Student Voice: Embracing New Experiences

Yu Ching KOH from the National University of Singapore, is participating in our exchange program Spring 2026. In this article, she shares her experience so far at AIU.

*I went on the bus trip to Kakunodate and the views of Sakura trees along the river were so pretty!*

*My friend and I doing our assignments in the Laundry Room while waiting for our laundry.*

I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to study at AIU as AIU was my first choice for my study abroad! However, settling in during the first few weeks was not easy. Akita was a completely new environment and AIU was filled with unfamiliar faces. As an introvert, starting conversations has always been difficult and I was afraid that I might not have a great time here. However, it did not take long for my fears to be proven unfounded.

I was lucky to be able to stay in Nihongo House, which is a Themed House®. While things felt awkward at first, my roommates and I gradually became close through the conversations we have while cooking. Through fun Nihongo House events like Happy Tuesday (Conversation Table), I had many opportunities to practice Japanese. I think my Japanese has improved thanks to these events!

Beyond Nihongo House, I have also met many wonderful people through classes, campus events and community outreach activities. One of the most memorable experiences I had was watching a movie with a friend in the cinema at AEON with no English subtitles! I was surprised that I even understood about 80% of it!

My friends and I would also often shop for groceries together because I cook almost every meal. This is something I rarely do back home! I often made comfort food like Tomato Egg Rice and even tried cooking new dishes! I even made Singapore Laksa because I missed it so much!

My time at AIU has been filled with unforgettable memories and personal growth. More importantly, it has taught me to embrace unfamiliar situations with confidence! I will definitely treasure this chapter of my life, and I can confidently say that I am glad I chose AIU!