Exchange was the most transformative experience of my life. The challenges I faced, how they pushed me out of my comfort zone, and the incredible people I met all changed me into who I am today - and for that, I鈥檒l always be grateful.
Maastricht. At first just a dot on a map, a city I couldn鈥檛 pronounce. Now, a place I will always call home, one I can鈥檛 think of without a lump rising in my throat. I used to be skeptical when returning students said exchange 鈥渃hanged their life鈥 or that they 鈥渟obbed on the flight home.鈥 I thought it was just romanticized, until I lived it myself. Exchange isn鈥檛 something you grasp from stories alone; you have to live it. When I first arrived in Maastricht in January 2025, I can confidently say I was a very different person than the one writing this today.
The city itself was straight out of a storybook. Cobblestone roads, the beautiful Vrijthof square, the cutest shops and cafes, people eating on patios no matter the day or weather; Maastricht was so alive! There was an undeniable warmth to the community, and the Dutch people were incredibly welcoming. And the biking culture! I miss it every single day. Riding to class, yoga, a cafe; it became my favourite part of daily life.
Most exchange students lived in Guesthouse C, sharing a kitchen and common spaces with floormates. It鈥檚 a great way to meet students from around the world!
Academically, I was challenged in the best way. Classes at use a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) system. Classes were small, around 5-10 students, sitting around a table with a tutor guiding discussions. The learning was very student-directed and deeply collaborative. It pushed me to think critically, speak up, and connect with my peers more deeply than I was used to at Queen鈥檚.
I took a creative writing course called 鈥楾elling Stories,鈥 which became one of the most rewarding experiences of my exchange. My tutor loved the short story I wrote and it was later published by a small literary magazine from California!
I also joined several clubs, including the UCM Theatre Committee. As a drama minor, I was thrilled to perform again! My castmates became like family, and eventually we staged a play in the UCM common room.
During breaks, I travelled around Europe. I visited Luxembourg, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Ireland, and France, but no place ever matched the feeling of coming back to Maastricht.
When I think back to my time there, my eyes still well up. And I did cry on my flight home, not just out of nostalgia, but pride. I am proud of the person who took those risks, proud of the resilience I found, and proud to carry this growth forward. I went to Maastricht to study abroad, but what I truly studied was myself.
If you鈥檙e on the fence about exchange, take the leap! The best things you鈥檒l ever do are the ones that scare you at first.
