How did I get here?!
It seems surreal to say that I ended my last week of classes for my term abroad, but I guess that goes to show how fast time flies when you’re having fun (haha cheesy, yes I know). In order to celebrate ending my term, I decided to intentionally record the last week of activities and classes and write about them as a method of reflection.
So, welcome to my LWOC.
MONDAY

Hello beginning of the week! This day was relatively uneventful as I only had one class, but it was a bittersweet day as it was the last lecture I’d have for my Food Writing course. I loved that course, and it was probably my favorite (tied with Environmental Planning). My professor gifted us homemade blueberry muffins and orange chocolate which was so nice and tasty, and it was an easy class as we just edited some passages for our final submission. I was very sad to leave, because that class was certainly a highlight each week and has really opened my perspective on food and writing as two different topics.
The rest of the day was spent doing a bit of studying, but mainly going to the grocery store. It is only a matter of time until I no longer have access to such yummy blue cheeses...
TUESDAY
Tuesday was also very chill (you will find that with most of the days during the week, end of term meant a more relaxed vibe in class). I went to my Intro to Programming tutorial as per usual, and was thrown for a loop as my tutor gave us a presentation as to why we should enter the computer science field. I definitely felt myself briefly questioning my current major for five minutes after that presentation.
After class, I came back to my housing and assisted my roommate with moving some seats back into her car in preparation for our Roomie Road Trip that was coming up. All students have a whole week to steady and prepare for final exams, and while I am also going to study, I am also going to travel as much as I can before I’ve got to go back home. My roommates and I hadn’t gone on a just-roommate trip thus far, so we thought this was a perfect time to do so! I can safely say that all three of us are blissfully ignoring the fact that we won’t be living together anymore in three weeks.
I’m going to be a bit sappy for a moment, but I was pleasantly surprised at how many deep connections I’ve made with other international students here. I mean, these are people I’ve invited to my hypothetical wedding! Jokes aside, I never expected leaving this experience with making more travel plans so we can have a little reunion, but I am happy about it!

I ended Tuesday by studying in the library with my roommate, though I think she was much more
productive than I was…
WEDNESDAY
Since my Food Writing class had ended and I usually have a workshop on this day for it, I essentially had a free day. So, my roommates and I went back to Raglan for the day and lounged on the beach, ate olives and bread, and relaxed. It was nice to return to Raglan after a while, and I felt like it was a full circle moment since this was the first trip me and my other exchange student friends took during the semester. While the beaches are still pretty cold at this time of year, it is always nice to get some sun.
When returned, I got ready for a poetry night that the Writing Studies department was holding. One of my friends performed a beautiful piece and it was honestly so great to hear everyone’s creative mind. Towards the end of the event, there was an open mic section and I decided to perform my own piece… and then I won a book and chocolate from it? Totally unexpected!
THURSDAY
There is not a lot of report on Thursday. I finished up some Programming lectures, some Environmental Planning lectures (SUPER sad to end this class), and then studied at my cottage! Very chill Thursday night, but very productive nonetheless. Oh, I ordered pizza, so I guess that's a little exciting.
FRIDAY
Ah, Friday. We have reached the official end! During my LDOC, I had my final Climate Change Crisis lecture, Environmental Planning lecture and Programming lecture. When the clock hit 2 PM, that was it! I was done with my classes for the trimester. I did spend the night watching my roommate’s dance performance for one of her courses, and it sort of made me wish I had taken a dance course here!


There were a lot of people who told me that this experience will fly by in the blink of an eye, but I thought that was something everyone said about any experience. I have to admit, they were completely right. This is absolutely cliché but it felt like yesterday that I was stepping off that plane in Auckland and coming to my university. I really don’t know where all the time went, but as I’m sitting on my couch right now (procrastinating my essays, thank you), I can say that these classes were incredibly beneficial to me and really opened my eyes to new ways of learning!
With love and Kaitaia Fire,
Raeva :)