From Manchester to Los Angeles
Hello! My name is Ivan, and I am currently a final-year BSc International Management student at AMBS. During my third year, I studied abroad at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. When I first found out where I would be going, my initial reaction was excitement, quickly followed by a quiet sense of panic.
The idea of moving across the world for a year felt surreal. I remember sitting in front of the news and realising that everything I was familiar with, from my daily routines to the people I spent most of my time with, was about to change.
There was also the real possibility that I would not be graduating alongside many of my friends, which made the decision feel heavier, but at the same time reinforced how meaningful the opportunity was.
Preparing for the move
The months before I left were a strange mix of excitement and overthinking. I had lived away from my family before, through boarding school, so I knew I could handle being independent, but this felt different.
I had never been to the United States, and I kept imagining what day-to-day life would actually look like, from the scale of everything to how people interacted, even down to small details like getting around and settling into a routine.
One thing that helped was connecting with other exchange students who were also preparing to move somewhere unfamiliar. I was also lucky to have close friends in Manchester who were going abroad themselves, even though they were heading to different countries.
Being able to share worries, expectations, and small logistical questions made the process feel far less isolating.
First impressions of Los Angeles
Landing in Los Angeles was a shock in the best way. The first thing I noticed was the weather: it was sunny and warm, completely different from what I was used to in Manchester, and seeing palm trees outside the airport made the whole experience feel instantly surreal.
I decided to live in a private student accommodation where many other exchange students were staying, which turned out to be one of the best decisions I made. The check-in process was smooth, and I was genuinely surprised by the scale of the place. It felt less like student housing and more like a resort, with multiple swimming pools, several gyms, its own restaurant, and even a cinema.
More importantly, the accommodation became one of the easiest ways to meet people. Living among other exchange students meant everyone was settling into a new country at the same time, and it was where I met some of my closest friends during the year.
The exchange student orientation also played a big role in helping me adjust. We were paired with a buddy, which made navigating campus and daily life much less intimidating. One particularly memorable moment was the orientation dinner at a Korean BBQ restaurant, which happened to fall on my birthday. It was a small but meaningful reminder of how quickly unfamiliar places can start to feel welcoming.
Academic experience
Academically, studying at USC felt very different from my experience in Manchester. Classes were far more practical and discussion-based, with participation and attendance contributing directly to final grades. Knowing that speaking up mattered pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to become more confident in sharing my ideas.
Class sizes were smaller and felt closer to seminars, which made discussions more personal and made it easier to connect with people around you. It did not take long for conversations in class to turn into friendships outside of it. Some modules were taught in small breakout rooms with one-way mirrors, which felt unusual at first but made group work surprisingly memorable.
One academic highlight was a Global Strategy class that involved travelling to Mexico to learn about international expansion directly from local companies. Experiencing course content in a real-world setting made the learning feel far more tangible.
I also appreciated the flexibility of the academic system at USC, which allows students to take sports classes for credit. Taking soccer, tennis, and weightlifting helped me stay active and added balance to my timetable.
Language learning
One personal highlight of my year abroad was continuing to study Spanish. Before going, I was not particularly confident in the language, even though I had taken lessons before. Living in California, which has a large Hispanic population, made Spanish feel much more present in everyday life.
Hearing it regularly in shops, on public transport, and in casual conversations helped reinforce what I was learning and made the language feel more practical. Being surrounded by it encouraged me to become more comfortable engaging with the language, even in small ways.
Life beyond the classroom
Outside of classes, I tried to fully embrace life in Los Angeles. Some of my favourite memories came from simple plans, such as beach afternoons, Topgolf after classes, or small day trips with friends. We also explored beyond the city, visiting places like San Diego and spending weekends discovering different neighbourhoods across Los Angeles. As the year went on, I became more confident travelling further afield and was fortunate enough to explore other parts of the United States.
Visiting New York felt surreal, especially seeing landmarks I had grown up watching in films, and the trip became even more memorable when I unexpectedly ran into Rio Ferdinand as a lifelong Manchester United fan. Living in Los Angeles also meant occasionally crossing paths with familiar faces such as Aaron Paul, Snoop Dogg, and Michael Bublé.
I also travelled to Texas for its food culture and to Florida for its energy and nightlife. Experiencing such a wide range of places made the exchange feel incredibly rich and reinforced how much you can learn by stepping outside your campus bubble.
Final reflections
Looking back, my year abroad taught me far more than I expected. The memories, friendships, and personal growth are things I will carry with me well beyond graduation, and staying in touch with people now scattered across the world is a reminder of how global the experience truly was.
Living in a new country pushed me to understand myself better, build confidence, and appreciate the value of stepping outside my comfort zone. If you are considering going on an exchange, I would strongly encourage you to speak to students who have already been through the experience.
If you would like to connect with globally minded students or hear more about studying abroad, our new Global Exchange and Management Society (GEMS) is also a great place to start.
