I think the biggest adjustment when studying at the University of Sydney was the rigorous academics. Coming from such a small school like Rollins with resources at the tip of your fingers, it was difficult to transition into a massive university. The grading scale and academic environment is very different from Rollins. University of Sydney has a tougher grading system and holds their students to a high academic standard. Although it was difficult, I think I adjusted quite smoothly. I learned that time management and organization skills are of upmost importance in this culture. They value their academics and challenge their student to go above and beyond which I enjoyed being a part of.
The majority of my Australian friends were shocked by how much I was travelling while abroad. It is pretty normal for Australians to go to university where they grew up and continue to stay at home or live near home. As I was trying to see as much of Australia as I could when I was there, I learned that many of Australians have not traveled to many different parts of their country. This first appeared strange to me, then I remember that I have not seen the majority of the United States after living there all my life. I also learned that it is more common for Americans to study abroad during their time at University. I enjoyed seeing all the different places in Australia and meeting new people.
I think it is important to remember that every culture is special in their own way. Just because things are different does not mean they are good or bad. For future cultural misunderstandings and conflicts, I will remember that people grow up learning different things in different ways. I will take the time to try to understand where that person is coming from and then try to problem solve from there.