University of Exeter

Overall, my time in Exeter was phenomenal! The USF Semester in England program allowed our cohort the right window to truly feel a sense of home away from home in southwest England while remaining directed and specific in goals. With this, I was able to spend time getting to know both local and international students, participate in societies and events, and travel to nearby towns to get a feel for the broader English landscape. It was both fascinating and enjoyable to immerse myself in the culture whether through pub crawls and thrifting, fish and chips and cream teas, or hikes and train rides. In short, each new experience impels one to consider, what is uniquely British and not American here, but also what remains similar? Academically, studying abroad posed a unique but welcome challenge in the more self-directed, term-paper approach in Exeter instead of a structured weekly assignment schedule. Ultimately, the biggest lesson for me was actually being able to better appreciate the value of diversity in thought and the importance of travel to achieve this, and I continue to hope to encourage others to take this kind of chance since such opportunities are not so common in life.

I met so many people from diverse places and backgrounds, however, the most common comment I got when people first met me while I was in England was "you have such a cute American" accent. I don't know why but it made me laugh and overall made all my interactions feel lighter and more comfortable. I had such an amazing time on campus, exploring Exeter, and seeing what England has to offer. Not as many Americans pick the UK for a study abroad location, it just is not as popular for some reason. However, I would like to argue that coming to Exeter is not about beans on toast but about the student, staff, environment, and much more. I had the time of my life in England, went on lots of amazing adventures, met amazing people through societies, classes, and international events, learned and grew as a person, also met my best friend, and didn't want to leave at the end of the semester. There was not a single second in my study abroad that did not feel like an adventure, from the time I stepped foot in Bristol, to having strangers helping through the London underground and tubes late at night on my way back to America!

Going abroad was, undoubtedly, what I needed to start becoming the best version of myself. The University of Exeter is a fantastic campus with a plethora of societies to join. Before studying abroad, I really kept to myself at school, but I was determined to make the most of it, and I opened myself up and joined so many organizations — from the Body Society for work out classes, to the Harry Potter society to do scavenger hunts. I found myself not only being more willing to interact with others, but having these interactions became so much easier for me to do. I, a proud introvert, suddenly felt so much less awkward starting conversations with strangers. I was in a new environment, and— while that is scary— Exeter is a wonderful place to sit and ponder those emotions. Coming from a non-walkable city, there is nothing I loved more than spending time with myself at the quayside, or being able to walk from my dorms in the middle of town to anywhere in the city. As a writer, it allowed me to truly observe the world around me, and how I wanted to put it to the page. I left Exeter with nothing but kind things to say. Every student and teacher and local that I met was absolutely lovely, and there are many that I still keep in touch with and cherish dearly. This is a journey that I cannot recommend enough.