Lillian Wu, CGIS Peer Advisor: Can you introduce yourself, please?
Melissa Wang: My name is Melissa, I use she/her pronouns, and I’m a senior in LSA and the School of Information studying Economics and UI/UX Design. I studied abroad in Winter 2024 at the National University of Singapore.
LW: What made you interested in studying abroad versus doing another semester at U-M?
MW: I thought studying abroad would be a great way to experience new cultures and a new way of learning. I grew up in Michigan and everyone I know has been in that bubble, so I wanted to branch out and see what else is out there.
LW: How did you get interested in the NUS program?
MW: For the longest time, I was really debating between Europe and Asia, because I’ve never been to either. I chose Asia because I have Chinese heritage and wanted to get to know the culture better. I’d also heard that the weather is nice in the winter. Also, a girl from class had done this program and said it changed her life, so I decided I would apply and see if I would get in.
LW: What was a typical day in your life like over there? What was your day to day schedule?
MW: I’d wake up, to go the gym, get breakfast at the dining hall, which was more like a cafeteria with little restaurants, and go to class. Class was mandatory. After, I would do some homework and hang out with new groups of people I’d met. NUS has a huge study abroad culture and over 2000 exchange students from everywhere from Europe, Australia, Hong Kong, Canada. We got to know each other in class and outside of class, planning trips or participating in an NUS club.
LW: Are there any local activities you’d recommend?
MW: There were a lot of clubs on campus, clubs you couldn’t even imagine being offered at Michigan. There were scuba diving clubs, Thai painting, Japanese mochi tasting, the university even had a climbing wall—I think it shows how multicultural Singapore is, the clubs reflect the diversity. Traveling was also fun, just getting together with people one weekend and having the idea to go to Vietnam, and making it happen the next weekend.
LW: How was the academic experience different than at U-M?
MW: It was different in the sense that what we learned was very global. I took two economics classes, public finance and environmental economics, and we looked at global examples and how course concepts were impacting people around the world. I think the format of classes were similar to U-M in the sense that there were problem sets, readings, discussion sections—but definitely different within the classroom.
LW: What was the housing like?
MW: Housing was a difficult process, there was a placement form. There are two housing campuses, one is called U-town and the other is called PGP. Both have resident colleges, which are like their own little community. It’s kind of like Hogwarts, where the colleges compete with each other. I know that local students have to interview to get into those, but exchange students don’t have to; some of my friends were placed in resident colleges and the locals took them under their wing, so it seemed like a great way to get integrated in the local community.
I chose “twin living” on the housing form and got placed in a building with mainly master’s and PhD students. In hindsight, I wish I read the housing descriptions more, as I was under pressure to submit the form fast to secure housing. I thought twin living meant American dorm rooms, with two beds in each room, but in Singapore, everyone has their own room, so twin living was for married couples!
LW: Do you have any advice for avoiding some of the stress of finding housing?
MW: The key thing is to do your research and join NUS student group chats. Also look on their website and put the key dates into your calendar, and remember that it’s in Singapore time. Also, be aware that some housing has AC and others don’t. It gets really hot and moist and moldy in the summer. Housing with AC is harder to get and more expensive, though, and the form is interesting because if you don’t get your first choice selection, you don’t get housing—so there are a lot of factors to weigh.
LW: Did you know anyone in the program before going?
MW: Yes. A lot of people from Ross, apart from CGIS, also go to NUS. Reaching out to them could be a good way to get a sense of community, if it’s your first time abroad and you’re nervous.
LW: Is there a story or an anecdote that you’d like to share that still sticks with you?
MW: On campus, a group of us would always go to a residence hall lounge and stay up until 3 or 4 am. In the same lounge, some people would be studying and other people would be doing karaoke or planning their trip itinerary—it was always a fun time. We’d stay up late sharing different stories, some people would just have come back from traveling and share travel stories, while other people would tell us about their hometown. We’d talk to locals too; they’d ask us why we were staying up so late.
LW: What are you most proud of doing while you were there?
MW: There are several things. First, I feel like this was where I learned to be independent for the first time. At home, there are a lot of decisions that your friends or parents make for you. Second, it felt like an achievement to make a solid group of friends from different countries and cultures. We still keep in contact to this day, and it’s so fun, hearing how different our lives are. And now, having this group of friends, I feel like I can reach out to them if I’m ever in Europe or Singapore. Third, I was really proud of learning abroad, working in a group with local students and learning from them.
LW: If you’re willing to share, do you feel that there's any part of your identity that shaped your experience abroad?
MW: I definitely think so. I am Chinese and look Chinese, so it was much easier to navigate Singapore and surrounding countries. I also think it was easier to integrate within the local culture. One of my friends is Indian and had a tougher time at first, but eventually it worked out. I think that being more embedded in Singaporean-Chinese culture—I know the language, I eat the food—made the culture easier to get a hold of.
LW: What was the biggest challenge you faced while abroad?
MW: I think that budgeting is a challenge when you’re abroad; you want to buy everything and travel everywhere. Learning to budget was a learning curve. I think feeling FOMO (fear of missing out) was also a challenge. In a group of 2,000 kids, you want to know everyone and participate in every event, and you either get burnt out or have too many commitments, especially with school and sleeping too. Feeling left out sometimes was a challenge. Also, being organized was a huge thing. I’d forget my wallet or passport when packing.
LW: Were there any strategies that helped you manage that homesick feeling?
MW: It helped a lot knowing I could call my parents, we scheduled calls. But everyone is in the same boat and you find your people, so campus kind of becomes home away from home.
LW: What do you think you'll remember most about your experience in 20 years?
MW: Definitely the people. Everyone is doing something different. There are people coming from the military, or this is their second time abroad, or their post-grad plans are to work in a cafe for a couple years or at a hostel while traveling. That opened my eyes to so many more possibilities of what I could do with my life, so that was really impactful. Everyone was so kind and full of life.
LW: Was there anything else that you wanted to add about your experience in mind?
MW: I definitely recommend the program! Like my peer who recommended it to me said, it did change my life. I’ve always thought that was such a cliche, like how could it? But in hindsight, it truly has.
Have questions for Melissa? Reach out to her at zmwang@umich.edu.
