The one thing I wished I would have known before going on exchange is…

I would have liked to have arrived sooner than I did for a more seamless transition into my new lifestyle. I arrived the weekend before the orientation week, which wasn't bad, but if I had given myself more time I could've maybe had things in order a little better. In all honesty this would have been a luxury rather than a necessity. Arriving when I did was probably the minimum amount of time required to set up housing and feel comfortable enough to start exploring right as things started to happen (school/orientation week).

I recommend going on exchange because…

It will be the time of your life. Like I've said there's something super authentic about changing your lifestyle and making new friends while abroad. It's also amazing because of how useful it will be to you. You get to travel, further your education, make new connections, and discover new perspectives on life and your career. I don't think it's often that an opportunity this versatile comes around. 

I felt like I made a great decision to go on exchange when…

I was about 2 weeks to 1 month into the trip and finally felt completely set up. I was appreciating every moment on campus and travelling/being with friends. Before leaving I had ideas about what I wanted to do after graduation and I was shocked to realize how quickly my ideas and outlooks changed after talking to my new professors and going to class. I knew I made a great decision when I was equally as excited to go to school as I was getting on the train to Paris after class. 

The most unexpected part about exchange was…

How easy and quick it was to feel comfortable and make friends. I think my location had a lot to do with it. Reims is a very small city and everything is in walking distance. The students also all lived generally in the same quartier, which was very fun.