Queen’s student Luke Duffy, tells us about his top five things that he did not expect during his study exchange to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Take it away Luke:
1. “Southern Hospitality” Is Very Real
I thought the phrase “Southern hospitality” was just a cliché. But at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, (UNC), I was struck by how warm and welcoming everyone was. Me and my fellow exchange students were invited to several of our American friends’ homes for Thanksgiving, as they wanted to make sure we enjoyed the holiday properly.
2. How quickly I would get into the “school spirit”
Before I arrived, I thought school spirit was something you saw in the films. But within a week of arriving at UNC, I found myself chanting “Go Heels!” at football games, becoming extremely invested in the UNC-Duke rivalry and wearing Carolina blue. The pride students have in their university is infectious, and being part of that community, even just for a semester, made me feel instantly connected.
3. The Variety of Classes was Incredible
The selection of history modules available at UNC was amazing, and it allowed me to study topics I had never done formally at Queen’s. My favourite class that I took at UNC was on the history of aerial warfare. A retired USAF intelligence officer taught this class. This was very beneficial as he could connect the lecture material to modern trends in aerial warfare. For example, he linked lessons from WWII strategic bombing to today’s use of drones.
4. The variety of food
Before beginning my semester abroad, I paid for a meal plan for the campus dining halls. This allowed me to save time on cooking, as well as giving me the opportunity to try lots of new food. In addition to Southern classics like chicken and waffles, there were international dishes like Thai red curry. Beyond the novelty of all-you-can-eat food, the dining halls were a great social space. Getting together with your mates for dinner became a great ritual.
5. That I’d Grow Professionally Without Realising It
While I wasn’t working during my exchange in the States, so many day-to-day experiences while I was out there fed into my professional development. I developed skills such as delivering a presentation to a mixed audience and planning group projects across time zones. I spoke fairly good Spanish before I left Belfast, but the campus’s significant Spanish-speaking population allowed me to practice even more. Looking back, I gained skills I didn’t even know I was building—language skills, resilience, and initiative, which I’ve already used in job interviews since returning.
