Sharing the Yale-NUS experience with exchange students
Three exchange students talk about their time at Yale-NUS and what inspired them to come here
Exchange student Erika Xu (first from left) visited the Singapore Drone Show this Lunar New Year with several of her exchange student friends. Image provided by Erika Xu.
Exchange students are an invigorating presence on the Yale-NUS campus. Whether they are playing foosball in the residential colleges, studying in the library, or taking part in the numerous student events, they add to the vibrancy of student life here. . This semester, we were excited to welcome 59 students from institutions across the United States, Europe and Asia, to our campus as our final batch of incoming exchange students. I asked three students, Ellina Khrais-Azibi, Kai Spiers, and Erika Xu from this batch of exchange students about their experience at Yale-NUS so far.
The largest appeal of Yale-NUS was its location in Asia and the unique liberal arts education model offered here.
Ellina Khrais-Azibi, from Sciences Po Paris, is in her second semester at Yale-NUS. As part of the Sciences Po curriculum, students spend their third year abroad. Ellina wanted to study in Asia and she zeroed in on Singapore as she felt that Singapore universities are the best in Asia. Since Yale-NUS is a liberal arts college, which differs from Sciences Po, Ellina was eager to try the “small class, smaller community, kind of environment. I thought it would be better to make friends and be more integrated with the community.”
While the liberal arts model is novel to some, it is reassuring for others. Kai Spiers, from Vassar College, said, “Yale-NUS is on the liberal arts model, which would therefore be similar to Vassar, and the structures of my studies wouldn’t change much.”
Yale-NUS College has delivered on academic fulfilment. Erika Xu from Amherst College highlighted one of its courses, “Anthropology of Education was a big reason why I chose Yale-NUS. I’m taking it now—I love the course.” As a Sociology and Education studies double major, Erika enjoys being able to study education from a new perspective: an anthropological one. Besides Anthropology of Education, she is taking Sociology of Deviance at the National University of Singapore (NUS), which has broadened her view of Singapore, and helped her to understand it better, including learning more about local issues. The liberal arts model has also lived up to Ellina’s expectations; Ellina enjoys the student-oriented courses, expressing how it is a new type of learning that provides a different academic experience from her home institution.
Ellina relaxing on the Cendana College hammocks. Image provided by Ellina Khrais Azibi.
Beyond just the academics, the exchange students have enjoyed the student culture at Yale-NUS. Kai cited how the intimate campus setting allows students to get familiar with each other easily, “People are very friendly, partially because of how small it is, so I feel like I run into people quite a lot. Even if I’ve never talked to them, I’ll be familiar with their faces, and wave to them. That’s very sweet.”
In particular, the vibrancy of the student culture pleasantly surprised Ellina, “There’s such a tight-knit community…I feel like every day, there’s something happening on campus. It’s amazing.” She also enjoys the student organisations at Yale-NUS, citing how the groups cater to different levels of interest. Students who are more skilled, or who want to engage more deeply with the student organisations are able to do so, simultaneously the student organisations also hold events and open sessions that allow curious students to dabble in their activities. Ellina has joined the College’s Football team and contributed to Yale-NUS’ victory at the Inter-College Games.
While Erika has not formally joined any student organisations, she has participated in the Good Ol’ Yale-NUS Adventurers’ Club’s night cycling event. She completed the 70-kilometre route, and returned to her room, exhausted, at 5am.
“And the scary part is—I would do it again,” Erika said, laughing at my disbelief, “sitting here now, I’m like: actually, I could do that.”
The participants of the night cycling event, held by the Good Ol’ Yale-NUS Adventurers’, one of Yale-NUS College’s student organisations. The night cycling event is open to all students, including exchange students. Image provided by Ian Qiu
Although Kai does not attend as many student-led activities, he enjoys the lectures and talks organised by the College. He also frequently goes off-campus to partake in Singapore’s famous food culture—apparently Singapore’s food was a contributing factor for his study abroad decision. Furthermore, he is a frequent visitor to the Projector, an independent cinema in Singapore. “They’re doing a retrospective on my favourite director on all time,” he said fondly, “I think I’ve gone five or six times in the last month.”
Ellina, Erika, and Kai all don’t limit their scope of activities to Yale-NUS. Besides going off-campus to explore Singapore, they also participate in the activities, classes, and use the facilities at NUS: Ellina trains with the NUS fencing team, Erika takes NUS classes, and Kai swims in the NUS pool every morning.
Erika visiting Gardens by the Bay at night. Image provided by Erika Xu
In their time at Yale-NUS College so far, these exchange students have been fully engaging with Yale-NUS — its location, campus facilities, academics, and student life. When I asked each student to show me their favourite picture of their time at the College, each focussed on vastly different aspects. Ellina showed me a picture of her on the Cendana College hammock; Erika’s photo is about her visit to the Gardens by the Bay Supertrees; while Kai shared pictures of mango bingsu, and chilli crab. The exchange students are actively learning, enjoying the liberal arts education model, and exploring Singapore.
