When Frida Leonore Næss (17) recently returned home from an exchange year in the USA, she had her luggage full of new experiences, but also 60,000 new followers on TikTok.
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The 17-year-old has always had a dream of experiencing high school in the United States.
Last summer, therefore, Næss went on an exchange to California in Los Angeles, and in January she decided to share her experience on TikTok.
– I actually thought mostly about making videos for my own part, and so that my friends could see what I was doing.
But after she shared a video from an outing in Beverly Hills, it was no longer just her friends who found it exciting to follow the 17-year-old.
The video resulted in a lot of attention to her profile.
– This was my opening to continue and reach out to more people, and since then it has grown quite well.
Today, she has over 60,000 followers on the platform.
Insights into American culture
At TikTok, Næss shared content about what it was like to be an exchange student in the USA, and talked about everything from costs to American culture.
– I made a video about the school system in the US that went really well, and many people thought it was very interesting.
The school system was also something that shocked her, as there was a great distance between student and teacher, no regular classes and several thousand students to deal with.
–But there was also something that surprised positively:
– There was a lot of body positivism in the US, something you might not believe. Everyone was very open and went with what they wanted.
She thinks the reason why her videos have created interest is because they are about a culture you hear a lot different about.
– Especially stereotypical things, she adds.
Interest in exchange
It is also clear that Næss’s videos have created interest in exchange among the followers.
In the comment fields, this is the topic most people ask questions about.
In the video below, Næss answers his followers about exchange costs:
– I want to answer questions so that those who will do the same as me know a little about what they are getting into.
This was something she herself missed when she had to get ready for a whole year in the United States.
– I therefore felt a responsibility to show how it is.
Decline during the pandemic
The pandemic put a damper on exchanges abroad for high school students, but the trend is now slowly rising again.
Figures from Lånekassen shows that there were between 1500 and 2000 students who went on exchanges every year before the pandemic, but in the school year 2020–2021, only a little over 200 chose to go.
In the school year 2021–2022, on the other hand, there were 800 exchange students abroad.
The United States and the United Kingdom are the destinations most people choose.
ANSA president, Sine Schei (22), has the impression that Norwegians of all ages are looking forward to going abroad again, and that this trend probably also applies to those students who have now chosen to go on an exchange next year.
ANSA is the organization for Norwegian students abroad.
– Perhaps the last few years, with the pandemic and war in Europe, have in themselves given the impression of how important the experiences you get as a student abroad are in society.
Schei is also not surprised that content on social media inspires others to and even should go on an exchange.
–– On social media, you have good opportunities to meet the right audience for what you are talking about. It is also a platform where the vast majority of young people are, so there are potentially many who can get it.
According to the ANSA president, there will therefore be a great potential for more students to want to leave.
Ga mersmak
Næss will now complete the last year of upper secondary school in Norway, but has already decided that when she will study – this will be in the USA.
–The exchange year clearly gave more flavor, and she especially has advice for those who are now going to do the same.
– You are very self-conscious when you enter the exchange year to start at a brand new school, but still try to get in touch with others. Because sooner or later you have to go outside your comfort zone, so it’s just about when you do it.
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