Dear Admissions Blog readers,
We meet again!
Last semester, I embarked on an incredible journey studying abroad in the United Kingdom. For three months, I made London my second home and University College London (UCL) my university. Studying abroad in London had been a dream of mine since high school, and I can confidently say that High School Pauline would be thrilled for College Pauline. After all, how cool is it to say that you lived in London for a semester?
When I was younger, I was set on London for the most dramatic reasons: I was a huge Harry Potter fan, and The Beatles are my favorite artists of all time. I wanted to immerse myself in the British culture I grew up admiring. (Not the most convincing reasons, I know.) But, once I set foot in college, my reasons for studying abroad changed. I learned more about the UK’s distinct education system and its globally renowned universities. I wanted to challenge myself in a new academic environment, and that’s what ultimately pushed me to apply for direct enrollment at UCL.
Before diving into my study abroad experience, a quick clarification: I participated in IES Abroad’s Direct Enrollment with UCL. That meant that I was a student in UCL’s Department of Politics and International Relations, similar to a degree-seeking student at UCL would be. This is different from an exchange program since URochester is not a partner institution with UCL, and this is also different from provider-based programs (e.g., IES Abroad, CIEE, DIS) where students take courses with study abroad participants from American universities.
This made a huge difference in my study abroad experience.
Direct enrollment meant I was immersed in one of the world’s top universities! I learned from world-class professors and was surrounded by amazing students from every corner of the world. Similar to the University of Rochester, UCL is an international community. I met people from all over the world. My closest friends from my study abroad are from the United Arab Emirates and Spain, friends I never would have formed had I stayed home.
I could go on and on about my study abroad experience, but here are some highlights from my semester abroad.
- The amazing city of London
Where do I even begin? Because UCL is located in central London, the city itself became my campus! Within a 15-minute walk, I could reach the British Museum and the British Library from UCL. Additionally, UCL houses several museums, including the Grant Museum of Zoology and the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology. Between classes, I would wander through exhibitions instead of scrolling on my phone.
I lived in university housing rightnext to a Tube line (Shoutout to the Piccadilly line). Getting around London was seamless. Nearly every week, I saw a new show in the West End. As someone who loves the theatre scene in New York, I can tell you that London’s productions have a distinct energy. I saw the Phantom of the Opera in both New York and London, and I preferred the London version! I also saw The Devil Wears Prada twice. No regrets at all.
Before my study abroad semester began, I made a list of places I wanted to visit. I toured the State Rooms in Buckingham Palace (I wasn’t able take pictures there, unfortunately), watched the sunset from Sky Garden, and tried delicious good in Chinatown. London reminded me so much of New York City in its vibrancy and accessibility. There was always something new happening, and I was never bored!
- New academic environment
UCL pushed me in ways I hadn’t expected.
The UK system is far more self-directed than I was used to. Lectures and seminars required extensive independent reading, and missing even one week’s worth of readings could put you significantly behind. The lectures and seminars don’t focus on teaching the material; they are supplementary to the readings.
The grading system was a big culture shock to me, too. In one of my classes, a 2,000-word essay determined my final grade. No, neither attendance nor participation counted toward my final grade. Just one essay! This meant that I had to keep up with the readings from the very beginning. Assessment criteria depend on the class, of course, but within the Politics and International Relations department, papers mostly determined the final grade.
At the University of Rochester, majority of my Political Science courses focus on domestic politics. At UCL, the class discussions regularly crossed borders, from European Union governance to comparative party systems. I even learned about Latvian government (something I would never expect to say). Being immersed in an international classroom where perspectives were shaped by lived experience deepened my understanding of international politics in a way that textbooks never could.
- Traveling across Europe
Traveling is almost synonymous with study abroad. And I embraced this! Over three months, I traveled to 15 countries. I was away nearly every weekend, and my friends would take bets on which country I would visit next. (It was quite hilarious.) Coming into study abroad, I knew I wanted to travel as much as I could in Europe. That’s why I decided to travel almost every weekend for three months.
Was it worth it? Of course, I wouldn’t trade the memories and souvenirs I collected from my travels for anything! I also couldn’t stop myself from booking those cheap Ryanair and Wizzair flights. I also visited several friends studying abroad in Europe, which helped ease the homesickness (or “Rochestersickness”) I felt.
However, constant traveling exhausted me. There were moments when I found myself longing to be “home” in London, dreading another early-morning train to Heathrow Airport or Stansted Airport. I learned quickly that study abroad isn’t just about checking countries off a list; it’s about building a life in one place. Finding that balance between exploring Europe and living fully in London was one of my biggest lessons. It was quite hard.
For those wondering: my top three destinations were Germany, Austria, and Greece. I’d be happy to chat about why.
- Lifelong friends
Above all else, the friendship I developed defined my study abroad semester.
During my first two weeks in London, I attended nearly every hall event possible. If I wanted to form strong connections, I knew I had to show up. There were a lot of exchange students from all over the world, and I was glad to know that I wasn’t the only one from abroad.
I met my closest friends through the hall programs. After every hall program, my friends and I would make our way to Sainsbury’s and hang out in our kitchens to talk about our lives back home. During our fall break, we even traveled to Athens, Venice, and Milan together!
Leaving them was the hardest part of coming home to the United States. As I wrote this blog in Rochester, I found myself missing the Sainsbury’s trips, late night talks, and random side quests with my friends. Although we now live oceans apart from each other, the bond we formed in London remains strong through our WhatsApp group chat.
Studying abroad was more than a semester in London. It was about the independence I gained when solo traveling, the confidence I built interacting with locals in every European city I visited, and the personal growth that came from stepping outside my comfort zone.
High School Pauline would be very proud of how far I came.
Cheers,
Pauline