The Best 4 Months of My Life November 16, 2022

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I left City University of London having learned a great deal and through a different perspective than I would have in the US, which is crucial. My time at City also influenced the trajectory of the rest of my undergraduate studies. City has top-tier International Politics modules and lecturers, with many interesting topics, which played a role in why I chose City to begin with. The Forced Migration module that I completed at City is still my favorite class that I have ever taken and it prompted me to pursue the topic of forced migration even further and more in-depth. I wrote two Capstone research papers back at my home institution on topics relating to forced migration and utilized the knowledge I had gained from my City module. Additionally, my writing greatly improved thanks to my time at City, which was also a benefit to me going into my last year of undergrad and Capstones at my home institution. I thoroughly enjoyed the UK style of teaching and the focus on building students' knowledge base and understanding of the topics being studied. Having my grade rely heavily on two key assessments in an entire semester was daunting at first, but not having constant assignments allowed me to spend more time reading the recommended literature and truly absorb what I was learning and understand of the topics I was studying. The exams are difficult as you have to be able to reference the literature on the topic based on your readings throughout the semester. Thus, absorption of material is crucial to succeeding, which means that there is no "cramming" for an exam. The benefit of this style is that I retained what I learned in a way that I often did not with the US style of teaching.

On-site administration of your program

The Arcadia London staff is great. Getting from the airport to our housing was easy with their help and once on-site they provided us with all of the necessary information for our time there, including connecting us with the City University of London personnel and resources that are available for us. I also knew that they were always a resource for me to reach out to if I ever needed it. I loved that they planned different excursions and meet-ups for us. The Arcadia London staff truly provides a community for students studying abroad in England through Arcadia Abroad.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

As a program participant of Arcadia Abroad at City, I lived just a short walk from campus at the Thoresby House in Islington with the rest of the program participants. We had kitchens fully-stocked with all of the utensils we needed to cook in, laundry machines, bedding provided, and so much more. Thoresby House provided me a tight-knit community while I was overseas and also helped me form lifelong friendships. Another bonus about Thoresby House is that because of its location, there is lots to do, many places to shop and eat, and public transportation readily available nearby. It is also just a quick walk away from my favorite breakfast place, The Sheperdess Café (although according to the internet it got an upgrade since 2019 and is now Sheperdess BBQ and looks a bit different than my photo here). The Builder’s Breakfast was my go-to.

The food scene in London is incredible. From markets to afternoon tea to top-rated Indian restaurants and so much more, London has it all. My palate was never bored. As someone who can't eat gluten, it is also an amazing city for those who eat a gluten-free diet. I had endless options and staff at restaurants were extremely knowledgable and careful when it came to allergies. Also, the GF breads at the grocery stores there are the best I have ever had. They are the size of a loaf of regular bread, soft (they don't fall apart), on the shelf rather than in the freezer, and very affordable, which is all very hard to come by in the US. My absolute favorite food in the city was the arepas at Arepazo Bros in Camden Market (my favorite market in London).

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated as a resident of London, especially because we were not living directly on-campus. I went to the same grocery stores and pubs that the locals went to. I became extremely familiar with the bus and Tube system, as well as all of the different London boroughs. One of my modules, Historic London, involved trips to different parts of London to learn about the local history and culture, which also helped me feel integrated.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had to deal with any health-related issues during the program, but having International SOS insurance provided through Arcadia provided a sense of comfort knowing that if I were to need any medical attention, I would be able to get it and it would be covered. We were informed during our City University of London orientation that mumps is a common issue at universities in the UK so we were advised to get the mumps vaccine if we had not already gotten it. I already had the vaccine, but for those that did not, City would provide the vaccine. Also, during my time at City, I did not hear of anyone getting sick with mumps, but during that same time there was a mumps outbreak at my home institution.

I never felt unsafe in London. As long as you are aware of your surroundings, especially when it comes to pickpocketing, you won't have any issue. We were provided great safety advice during our orientation, as well.

From the Arcadia housing (location, format, living with the other Arcadia students, etc.), to the academics at City University of London, to the Arcadia London staff, to all of the experiences I had because of this program, I can say without a doubt that I would choose Arcadia Abroad - City University of London again. I only have positive things to say about the program. Having my study abroad experience in a travel hub such as London also allowed me to partake in many travel adventures, which was important to me.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The cost of food, transportation, and cell service are really the only necessary expenses for living while on this program. It is easy to live off of $100/week if you are grocery shopping and cooking a good portion of your meals at home. Additionally, there is no transportation cost to get to campus since it is a short walk away, and if you want to go to areas of the city that are not in walking distance, you can take the bus or Tube to almost anywhere you need to go. Public transportation in London is incredible and affordable. If you stick to public transportation and walking rather than taking Ubers/taxis, then you will be able to live off of $100/week. You do have to factor in that depending on the exchange rate it might be more. If you want to go out to eat, travel to places outside of London, get coffee, etc. then it will probably be $200+/week.

Select all that apply

• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Americans

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Modules offered at City for my major
• Location in the heart of London
• Housing (Thoresby House)

• Updated water heater in housing