Ireland, The Ideal Abroad Experience Past Review
By Audrey S (Theatre / Ancient History, Sarah Lawrence College) for
Arcadia: Dublin - Trinity College Dublin
I don't think I can explain it very well, but it made me more confident that I could succeed in whatever I wanted.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I found that my workload was just structured very differently to my home university. In general essays were longer, and required more research but there were less of them. In one class my final essay was my whole grade where in another it was only 10%, so it really depends on what the requirements are. The two exams I took were somewhat difficult as I haven't taken exams in college prior to that. I found that exams were more about being specific that I expected considering the amount of information we were supposed to know, but did fairly well in the end. The grading system was easy to get used to and I felt fairly transferred to the American grading system. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I really disliked the housing, as I had to live with a roommate and had no real place to store anything or study in my house, as well as the fact that my roommates were extremely messy and I had to deal with that. However, when I chose to move on campus Arcadia was really wonderful in helping me move. Overall I really liked the Arcadia office in Ireland, as they ran some very fun and interesting trips, as well as hosting dinners and making sure all was going well with me, even if I was no longer living in their housing. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
First semester I lived in a small apartment with a roommate provided by Arcadia, which as I said above, I disliked. This was with Americans. Second semester I lived on campus in my own room with four other people, and I really loved that situation. Those for girls were all local Trinity College students. |
| * Food: |
I made all my own food and really enjoyed it. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was heavily involved in the Drama Society (Players) and the Archaeological Society. I worked on at least 5 plays with Players, as well as helped run the Dublin Shakespeare Festival at the end of the year with them, which I really loved. I also directed a play with them. With ArchSoc, I went on a trip to Barcelona, which was so much fun. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I had no problems with either really. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Get involved in student societies!! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Principles of Devising |
| Course Department: | Drama |
| Instructor: | Brian Singleton |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | I really enjoyed a course on devising as until this year there has not been one at my home university. I loved being able to come into the class not knowing anyone and leave it having created a theatre piece with four other students in the class. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
