A little over halfway through my semester abroad at the National University of Singapore (NUS), I can safely say I’ve settled into a more or less uniform day-to-day routine. You may wonder, “has it really taken this long to find some sort of structure in your daily life?” For me the answer is yes; were you to ask another exchange student, one with a different schedule and set of obligations, perhaps they would be taken aback at this prospect and respond with a decisive “no, since day 1 I’ve had a handle on things.”
There is no right or wrong way to settle into a study abroad program. Depending on your classes, social commitments, overall ability to adjust to a new environment, or a combination of these factors, a week’s worth of existing could toggle between confusion, stability, listlessness, and excitement. Accepting this less predictable mentality and doing your best to mold it into a kind of organized disorder, however long that transition may take to arrange, is one possible way of managing.
To offer a bit of reassurance, I’ll be listing a rough outline of my Week 7 activities on-campus and off, routine and otherwise:
Monday: Wake up at 7:30am, be ready by 8:15am after showering, brushing teeth, skincare, getting dressed, etc. I have a non air-conditioned room and Singapore is upwards of 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit in the morning, so despite my ceiling fan’s admirable contributions, I tend to rush out the door and to the nearest bus stop. NUS is a large campus and a 10-minute shuttle ride is often a necessary addition to your commute, a trip which deposits me at the bottom of a large hill leading to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, or FASS - side note, as commented on by my residence hall’s coordinator at orientation, living in Singapore means being comfortable with all manner of abbreviations all the time. I sit next to FASS at The Deck (one of NUS’ canteens), order an iced kopi (a local coffee with condensed milk known region-wide), and work on either readings or an assignment. This is what I call the ‘typical morning’ and is a common occurrence. After my 10am class, I grab a peach-soursop juice (my go-to lunchtime treat) from The Deck, take the shuttle back to my dorm, and…fall asleep until dinnertime. At my dorm’s dining hall (that only serves breakfast and dinner), the noodle station beckons me, after which I read a bit while a strong thunderstorm (tail end of the Northeast Monsoon!) rushes through and lulls me back to sleep.
Tuesday: A repeat of the ‘typical morning.’ After trying to be studious but instead procrastinating for about an hour, I decide to call it a day - having no assignments due, my only lecture canceled - and book a ticket to see Dune Part Two at a theater in Singapore’s largest mall (which are architectural marvels in and of themselves). An overall 25-30 minute journey from my dorm to the cinema, including the school shuttle and train (called the MRT), I window shop before watching arguably one of the best films I’ve ever seen with a small number of similarly-astonished movie-goers.
Wednesday: A repeat of the ‘typical morning.’ Attended a particularly captivating guest lecture during my 12pm Southeast Asian Music course. Conducted by Dr. Dewi of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the lecture discussed the penari tradisi (traditional dancers) of Java, Indonesia, and how their dances were connected to the gamelan. The gamelan is an ensemble of instruments native to Java and Bali, performed for special occasions and dance dramas, and whose playing is part of our class. Following the lecture, my day grew rather monotonous, nothing much more to note.
Thursday: A repeat of the ‘typical morning,’ but delayed and replacing The Deck with UTown, which is NUS’ northside campus populated by multiple food courts, slick residences, extensive study spots, and a college green. In particular, I prepared a set of readings and research material for tutorial underneath the Educational Resource Center’s (ERC) veranda and its cooling, Big Ass Fans - a fond, humorous reminder of my hometown, where the company happens to be headquartered. It’s group project season, so I meet with my group to outline our Chinese Women course’s capstone before we delegate tasks to be done within the week. Much of the afternoon was spent on this, especially planning a day visit to the National Museum of Singapore for observations.
Friday: A repeat of the ‘typical morning.’ Entirety of the day revolves around a 7pm gamelan performance by my Southeast Asian Music class and visiting Indonesian players at the NUS Central Library (CLB). Hours of practicing the saron instrument and chatting with graduating Gadjah Mada University students on the perils of job-hunting lead up to performance, which goes moderately well.
Saturday: A repeat of the ‘typical morning’ in UTown. Congratulations, you’ve reached the present, where I’m currently writing this! Watching dozens of pamphlet-holding prospective students and their families wander the grounds for NUS Open House, I’ve never seen the campus so lively, music blaring and clubs recruiting. Clear skies, no rain in sight; sublime!
And there you have it. Not an overtly extraordinary series of events, but extraordinary all the same. In fact, when participating in a study abroad, one of the most fascinating aspects is realizing that, in growing accustomed to a routine and slowing your pace, you’ve actually integrated quite well into the local environment after all. Being part of a community within your school and program destination is a process of discovery and understanding, eventually going about your day as a local would without second thought. While less packed with intensive adventure or definable awe, appreciating the connection that’s been made and new perspective unlocked is as important and inspiring, if not more so, than that which you can identify as momentary wonder.
Ava Hadland
Spring 2024
GW Exchange - National University of Singapore
Elliott School of International Affairs
International Affairs Major