always made me dismay. So in my first semester, I did nothing but study, and doing preview would minimize the effect of language barrier during the lectures, which prompted me to read those profound English textbooks line by line before class. Sometimes, I would walk around the campus with a book under my arm, looking at those local students chatting freely on the grass, doubting I could never catch up with them despite my best efforts. For the first time in my life, I felt the overwhelming study pressure. This psychological status could not at all be eased even when I was watching the Opera House on the ferry, and When I saw Koalas enjoying eucalyptus leafs in the zoo.

Fortunately, my efforts in the first semester resulted in my outstanding academic performance. Nevertheless, this by no means enhanced my confidence on the coming second semester, especially when my senior-year friend warned me that the second semester would be much more challenging than the first one. However, in order to implement my study abroad plan drawn up before leaving China, I chose to step forward into an even more challenging area. I moved from my home-stay family into the University accommodation, and registered for the CFA level I examination. My first formal acquaintance with my roommates was in the mid-night when I laid on my bed trying to get some sleep. I could not fall asleep due to the crazy music and laughter outside in the living room. In response, I persuaded myself that this was the Australian lifestyle I chose to experience. So I thought about how to start the conversation. The first meeting wasby no means embarrassing, for my humor successfully won people’s laughter.  In order to get used to the local life, I stepped out of my comfort zone again and again by cooking with my Australian roommates, watching films with them and hanging out in the bars with them. One day, when I saw slogan on the door in the toilet, I cannot help smiling, which says “miracles would never take place in your comfort zone”.

My first year could be concluded into the process of over and over again stepping out of my comfort zone and the outcomes were satisfying: academic performance of average distinction, successfully passing the CFA level I exam, obtaining the internship which I was aiming at even at the very beginning of my study-abroad journey.

After that, I moved out of the university accommodation and lived together with  Chinese friends. After one year’s adjustment, study was no more as difficult as before for me, which left me with a lot of idle time. Finally, I could leisurely pull the trolley in the supermarket doing shopping, or peacefully sitting in the park watching those kids chasing after the sea gulls. During the weekend, I would bring all kinds of ingredients and seasonings back home, since trying new dishes is good complement to my after-class life. Although I still sometimes stayed up for a group assignment, I finally found a small comfort zone in my uncomfortable zone. I switched from one another effortlessly between the classroom, library, kitchen and sea cliff and learned that keeping a good balance is as important as stepping out of the comfort zone.