By Josephine Wild – Contributor

When I opted to attend a large university located in a city for my semester exchange, I knew my world would be flipped upside down. Transitioning from a 550-acre campus to a 1,200-acre campus was a terrifying but memorable experience. Upon arrival in Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMN-TC) quickly felt like my home away from home. Having grown up in the capital of Europe, I was no stranger to city life. I was excited to be able to see the skyline and the U.S. Bank Stadium, home to the Minnesota Vikings football team, only a five-minute walk from my residence hall. 

When I think back to my experience as a Gopher, I feel proud to have been a part of such a welcoming community. It is no surprise that Minnesotans are just as friendly given their proximity to the Canadian border. While on exchange, I felt at home almost instantly, especially after making the decision to join the university’s women’s rugby team and running club. I sure did make a lot of great friends through sports!

Something I will miss the most about my time at UMN-TC is the school spirit. As a sports fan, I attended as many game days as I could. I felt so much joy being in arenas and venues where Gopher fans cheered loud and proud. The Minnesota Rouser, the fight song played at each Gophers game, will forever remain in my heart. I will always be cheering from afar.

If there is one element that sets this American institution apart from Bishop’s University, it’s the marching band. I truly believe that forming a Gaiter’s marching band would only make games more exciting for all!

Apart from sports, in my classes, I also took the initiative to talk to people around me and interact with my professors. Getting to interact with people from different cultures and understand their points of view helped me let go of stereotypes and grow. All in all, if I could give one piece of advice to future exchange students, it is to not be afraid to have conversations and ask questions, as well as participate in extracurricular activities.

One aspect of the Twin Cities that I appreciated was its public transportation. As a student of UMN-TC, I had access to the light rail system and city buses all semester long only for a small fee. I was able to travel as far as the Mall of America, downtown St. Paul, downtown Minneapolis and to the airport. On top of that, the university provided free campus buses to get around campus and commute between Minneapolis and St. Paul. Therefore, what I hope to bring back to Bishop’s University is a voice that will advocate for more affordable public transport and perhaps one day, free monthly bus passes for all full-time BU students. 

My experience as a study abroad student was enriching as it took me further than I could have imagined. I was able to travel to some other well-known cities and landmarks such as Chicago, Illinois; Las Vegas, Nevada; the Grand Canyon, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; Los Angeles, California; San Francisco, California; etc. Just like in Canada, being in the U.S. made me realize there is so much to see and discover from state to state and all over the country. You heard it folks… Lennoxville may be a nice small town, but the beauty of this country goes far beyond!