I landed in Sydney on a clear winter morning, dragging my suitcases through the arrival hall, trying to ignore the jetlag biting at my heels. It felt surreal the weight of how far I travelled and what I was doing. I knew international travel came with a cost beyond the plane ticket. That awareness lingered. It wasn’t guilt exactly, but a feeling of responsibility – that if I was going to cross the world, I needed to make it count.
That intention shaped how I approached the year. I didn’t overhaul my entire lifestyle, but I started paying attention to the details. I kept things simple: I didn’t buy more than I needed, I avoided fast fashion, and re-wearing the same clothes I bought from home. I walked most places, took public transport when I didn’t. It didn’t feel radical, but it was more consistent. And over time, it became a habit.
Living in Sydney, I noticed how sustainability was embedded into daily life – in the water refill stations, eco gardens, and Opal card travel. It made eco-conscious living feel accessible, not performative. I tried to mirror that mindset. I cooked at home more often than not, bought reusable bags around with me everywhere and paid more attention to how waste was sorted locally. When I travelled, I stayed local: beach walks, ferry rides, second-hand bookstores, and national parts instead of long-haul flights.
These decisions reflected key UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). I wasn’t following a checklist — but these goals offered a framework that helped me articulate what I was trying to do: reduce waste, support local, and travel more lightly.
Of course, I didn’t do everything perfectly. I sometimes forgot my reusable cup, or bought takeaway wrapped in more packaging than I liked. But I started asking more questions – not just “is this sustainable?” but “why isn’t it?” That curiosity shifted how I made choices, and how I talked about them. I’d chat with other exchange students about what we’d learned, what we could do better. It wasn’t activism, but it was reflection and that felt like a meaningful place to start.
Now, as I pack up my things to return to the UK, I realise how much this year has changed me. I haven’t become a sustainability expert. But I’ve developed habits and a mindset I’ll carry home. I’ve learned that small, repeated actions are powerful, not because they solve everything, but because they show that you care enough to try.
Sustainability, to me, is about effort. About choosing differently when you can and staying aware when you can’t. And my year abroad taught me that being far from home is no excuse to stop caring; if anything, it’s the best reason to care more.
