#ipeunsw

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UNSW Final Reflection

Going through all my photos of this study abroad, I see that I've done so much. There's been epic days, there's been bad ones, but I have made it through and still found time to enjoy myself along the way. I've made strong friends for life, a group where I feel I belong and fit in. 

I'm going to miss these days. Walking to a new place every day, exploring what Sydney and NSW has to offer. The coast, the bush, the gardens, the restaurants, the museums, the people. It has been such a gift to spend my time in this vibrant city. There's no place like this to go to classes, be a Biomedical engineer one instant, and be a 6 hour drive away in the wilderness the next. 

I would say the hardest thing that came with studying abroad in Australia for me was the freedom, which is a great problem to have. This English-speaking country had minimal culture shock, especially with my experience adjusting to Japan. There were no tight restrictions or deadlines week by week that you would expect in the States, how and when you studied was up to you. I found the balance between staying on top of school and embracing the culture difficult, and kept circulating between being too lax and too strict with myself. Finding that middle ground is your challenge as you approach this experience. My way of adjusting to this was to spend time studying with friends, where you can mutually motivate each other, and regulate self-destructive tendencies if and when they appear.

As an engineer and as a person, I am always learning. From others, from situations, from challenges. Academically, I saw the medical device industry from an Australian lense. The US market is so large, however, that it would always be mentioned in the same breath. Through this experience, I have become more independent and confident, as well as more aware of my tells and limits. Study abroad allowed me to take a step back and look at who I was and decide who I was going to be. I'll be bringing back a reinvigorated, inspired attitude to Umich that will allow me to stay balanced and engaged for senior year.

Here's a few things I marked off my initial bucket list from before I arrived in Australia. Little did I know that my list of experiences would be so much longer than this. I also made a post-study abroad collage from my own photos based on my pre-arrival collage of stock photos.

Barangaroo Reserve

Hiking in Blue Mountains, Royal National Park, North Head

Surfing

Beachside walks

Study spots

3D modeling event

Cooking for myself

Networking

(pre- (left) and post- (right) collages)

It has been a privilege to document and share my experience. To all of my friends, professors, coordinators, and acquaintances I've met in Australia, thank you. To all of you that have tuned in, thank you.

Signing off.

Cheers!

Angelina

Angelina Burson

Biomedical Engineering

IPE: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

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Week 18: Moving Out

My last weekly post and it'll be filled with boring but important details about moving out. Look forward to my last travel corner though!

In the village you have an inspection in the middle of the semester, and likewise inspections of your indiviual room and communal areas after leaving at the end of the term. Our roommates all move out at different times, but the whole apartment requires cleaning, so it is important to establish who is doing what so no one gets left with the short end of the stick. With 6 people we had the kitchen, both bathrooms, living room, and balconies which was doable even in the few days I had between travel.

There was not much information provided to us about what we were supposed to do with the IFSA provided pots, pans, and bedding. There is a donation bin at the receptions desk for everything from opened but edible food to anything you were not going to take home. Some kind residents brought down a box of all their plates, pans, etc. People washed their sheets and left them in the laundry area along with vast piles of clothes. Others (namely my apartment) left them in our apartments that would later be checked by IFSA employees. I'm sure someone will put my rice cooker to good use.

Make sure to strip your bed before heading out. Fill out the form they provide to mark which areas you cleaned and to check tasks for cleaning your room. In the end, all it takes is that form and your room key to check out, a signature to say you left, and you are out of there before 10 am May 15th. How simple a goodbye to the place I lived for 4.5 months.

Cheers!

Angelina

Angelina's Travel Corner

A final travel burst, we are going out with a bang!

Following finals, I had about 10 days before my flight home. I packed my schedule with trips to Tasmania, Melbourne, and Royal National Park. 

I learned more about Australia's convict history through visiting Port Arthur, saw the beautiful Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, and hiked the time-testing Mt. Wellington. 

I met up with friends in Melbourne and saw the Penguin Parade in Phillips Island. Wild penguins come in every evening back to their nests on the coast. The night before there were apparently 600 penguins that came in. Did you know they get the Aurora Australis all the way at this island, even north of Tasmania? This local artist does cute work of the penguins under the lights. 

Finally, I did a hiking trip with friends to Bungonia and Royal National Park. It was the most challenging hike I have ever done, a strenuous 4 hours into and out of a gorge. But despite dire circumstance, we had fun.

I wouldn't change my last meal at Yayoi in the Galeries for anything. Time with friends and a walk down memory lane.

Angelina Burson

Biomedical Engineering

IPE: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

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Week 17 Finals Grading

The grading system in Australia "builds up" your points, which is different from the US. Somehow.

The way to calculate your grade looks like this:

Imagine your grade is determined by 100 points. Your midterm worth 40% of your grade, is 40 of those points. If you get a 75% (30/40) on your midterm (a Distinction, good job!), that contributes 30 points towards your final grade. For those aiming for the minimum score to pass, 50 points, you are more than halfway there, from a single Assessment.

This is why many classes at UNSW have a "hurdle" for their finals exams. Since you can have a passing grade before even entering the exam, its required to score a certain percent, like 40%, on the final to pass the class. 

Depending on which course you choose you may have 3 final exams, or none. I had final assignments due April 25th-May 1st, then a final for my modeling class on the 5th, so was done within the first week of finals. Plenty of time before the 15th to experience my last bits of Australia!

Final grades don't release until May 21st so its a bit of a wait to submit transcripts for processing to IFSA and then IPE.

Cheers! 

Angelina

Angelina's Travel Corner

Not much traveling going on the week of finals but I did make it to the Northern Beaches!! You take the B1 line (a double decker bus) from Wynyard that goes to Northern Sydney. It gets windy and cloudy in the fall at the end of the semester so I recommend going in the summer. I made it to Newport and Palm Beach. These were perfect for long beach walks, just avoid the blue bottles that wash ashore.

Angelina Burson

Biomedical Engineering

IPE: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

[umichenginabroad]

Victoria Down Under: Reflecting on My Time in Sydney

It has come the time to reflect on these past 4 months. I am writing this reflection as I wait to board my plane home, and I can’t help but feel sad that I have to leave. 

I am excited to see family and friends back home, but it’s still hard to come to terms with the fact that study abroad is over. 

I for sure accomplished some of my initial goals. For one, I went on a solo trip! Actually a bigger solo trip than I initially imagined. I feel quite accomplished with my independence!

One of my other goals was to say yes. I definitely said yes, maybe too much at times. I certainly tried new things; maybe not the ones I had in mind. For example, I never really hiked until Tasmania and now I really like it!

My last goal was to meet new people, and I can certainly say that I am returning home with new friendships. Some of which I will get to see back at school, and for others there will be some visits in the future!

Now just to talk about my overall thoughts of Sydney:

I really love Sydney and all of Australia! I definitely see myself coming back in the future. If you were to ask me at the beginning of study abroad whether or not I could see myself living in Aus, I would’ve said “it’s really nice you know, but it’s too far.” Now if you were to ask the same thing I say “yes, I could totally see myself living here!” The more experiences I gained in Australia and the more time I spent getting to know my surroundings, the more I loved it. 

I feel like the quality of life in Australia is on par, if not better than it is in the US. Yes, the US has so many opportunities that Australia doesn’t, but the same is true for the reverse. I think what actually makes me love Australia so much is that it’s so similar to the US. If I had to pick a place in the world that felt closest to home (despite distance), it would be Australia. 

Any place that you truly inhabit in your life becomes a part of you. I will always associate Australia with a special time in my life, and I’m excited for whatever the future has in store for me!

Pictures from my last 24 hrs in Sydney:

Goodbye, and thank you for coming along this journey with me!

Victoria Joel

Chemical Engineering

IPE: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

May 15, 2026

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Victoria Down Under Week 19: My 4 Days of Freedom

I took my last exam on Monday, and it was so freeing to be done. Once you actually have free time it’s hard to know what to do with it. I didn’t have too many plans for my last few days, but I wanted to wrap up Sydney the best I could. 

My main priority was making sure I went outside. 

I finally swam in a rock pool; it’s one of those things that I kept telling myself I would do, but never did until Tuesday. It was raining and cold, but we still enjoyed our swim. You’d be surprised how many people still go swimming in the not so great weather. In Sydney, people are always on the beach no matter the weather. 

I saw the sunrise one more time, and we walked the Harbour Bridge. The walk was way faster than we were expecting, but the view of the city was neat. 

I attended my last free yoga under the bridge :( 

I love how so many things are free here. 

I definitely hit up Yo-chi a good handful of times (one of which was free; Happy Mother's Day!) 

We went to The Grounds of Alexandria (this fancy cafe, bar, venue) and saw a Van Gogh exhibit!

I got a pair of Uggs, which fun fact Uggs are just considered a style of shoe in Aus, so there is not one brand that is authentic. The ones in the US are not authentic though!

We attempted to get a Bunnings Snag, which is basically like getting a hot dog from Home Depot, but it turns out they don’t have them everyday, so instead we stumbled upon this cool antique store.

If I had to pick one Australian food I will miss, I would pick sushi hand rolls. They are everywhere and they are so cheap, so good, and so fresh! Most food in Australia you can get back in the US since it’s very multicultural and there isn’t really an “Australian cuisine.” 

I made my way back to one of my favorite beaches: Gordon’s Bay. I noticed that so many of the rocks people would sit on had fallen since summer :(

Overall, an awesome last 4 days have been had!

Victoria Joel

Chemical Engineering

IPE: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

May 15, 2026

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Victoria Down Under Week 18: Solo Trip!

This week I went on my first solo trip EVER. It was awesome.

On Tuesday I said goodbye to my roommate, Sarah, as she began her journey back to the US. At the same time, I was headed to the airport for my 2.5 days in Perth!

I’m not sure exactly why, but I had my heart set on going to Perth before the end of study abroad. It is one of the most isolated cities in the world, and that is so fascinating to me. I also feel like it was just a general bucket list item for me to see both sides of Australia. 

I booked this trip at the very last minute (aka the week before), so flights were not so cheap, but I figured this was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was also one of my goals from the start to do a solo trip, but I definitely had not imagined my solo trip being one of the furthest places from Sydney, within Australia. I didn’t want to be too ambitious on my first solo trip, so I limited myself to only 2 nights away.

On Tuesday I flew out at 6 am and arrived in Perth at 9 am to get started on my day. I’m very lucky to know someone from my hometown who is living and working in Perth, so I met up with her for lunch and she gave me lots of recs. After lunch, I was off on my own!

In just 2.5 days I feel like I accomplished quite a lot. I walked around the CBD area quite a bit, hit some good food spots, went to the beach, and even did a day trip to bike Rottnest Island (the highlight!). In the evenings, all I did was schoolwork for my only class left.

Overall, I had a great experience in Perth! It is surely a different vibe from Sydney, much smaller and quieter, but will definitely be special to me forever!

I only have 4 days left in Sydney, and tomorrow is my last exam YIPPEEEE! Then I am free to enjoy Sydney for 3 days :)

Happy Mother’s Day!

Victoria Joel

Chemical Engineering

IPE: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

May 10, 2026

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Victoria Down Under Week 17: What to pack for Sydney

Now that I only have about 1.5 weeks left in Sydney, I am reflecting on the stuff I brought with me vs. what I have bought at this point. 

So here are a few things that you should bring to study abroad in Sydney (of course other than the usual clothes and whatnot):

Umbrella

It rained quite a lot in Sydney this year; apparently more than it usually does. I would say you can buy one once you arrive, but if you already have a small one, just bring it.

Portable charger

My phone is always dying. In January when it was 100 degrees everyday my phone would always overheat and die.

 Plug adapters

This one might seem obvious, but it is important to make sure you have enough plugs to charge your whole ecosystem of devices at once, and it is kind of ridiculous to buy Australian plugs here when you won’t use them again (I did have to do because my adapters sucked)

Reusable water bottle

Something that can easily be forgotten, but I carry mine a lot here. You can get free water basically anywhere too.

Reusable tote bag

AUS is just like New Jersey where they don’t have grocery bags. Fun fact for my non-New Jerseyans: we don’t have plastic or even paper bags at grocery stores :(

For the girlies: Tampons

Most of the ones here don’t have applicators or have cardboard applicators. I also think it’s worth taking up some space to have your usual period products.

Some colder weather clothing 

By this I mean like a long sleeve, a sweatshirt, and a sweater. It was really hot in the beginning, but as of now it’s getting down to the 50s and 60s at times…very cold I know.

A good travel backpack

Make sure Jetstar doesn’t get you with the fees :)

Flip Flops (“thongs” )

Kind of an obvious one, but it’s also good to have rubber shoes that you can wear in hostel showers.

What not to bring to Sydney (aka stuff I brought and didn’t need, or found it more practical to buy upon arrival):

Beach towel

So this one I could say fits in both categories. I brought a travel towel with me from home, and I think it was a good idea, but you can very easily buy a cheap towel in Sydney and donate it at the end.

Hair dryer/other tools

Even if you think you can just use an adapter, it won’t work because plugs have different voltages. Kmart has really cheap hair tools!

Toiletries

This one is a little biased because I don’t have a lot of preference for most of the toiletries I use, so I just bought a bunch of stuff from Kmart and Coles when I got here. Toiletries are some of the heaviest things you can pack in a suitcase!!

Sunscreen

Just don’t. The sunscreen in AUS is different because there is literally a hole in the ozone layer here and the sun is insanely strong. I don’t know exactly what is different about the sunscreen, but I’ve been told by everyone that it’s just better here. In Jan the UV peaked at 14 everyday!

Bedding

If you do IFSA and live in Scape (I can’t verify this for IFSA people who live at UNSW), they will provide all the basics for your apartment. We were given bedding sets, bath towels, laundry bags, and also kitchen stuff (kinda obvious not to bring that from home). Even if I wasn’t given this stuff I would’ve bought it all at Kmart. 

Overall, I packed really light because I knew that I wanted to try some Australian products and get lots of souvenirs, but if you choose to bring more and buy less, that works too!

I haven’t started packing yet because I still have time, but I came out here with a backpack, carryon, and 1 checked back (most of my bags weren’t full either). I will be adding another checked bag on the way home though! 

Here are some pics from my trip to Cairns this week. I swam in the Great Barrier Reef!

See you next week!

Victoria Joel

Chemical Engineering

IPE: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

May 3, 2026

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Week 16: Local Travel Recs

I've been keeping track of most places I go to, inspired by a previous student, and am excited to reflect back! Here's some of my favorite places in Sydney.

My Recs

Lantern Restaurant By Wagaya: A karaoke place disguised as a restaurant, this is the cheapest place around! Only $8 a person per hour, its actually a steal compared to some of the prices I have had to pay.

cha-no-wa Gadigal: I've mentioned this place before but it is my favorite cafe in Sydney with the vibes, good view, and delicious desserts! I need to try the gyuniku restaurant next to it too. 

High N'Dry: Absolutely delicious Nashville Hot chicken sandwich. I caved one day and was craving burgers and found this place, and don't regret it!

The Galeries: A combination of places I love, Kinokuniya bookstore, Muji, tons of Japanese restaurants, and more shops downstairs (that connects to Queen Victoria Building!)

Shelly Beach: Even though I've only been to Manly a couple times, I loved this beach as soon as I saw it. Shelly is short walk away from Manly, but when we did the North Head walk it ends up right at this secluded beach! The sand and water on the Northern Beaches is just so beautiful. 

Darling Quarter: Another combination of so many places. I like Darling Harbour even more than Sydney Harbour. This is where I saw the Saturday fireworks a month or two back. There's lots of families at Tumbalong Park and its very open with plenty of good restaurants around!

(all photos from Google)

Friend Recs

Favorites from other study abroad students!

Jeremiah - Centennial Park: A 30-40 min walk away from the Village, Centennial is huge, and always has runners in the mornings.

amazingSpyderTamer8 (name per request) - Moore Park: Moore Park has Allianz stadium for rugby and soccer as well as an Entertainment Quarter with restaurants and rentable pickleball courts.

Dan - Ms. Cattee Tea Bar: Has really good quality tea! All the reviews here are 5 star.

Ruohan - Coogee Beach: A classic, the sunrises at Coogee really are the best.

(all photos from Google)

Local's Recs

I haven't been able to go to any of these yet, but they are too good to not pass on.

Out of the Blue Clovelly: Fish and chips! A great day would be to go here, then eat your lunch at Coogee.

Newport Beach: When I mention wanting to visit the Northern beaches, a classmate who lives in Northern Sydney recommended this one!

Resolute Beach: A very secluded beach within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, I would be impressed if you made it up here! 

Caves Beach: Almost all the way to Newcastle, this beach looks amazing. I wish I had the chance to go, but by public transport its about 5 hours (train to Newcastle then back down the coastline to Caves

Jervis Bay/Callala Beach: Jervis Bay is known for its bioluminescence, and it must be a beautiful sight to see!

Someone just recommended the whole Southern Highlands. 

(all photos from Google)

I see all these aesthetic photos of places I have been in real life and it makes me treasure my experience more. Get excited for your own study abroad experience!

Cheers!

Angelina

Angelina's Travel Corner

Yochi with friends, sushi night!, and stumbling into the longest lines I've seen in Surry Hills for the pub on Anzac Day this past Saturday.

Angelina Burson

Biomedical Engineering

IPE: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia