Embracing Melbourne life as an international student
Hailing from Pennsylvania, Lleyton Slaysman moved to Melbourne to study the Bachelor of Commerce. Here he shares his impressions of the city and offers advice on how to feel at home at UniMelb.
It took only a month for Lleyton to feel like an honorary Melburnian after joining one of the University’s many sports clubs.
“I heard about a sporting club event where there’s probably 30 different sports teams,” Lleyton explains. “I decided to just go, and I made the main team and met a bunch of local Australians.”
“When I got introduced to these people, I was asking a tonne of questions. 'Where’s the best grocery store?' 'Where’s the best place to go out?'”
“Once I was part of this team, I felt like I was a part of Melbourne a little bit more.”
The Bachelor of Commerce student quickly fell in love with the city, taking advantage of its many cultural offerings.
Melbourne is probably the perfect place for international students or university students in general. It’s so accommodating and the city is really, really beautiful.
“There's always something to do or if you want a little privacy, there's a million other places to go.”
Lleyton has also found the learning experiences at the University invigorating and inspiring. Thanks to the flexible structure of the Melbourne curriculum, Lleyton has been able to explore his curiosity both within and outside of the fields of business and economics. He’s also had the chance to study in state-of-the-art facilities, under the guidance of globally recognised academics.
“I'm really lucky as a Bachelor of Commerce student because I feel like we actually have the best buildings on campus. This spot is brand new and every single room is so nice”.
“It just makes me feel like I’m part of a top tier program.”
Living at Little Hall – one of the many student accommodation options at Melbourne – has also connected Lleyton not only to a welcoming and vibrant community but a range of social, sporting, cultural and volunteering opportunities.
Settling into a new city can have its challenges, but by embracing the many extracurricular and cultural activities available at the University and across the city, Lleyton has made the transition much easier for himself. Now, he’s looking forward to what the future will bring – both in and outside the classroom.
“I think that the rest of the year is going to go by incredibly fast. I feel like I don't want to waste a second and I don't want it to kind of slip by me, so I'm going to try and make every day count.”
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