Living in Japan is quite different than I imagined whenever I was applying to study abroad. Coming from a small town in Midwestern America, I had some slightly outlandish expectations of what living abroad would feel like.

While every day isn't full of trips all around Tokyo, that does not mean it is any less enjoyable. While studying here at Waseda University I've been able to make so many international friends who have made the time so enjoyable! 

Whether it's group study sessions, having dinner and drinks at Izakaya, or going to karaoke after class, life is far from dull. My time in Tokyo has opened my eyes to the Japanese way of life which is quite different from the culture I grew up in.

Classes are longer here but meet less frequently, there is a sense of Independence between each of the colleges while maintaining an overall sense of unity, and the students here have many passions they pursue with such focus and determination, I wonder how they can possibly manage their scheduled so well.

Before I arrived in Tokyo, I was also nervous about the language barrier. I had not studied Japanese before coming to Waseda, but I found uni students to be quite sociable and have been able to join a club on campus and meet people at their events

Thomas, from University of Tulsa (USA), currently on exchange at Waseda University (Japan).

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