by Vivian Truong
As a former exchange student that travelled to Japan in the Spring of 2022, I had an extensive bucket list that I was eager to complete by the time I left but also worried about how I was going to be able to juggle school and my new life in Japan. The exchange program is offered through BCIT School of Business + Media. I worked with the faculty from the global relations department, and they helped me navigate through the application process for my exchange. There is a multitude of programs offered for inbound and outbound students, I chose to stay for one term in Japan at our partner school, International Christian University in Tokyo. Here are my top 5 tips to make the most out of your study abroad experience.
1. Do not take too many classes
To start, it’s important to remember as a student to find that balance between your studies and personal life outside school. As a BBA student, I did my core courses at BCIT and my electives during exchange school. Thankfully, I did do two elective courses while I was taking my BBA core courses so I only had to take five classes to complete the remaining credits to graduate. I recommend taking between 4-5 courses so you can have time to have fun and go out! For me, taking five classes was very manageable and I ended up doing well in school without compromising my personal time. I also had time to join a club which I’ll further explain in another tip. My weekly schedule would consist of classes from Monday to Friday, and I would go out in the evening on a weekday at least once a week. I would usually spend my Saturdays out and about exploring the many wards of Tokyo for the entire day. On Sundays, I would finish up my homework/study, do errands and chores such as grocery shopping, and prepare for the week ahead.
2. Create a friends group chat and make an effort to meet other international students
I lived on campus in a dorm during my exchange where I lived with all the other short-term international exchange students. I moved in about a week after a few other students had already moved in. Shortly after meeting a few girls on my floor, we then formed a dormitory group chat as a form of communication with all the other students living on the other floors. As newcomers to Japan, we had a few things we had to do within two weeks of arriving such as registering ourselves with the city. A few of us went as a group and thankfully my friends spoke Japanese meanwhile, I didn’t know how to speak the language. Going with my friends was extremely helpful because they were able to translate for me, which made the process a lot easier and faster. We all formed bonds with each other and hung out after school such as having a movie night in the common area. One of my fondest memories was when two of my friends asked everyone if we wanted to try a dish from their country of Belgium, mitraillette, which is a hot dog sandwich topped with fries and condiments. We all pitched in the cost, and they cooked dinner for us, it was a fun night where we learned about each other’s cultures.
3. Travel while you are on exchange!
If you have the funds to do so, I highly recommend travelling solo or with friends around the country. When I was in Japan, I was there during a national holiday and didn’t have classes for two days. I used these days including the weekend to travel to Osaka and Kyoto. Although it was very busy, it was nice to take a break in the middle of the school term to travel. Solo travelling has so many benefits and it’s a different kind of experience sightseeing and visiting attractions on your own time, you learn how to truly enjoy your own company. I met up with a few friends who were also travelling in Kyoto, and we shared our travel stories over cocktails. Fortunately, Japan is very safe so I wasn’t too worried about my safety, but I highly suggest doing your research. It is also a very technologically advanced country which made commuting around and using GPS a breeze. After the school term was over, we moved out of the dorm, and I stayed in a more touristy area of Tokyo for two more weeks before flying home. There are so many things to see and do in Tokyo, let alone Japan and carving out that extra time to travel was a huge highlight of my exchange experience.
4. Join extracurricular activities
My university in Japan had an abundance of clubs to join, ranging from all sorts of sports, academics, music, and more. I ended up joining a beekeeping club which one of my classmates invited me to. We had on-campus beehives and every other week we would visit and check up on the bees. Later in the year, the students harvest the honey and sell them at the school and at local farmer’s markets. It was really neat to see up close how the bees interact and learn about beekeeping. Joining a club allows you to experience things you probably wouldn’t have the chance to experience at your home school while meeting new people.
5. Apply for financial aid and scholarships
It’s a myth that studying abroad is outrageously expensive, as BCIT students we get to pay BCIT tuition costs and not international student tuition costs. Thanks to BCIT global relations, my dormitory fees were covered, and I was able to live on campus at no cost! I also applied for another scholarship through my exchange school and was awarded one. It was roughly $800 Canadian per month for personal spending. Winning these scholarships was immensely helpful, and I can honestly say that I was truly able to enjoy my time in Japan to the fullest without worrying too much about my finances.