Go Worcester!! July 06, 2022

By A student (Geography, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/17/2022 to 06/17/2022 with

IFSA: Oxford - England Study Abroad Program at Worcester College

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

3 main things I learned from abroad truthfully: - How to write a critical essay with little to no BS (this is something students get away with a lot in the states) - An cultural and social understanding of life overseas in the UK - How to balance work and social life -- while this can be learned with any college experience, Oxford particularly makes you think more keenly about this dynamic since you have so much free time.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	Honestly, one of the most challenging and fulfilling academic experiences of my university experience. You really get what you put into your tutorials, and the style we were taught departed from the liberal arts education by allowing us to hyper-focus on our disciplines and write weekly essays critically investigating a line of inquiry pertaining to our specific tutorial. Tutorials = courses, but you only have 1-2 contact hours a week, with the rest being independent work (this format taught me how to prioritize my academic and social life a lot better).
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	At Worcester, students in my cohort were housed in Canal, a building on the "end" of campus sandwiched between the college and Jericho, a nearby town. Although the building was a 5-10 minute walk from the front of college, I appreciated how the building wasn't just composed of study abroad students, but was a mix of us and 3rd-year students at Worcester. This allowed us to more easily integrate into student life and made us feel closer with the Worcester community. Our rooms were singles with ensuite bathrooms and a shared kitchen, considered Grade 6 housing (the highest on a scale of 1-6). This allowed us to have our own private space, but also a space to socialize with other housemates.
* Food:	Compared to other colleges, Worcester's food is well-priced and very good for in-college students. Breakfasts were charged by the item (40 p each), whilst lunch and dinners had a set price (3.99 and 4.80ish respectively).
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Yes yes yes! From hearing other visiting students' experiences at other colleges, I can confidently say Worcester's social/cultural atmosphere was one of the most welcoming. Most of my friends were made through kitchen mates who were Oxford students and through rowing.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes After experiencing burnout the semester before abroad, this experience made me value my education a lot more and exposed me to a whole new set of cultures/people I've come to appreciate deeply.

Finances

* 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)	To be honest, while there are many affordable opportunities at Oxford, I saved quite a lot of money to splurge and make the most of my study abroad experience.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$100 - $150

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Other
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	The student organization/events The people The architecture/culture
* What could be improved?	More events for students coming in mid-year
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I had done research on more places to go to work/see in Oxford. I think a lot of visiting students limit the potential of places they have access to here since they're often presented with the 'big things' to do/see, rather than being exposed to the nuances of the university, which I mainly learned through actual students.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Outright Urbanite A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.