Dominyka Bulavaitė (AF): Polytechnic University of Milan

This university is great for international students, as there are many English courses to choose from and most of the assigned professors speak English well. For architecture specifically, most of the courses happen in one building, and it is close to the main metro station, so the access to the university is very easy and convenient. Additionally, in the English/International courses, there are not only students from different countries, there are students from different years of study as well, this way broadening the possibility to learn not only from the university an professors, but from each other as well.

In short, the experience was great, but not without some bumps on the road. The start of my Erasmus was rough, as not all of the administrative parts were done, when I was already in Milan. This was rough, because it felt like I might still have to go home, even after getting an agreement for a flat, which is very concerning. Afterwards, when all of the problems were solved, I have to point out that I am not a social person. of course, for me personally, the point of going to Erasmus, was to learn something new, not to find connections in particular, and maybe that was my mistake, but I do not think that it is a big mistake in the end. Because nowadays, where there is new knowledge, there is teamwork and in Polimi these two are definitely inseparable. Being a pretty closed of person I do not like "going out", but even I found friends, who helped me study, and get ready for exams, as the homesickness was rough for a long period of the Erasmus. The courses were not hard, but there was a lot to do and a lot to learn. I chose courses in English, and I would say, that the English was very good, all of the materials provided were in English as well. But what was interesting, that after very seriously thinking I made a mistake and questioning the "life changing effect" of Erasmus for the first few couple of months of my exchange (as I clarified, I do NOT like socializing) I did learn many things in this period of my life. As it turns out, after living with my parents for my whole life, I was quite spoiled and rather lazy. In this period. I learned to take accountability for my actions, and take care of myself, my space and my studies/career.

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I completely stopped using social media, and learned for to do work for studies a couple of days before the deadlines (no all nighters is a very nice thing to experience for an architecture student, believe me.) I suppose what I wanted to say was that in the end Erasmus is what you make of it. I am not an active or social person, but even I learnt to live with myself and other people around me, learned how to live on my own. I learned how to study my field of studies, I learned so much more than I would have in my own university simply because it was so outrageously out of my comfort zone. It is an amazing experience, and I believe it is best to go at least once, especially if you have already left your home country for your full time university. Erasmus is life changing, and I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.