New experiences. September 15, 2021

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 10/14/2020 to 06/14/2021 with

Lincoln College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program

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

I don't think I can answer this question the way it is intended to be answered, as I can't really tell how much of my development can be attributed to Oxford itself or sheerly growing and maturing as a consequence of passing time, but it was definitely worthwhile.

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.	PPE at Lincoln college wasn't too difficult. If you do the work, you're basically guaranteed a First.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	There were a couple of administrational problems in the beginning of my first term, but the administration was extremely helpful and apologetic for all of the issues that occurred, so, overall, almost no problem.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Housing was great. No concerns or problems whatsoever.
* Food:	The food at Lincoln college was actually pretty bad in comparison to Middlebury (my main Uni). I almost never ate the hall food, and ended up getting a mini fridge for shopping and got a lot of takeout. This might be a bigger concern for some, but it worked out well for me.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I think this is more of a personal thing. You're as integrated as you want to be. My first term, for instance, wasn't too great regarding social and cultural integration, but over the course of my other two terms I made some great friendships, and I'll remember them forever.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	From what I could tell, health care and mental health care support at Lincoln college was fantastic. Now, I can't really speak from personal experience, as I didn't have any health issues (physical or otherwise), but the support systems the college has in place seem pretty great.
* Safety:	Oxford's safe.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes There's something about moving to a new country that always kind of leads to a huge step in self-development. I lived in Vienna, Austria, for 18 years, so Middlebury, too, was a place of personal transcendence. In this case specifically, I made great friends, had a wonderful relationship, got to see a new city, and gained a lot of appreciation for Middlebury.

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)	1
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	I prefer not to say, but I spent a good amount of money per week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Not really.

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 International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?	10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Prestige (I'm not gonna lie) People Oxford Traditions
* What could be improved?	Student-Teacher Relationships Food I don't really know, honestly. Like the previous question, I'm not sure how much of life's overall experiences can be attributed to a specific program or event in life. I'm more in the school of thought that you can make the most or least out of situations and opportunities, but I attribute more to the individual than the program, so these are difficult questions to answer.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Join rowing on day 1.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	PPE
Course Department:	PPE
Instructor:	PPE department (multiple instructors from all over Oxford)
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	It wasn't necessarily challenging, but it was definitely extremely interesting. Oxford's tutorial system (1 on 1 with the professor) obviously means that I participated in class more often than at Middlebury. I got assessed with weekly papers, exams, and homework. The professors were all extremely knowledgeable. One thing to note is probably if you're looking for a more relaxed year abroad to "find yourself" or something, Oxford is not the place to go. The work is as, if not more, substantial than at Middlebury.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I don't know if I've transferred credit yet, so I can't really answer this question.