HseXchange Night: Sharing The Experience

HseXchange Night was held to help the students, who plan to study abroad.

HseXchange Night: Sharing The Experience

More than 120 students from the HSE are participating in exchange programs next semester.
Each semester an event is held so that the students that have already had this experience could give advice and inspiration to those who are only preparing to start their studies abroad: an eXchange night! (For more statistics visit https://studyabroad.hse.ru/en/news/321441141.html )

It was already the fifth event on the 4th of December and it was even more helpful. All of the students gathered together and then organized in smaller groups according to the countries they are going (or already have been) to.

The first (and, probably, the most important part) was dedicated to the general questions the nominees for the mobility had about their future experience abroad. It was done in the game format: the nominees had cards with the issues on accommodation, finance, transport and so on, so that a broad range of the potential concerns would be covered. The students who have already returned from their academic experience were helping to resolve all the doubts.

Then the other helpful games proceeded. In one of the rounds the nominees had to offer solutions for probable unfavorable situations, they can face abroad, like passport loss, illness and so on. There is no unique way out, but one can be more prepared to those situations once they are “played” with the other people.

There was also a team quiz about intriguing facts from all over the world with some prizes for the winners. One of the prizes was a session with a psychologist: something that can be really needed in the moment of culture shock or during months away from the common environment. (More information https://studyabroad.hse.ru/en/culture_shock )

Some of the international students were also present and ready to provide relevant information about their countries and universities.

The eXchange night board tried their best to unite the community, inviting everyone to afterparty and sharing the contacts of everyone going abroad. Such events would really help nominees in dealing with many practical questions abroad. Moreover, the students have met many people who will turn out in the neighboring cities and countries, so they can visit each other.

Text by
Anastasia Borisova