Hey guys! I have been wanting to study abroad for a while now and have finally worked up the courage to apply to go to Japan for my spring semester of 2024 but am really struggling to pick which university I should apply to. My school offers exchanges to Keio, Sophia and Waseda. I was initially leaning towards Waseda based on what I have read on reddit so far but then found out that my school offers only year long exchanges or spring exchanges to Waseda so fall would not be an option for me. If going to Waseda is far better than Keio or Sophia then I can hold off and apply for Spring semester of 2025 but I do not know what is the best decision to make. Any suggestions?
For reference, I do not speak Japanese fluently and have started learning now to make sure I can hold my own during my study abroad. I would love to meet new people irrespective of their ethnicity but would also like to interact with more local Japanese folks. I do want to make the most of my study abroad and balance out my academics with partying, sports clubs and social events. I would also like to attend a university that has a badminton club as badminton is an important hobby of mine which I feel could also help me make friends.
