Kirstine Bækgaard Andersen

Why did you choose to come on exchange to Waterloo?  

I really wanted to come to Canada for my exchange because I’ve always loved the country since living here for two years as a child. I chose the University of Waterloo because it seemed like a great university that offered a lot of relevant courses for my program in Denmark, Human Life Science Engineering.  

What was an average day like?

I woke up in my room in Columbia Lake Village South, which is an on-campus residence where a lot of exchange students live, and then I went to class. I had two to three classes a day and they mostly consisted of lectures. A lot of my time was spend studying, but I also found time to hang out with my new friends, go on trips and exercise.

What was your favourite spot(s) on campus? 

One of my favourite spots on campus is the Dana Porter Library, which is the largest library on campus. It has a lot of floors that are divided into different study zones – silent, quiet and group – so you can always find a spot that fits your needs, whether you are doing a group project or want to work completely uninterrupted. Another of my favourite spots is the pool at Physical Activities Complex, which is open several times a day for fitness and recreational swimming. Since I swim regularly back home, I was happy to see that you can go swimming here for free.

What was it like to live and learn in another language? 

I was a little nervous about having to live in another language, but adjusting to speaking English most of the time was surprisingly easy. At my home university, I am used to reading English textbooks and sometimes having lectures in English, so this part wasn't that different.

What was one of your favourite experiences from your time abroad?

My favourite experiences are mostly the trips I went on with some of the other exchange students I lived with. For example, I went to New York City during the Fall Break, which was a lot of fun. I would really recommend going away when there is time for it – even if it’s only for a day – because this is not something you always get the chance to do. 

What has been your favourite food you’ve tried in Canada that you don’t have back home?

It’s not a specific food, but Tim Horton's is, in general, a great place to grab a snack because it’s affordable, delicious, and they can be found everywhere - both on campus and all-around Canada.

Were there any challenges? If so, how did you overcome or cope with them?

The only challenge I had was finding the right courses to take, but this was simply solved over email with my faculty exchange representative before I arrived in Waterloo.

Did any of your experiences challenge the assumptions you had about Canada or Canadian culture? 

Not really. I had been to Canada multiple times before going on exchange, so I had a good idea about what Canada is like.

How has this exchange helped you grow? 

Going on exchange has definitely taken me out of my comfort zone because I had to live in a new environment with people I didn't know. For a shy person like myself, this seems very intimidating. Luckily, people have been very nice, which has made it a lot easier and helped me become more outgoing, social, and open to trying new things.

Academically, I have been able to take some interesting classes that I can’t take at home, like Biomedical Ethics and Organic Process Chemistry. The chemistry course introduced me to all the things you have to think about in the pharmaceutical industry, which is definitely something I can use in the future.

I’ve also learned to spend my time more efficiently because I’ve had more studying to do in Waterloo than I’m used to at home, and I've also wanted to spend time doing other things.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

If I could do it all again, I would probably have taken one less course. Having five courses can be very busy at times because of the big workload and having assignments almost every week. Having less things to do academically would probably have given me the chance to explore more of the area than I have.

Do you have any advice for students thinking of studying abroad?

Do it! If you’re in doubt, just go. It is not very often you get the chance to live in a foreign country for several months and experience this while meeting a lot of people from other parts of the world, so take the chance – it will be worth it.