[SFU OLC Experience] From Duomos to Dolce Vita: A Transformative Journey

Home Country

Canada

Program:

Study Abroad › Exchange

University

Location:

Experience Faculty

Beedie School of Business › Marketing

My friends and I in Verona, Italy.

Completing my exchange in Milan was one of the greatest experiences of my life so far and I would highly recommend anyone who has the opportunity to take it.

Experience Details

Semester

Fall

Year

2023

Introduction + Preparation

Getting a Student Visa as soon as you get accepted is vital. Additionally, finding accommodation is extremely important as Milan is an expensive city and it's difficult to find an apartment that is furnished and a reasonable price. Bocconi does not allow exchange students to stay in their residence buildings so I would suggest checking sites such as Airbnb and Aparto, a student residence company in Milan, as well.

During my Experience

Orientation and First Weeks

There is an optional Italian crash language course that I would highly recommend everyone to take because it is easier to meet other students from English-speaking countries on exchange that way. My exchange was in Autumn so the first few months were quite warm (25-35 degrees Celsius) so dress appropriately. The campus is quite small so it's fairly straightforward to find your class but I would still recommend going a day or two before to check it out. The university also organised various welcome events and tours of the campus and the city.

Day to Day

I would wake up around 8 and get ready for my class that starts at 9:30. My place was fairly close to campus so it took me only around 10 minutes to walk there. One thing to keep in mind is that all the classes start and end at the same time, so if you have multiple back-to-back classes on opposite sides of the campus it may be difficult to be on time because it can get quite busy while everyone is trying to get to their next class. Usually, my classes would end at 2:30 and then around 4 we would go for "Aperitivo" which is kind of the Italian version of Happy Hour or just drinking in the afternoon. Bocconi also had student clubs you could apply to join but the application process was extremely time-consuming and the chances of even hearing back for an interview were slim as I was told and later found out. Other than that they had weekly events which were mostly club-related and separate Whatsapp groups you could join for various interests such as sports or fashion.

Learning and Adaptation

The structure of the classes was very different than SFU. Usually 60% Final exam and 40% Midterm exam. In my case, since I am in marketing, it was more like 60% Final exam and 40% Group project. The size and format of lectures was quite similar to SFU although I'm not sure if they have air conditioning since in the first few months the professors always kept the windows open since it would get quite warm inside the rooms. Bocconi uses a website called Blackboard which is similar to Canvas so it's not too difficult to adjust to. There is also an app they use for attendance tracking.

Accomplishments and Challenges

The main challenges surrounded the language, although most people in Milan do speak English, they appreciate it if you try to speak Italian with them. The weather was also quite unpredictable at times and went from very hot to rain and thunderstorms.

Cultural and Environmental Observations

The culture for me is very similar to Spanish or Balkan maybe as they are warm and inviting most of the time. Even if you do not speak the language most people will try to help you. The environment in Milan is beautiful since the city and country have so much history and culture that there is always something new to explore. The main downside is that it is one of the most polluted cities in Europe and the air quality is very bad. It was not uncommon to see people wearing masks outside and getting sick quite frequently, unfortunately.

Wrap Up

To wrap up, completing my exchange in Milan was one of the greatest experiences of my life so far and I would highly recommend anyone who has the opportunity to take it.

Reflection & Tips

Reflection

Reflecting on my exchange experience I am happy I had the opportunity to go and encourage any student who is able to go on exchange to do it because it was one of the more unique and greatest experiences.

Most Valuable Aspects of This Experience

The most valuable aspect for me was having the chance to meet and become friends with so many wonderful people from around the world. A close second was the delicious food I got to try from the many countries and cities I visited while on exchange.

Connection to Academic Studies or Career Goals

The institutions and courses I chose were extremely relevant to my academic and career goals since I'm studying marketing and have an interest in working in Europe. I took courses on digital marketing, sports marketing, and fashion marketing, which were all areas I was interested in exploring. We also had many guest lecturers which gave me the chance to connect and network with them.

Advice for Future Students

My advice is to only go on exchange if you can find institutions and courses that you are interested in and relevant to your studies and goals. As well as to make sure you save up money and calculate your expenses to create an accurate budget with some wiggle room so you do not have to worry about finances while you are there.

Tags:

International