Grace B. - London, England - Spring 2013

Hey everyone!
My name is Grace, and I’m studying at Queen Mary, University of London, through the direct enrollment program. I got here January 3^rd and I leave June 8^th. I’m living on campus, in a flat with 7 other students. I love it so far, and I can’t imagine having done it any other way. I really feel like direct enrollment is a great choice if you want to get the full experience studying in the UK.
First of all, I’ll tell you about my first impressions and expectations. When I first arrived, I was nervous, as you all will definitely be. I dreaded the first couple weeks, which I knew would be hectic – settling in and making sure I did everything I needed to do. I also dreaded not knowing anyone, and I was nervous about making friends on my own. I really thought that as an American, I would have to prove to people that I wasn’t an idiot and I was informed about the rest of the world. It turns out I was right to be worried about some stuff, but making friends wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Living in a flat, it’s impossible not to become close with your flatmates. Maybe I got exceptionally lucky with the flat I was placed in, but we bonded quickly and easily – of course, the lowered drinking age and a few flat parties in the first week helped a bit!
As far as I’m aware, nobody thought I was a dumb American. I will say that if you are very conservative, or you think America is the greatest country in the world, you probably shouldn’t go out of your way to voice your opinions to your English peers. Most people I’ve met joke about American politics a lot and despise Mitt Romney. They’ll also be the first to admit that England’s government isn’t so great either. It’s nothing personal, so don’t make it personal. Be willing to take a joke or you’ll never survive. Also, they know a lot about American culture - how could they avoid it if they tried? - so acquaint yourself with theirs, if you haven’t already.
Two of my flatmates are international students, also here just for the semester - one from the US, one from Australia. We became somewhat of a team when it comes to travelling and seeing London. Because none of us really knew anyone, we planned day trips together. It worked out well, because we got to know each other while we learned our way around London and the transportation system. In addition, the rest of the flat had already been at Queen Mary for a semester (only first-year students can live on campus) so they were still somewhat new to things, but familiar enough to be able to help us out and answer questions about the academics.

Speaking of which, I do wish I’d prepared more for the academic system in the UK, so I’ll give you some advice if you’re looking into any study abroad program where you’ll be taking classes with other UK students. In the UK, students go to university for three years, during which they only study whatever it is they’re studying. So, English students will only take modules (courses) in that field, and the modules are more specific and focused. For example, some of the lit courses center on the analysis of a single play or book.

There are no gen-ed requirements, so if you’re like me, and you’re choosing courses that will knock out the rest of your AoK requirements, be prepared. Even the first-year level courses with no prerequisites are still made for students majoring in that subject. This means that most of the students in class with you are going to be more knowledgeable about the course material, and it might make you feel like an idiot. On the whole, the students here participate more and are better at articulating their opinions. And one more thing: the teachers aren’t going to spell things out and make sure everyone understands everything – you need to ask questions if you’re confused!

That brings me to the hardest bit of adjustment for me, by far - the schoolwork. All of my classes are graded on either: one exam, one or two big assignments/papers, or a combination of the two. It’s been hard adjusting to WEEKS of having absolutely nothing – no busy work, tests, nothing -and then a paper worth 50% of your total grade is due. I would recommend keeping up with the preparations you’re expected to be doing as you enjoy the free time you’re given, or you might find yourself scrambling to finish a three-thousand word report at the last minute. Don’t expect your teachers to remind you about these things every week. There’s much more independent study & reading involved in these classes, and you may not be graded on it but it might help a lot in the long run when you have to do research later.

The coolest thing about my experience with direct enrollment at Queen Mary has been the freedom. Although, yes, I probably would have benefitted from being in a program and having a more familiar style of education, I’ve loved the feeling of being independent. I’m sure it’s awesome to have pre-planned travel trips offered by your program, but there’s something so much more gratifying about planning a week-long jaunt in Europe with two new friends on your own and having it all somehow work out. We decided out of the blue to go to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam during reading week (a week-long break in mid-February) and it’s probably been the coolest experience I’ve had since I’ve been here. We met up with another EC abroad student in Paris, my friend Ashley, and she showed us around Paris and helped with translation.

If you can make it work, take an opportunity to travel around Europe. It’s wonderful and it’s good practice if you plan it on your own!

Even if you can’t afford to travel to Europe, there’s so much to see in London alone. From the vintage clothes shops in Brick Lane, to the endless Camden market stalls selling everything you could possibly imagine, to the touristy attractions like the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and Abbey Road (to me, these are just to tick off the list)… make sure you go out and explore. The Tube is very easy to navigate and not too expensive as long as you invest in an Oyster card. Do some research, ask some locals, explore and soon you’ll find your new favorite neighborhood, restaurant, bookshop, pub, etc. The best part about travelling for a semester or a year is you have so much time – you can see so much more than the major attractions. You can get a feel for what it’s like to live there.