Q: Initially, what made you decide to study abroad? Why did you choose your program?
A: Studying abroad was a decision made at a bit of a whim. I submitted my application unsure of what the process would look like but I decided to do it ultimately because I love to travel. Earlier that year I had travelled to Mexico, Hawaii, and I had a trip planned to New York in the next month and I saw study abroad as a way to feasibly explore a new place. My program focused on London as city, and I felt that fit my needs as a student who simply had a desire to explore new places and be apart of a new culture. I felt my program worked amazingly with my desire to expand my global perspective.
Q: What was the highlight of your study abroad experience?
A: Study abroad offered so many fulfilling experiences but I feel the lifelong friendships I made were the highlight of my study abroad experience. Studying abroad allowed me to meet so many new people from such interesting backgrounds and some of these people helped me see myself in a different way as well as brought so much joy and enjoyment to my time abroad and those people still remain in my life after my experience. They continue to offer new experiences due to their wide background allowing me to expand my world even more.
Q: What was your greatest challenge abroad and how did you overcome it?
A: My greatest challenge abroad was my insecurity in my finances. I expected my study abroad to be expensive but I found myself very financially insecure and it heavily impacted my everyday life abroad. I overcame this insecurity by following a tight budget and although I had to give up on certain experiences I knew that my basic needs were more important. I am a very organized and structured person so by creating a routine it allowed me to develop healthy spending habits that allowed me to prioritize my basic needs and still leave spontaneity and the space to explore the world around me. Even with my tight budget I was still able to travel to 7 countries and explore multiple cities in Britain.
Q: How did your coursework abroad compare to your courses at UC Merced?
A: My coursework abroad was largely paper focused as compared to my courses at UC Merced. My coursework abroad was predominately essay styled papers, group presentations, and in-class assignments. Courses at UC Merced tend to feature more assignments and less essay styled papers. There is also a larger work load with my courses at UC Merced.
Q: What did you gain from your study abroad experience?
A: Studying abroad has given me a lot of personal and global perspective. Since studying abroad I've realized how present I have become because when I was studying abroad I felt every moment I was discovering something new whether in the world or within myself and that forced me to be present in every moment. I also felt that having to rely completely on myself abroad forced me to deal with my insecurities and helped me unlock a sense of personal confidence that has followed me back home. I am now much more independent, confident, and I am much more willing to show up in spaces authentically.
Q: What advice do you have for students considering study abroad?
A: Advice I would offer to students considering studying abroad is to be prepared to overcome your fears and not to be resistant to change, because there will be a lot of it.
Q: What do you wish you learned about studying abroad before you left for your program?
A: Before leaving for study abroad I wish I learned about how the school-life balance looked like before I left for my program. Having never lived away from home I assumed the balance for class and my life would be similar but I found there was a bit of a learning curve. Having to be completely reliant on myself I found it difficult to balance everything even though it wasn't much different from my university life while at home. It was different living on my own and having to manage every aspect of my life. Sometimes it was overwhelming and I wish I learned a bit more about how to understand and respect that balance of personal responsibility and school responsibility.
Q: Describe a typical day abroad.
A: A typical day for me abroad would look like waking up at 7 AM to get ready for the day and eat my breakfast. I had meal prepped over the weekend. Then I would head to class at 10 AM. Class would end at 1 PM, and I would spend the afternoon planning my week ahead, studying for class, hanging out with a friend, or exploring the city. That night, I would either make dinner or eat a meal-prepped dinner with my friends and then get ready for bed at around 10 PM. That was a typical day for me abroad, and it was often very tame until it wasn't.
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?
A: If I could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, I would go to Japan. Japan has so much to offer, from exciting cuisine to unique fashion and style, and to beautiful landmarks and cities, and it would be an amazing place to explore and travel to.
