Big Lectures, Lots of Coffee, Walkable City, More Learning than Stressing Past Review
By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/09/2017 to 12/21/2017 with
University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned some of British culture and a greater perspective on America's place in the world. I learned how to handle myself alone in a city, how to balance legal drinking and pub culture with academics. I improved athletically by playing a sport at the University and regularly attending the University gym. I became more comfortable with alone time. I got back into leisure reading. I learned a new academic format (big lectures with less participation) and I also learned new perspectives on my area of study (psychology) by taking some of the University's advanced psychology classes.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The visiting students office is very caring and responsive. I always felt supported by them. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with four native Scottish first-years. It was wonderful getting to know them. The only downside was that, because they were in their first year, we were at different places in our lives. They were just getting used to living on their own and drinking legally. So the kitchen was usually a mess and the flat was usually very loud. But I loved making close Scottish friends; living with them was more an opportunity than a hindrance. |
| * Food: |
I took care of my own food. The aformentioned dirty kitchen made cooking a bit of a hassle, so I ate out more as the semester went on. I experienced a great variety of food from different cuisines, and I loved getting to know the city through restaurants and coffee shops. However, it was kind of expensive. It's not the easiest city in general in which to buy groceries and eat well on the cheap. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never needed any healthcare, but I heard that it was readily available and free via the NHS, even for a visiting student. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Edinburgh was amazing. Really good for my personal and academic growth, and just the right amount of stress. Some weeks were intense crunchtime on papers, whereas others I had more time for the gym or to explore. |
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) |
This is partially my fault for drinking a lot of coffee and going out to pubs 1-2x/week. But I already mentioned that going out to eat became harder and harder to avoid as time went on, and it is somewhat expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I could never say avoid coffee shops, because they are truly my favorite thing about Edinburgh. But maybe make your schoolwork to coffee ratio a little bit more schoolwork-leaning than mine was. I'd spend four hours in Black Medicine (my favorite coffee shop), drink two flat whites and eat a muffin, read 100 pages of Game of Thrones, and write one page of a paper. I loved doing it, but it wasn't the best habit academically or financially. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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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? | Your budget will regret it if you give up on groceries/cooking too easily. Also, even though it isn't that stressful, you still have to work hard for good grades, so maybe try a bit harder in the weeks leading up to the week a paper is due. |
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 UrbaniteA 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: |
Empires |
| Course Department: | Social Anthropology |
| Instructor: | Lotte Hoek and Jamie Cross |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The class was fantastic because of the lens through which it viewed empire. It attacked the present and past at the same time, with an intensely critical and thoughtful view that always left room for honest debate and analysis. The course had two main lecturers, who were both great and had distinct styles. The assignments were valuable; I read excellent books and wrote papers that were difficult and which I ended up being quite proud of. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Not sure yet; it should be fine. |
