At the start of my sophomore year, I had no idea what to expect with an Australian roommate. I knew it would be a lot of fun, but I had no idea how much I would learn. Turns out, there are a lot of differences between the United States and Australia you would never think of.

I now feel very versed in the life of an Australian. Here are some of the things I have learned:

1. Milo is the greatest thing ever.

It’s like the Australian version of Nesquick, but so much better! You can drink it hot or cold (I prefer hot) and it’s delicious either way.

2. Vegemite is the worst thing ever.

No offense to the citizens of Australia, but vegemite is very gross. According to my roommate, it’s actually healthy for you. I was told there is vegemite challenge, similar to the cinnamon challenge. That is a challenge I could never complete.

3. McDonald’s is called "Macca’s."

Why? I have not idea…it just is.

4. Virtually everything in Australia can kill you.

Spiders, snakes, kangaroos, they are all deadly. You would think kangaroos would be cute and cuddly, but it turns out they are world-class boxers, who knew? Also, if you ever want to see something truly terrifying, google a wet koala. Water-soaked koalas are very scary.

5. They don’t have buffalo sauce in Australia.

My roommate is now obsessed with buffalo sauce. Turns out, it’s not a thing in Australia. So now we are going to have to send her back to Australia with a lifetime supply of buffalo sauce, or she might not survive.

6. They shorten everybody’s name.

Nobody is called by their full first name, unless they are in trouble. So I kind of freaked out my roommate because I called her by her full name when I first met her.

Needless to say, I love my Aussie roommate. It’s been a very fun and educational experience. I will miss her very much when she goes back to Australia, but I plan on making the most of our time together! I still have some Aussie slang and other interesting facts to learn.

I wasn't kidding, kangaroos are mean...