Once In A Lifetime Experience! Past Review

By Michael Mitchell (University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign) - abroad from 07/07/2018 to 07/27/2018 with

University of Westminster: London - Summer School

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

I broadening my international experience and sharpened intercultural communication skills. Even more importantly, I took a big step in my personal life. I grew by having a greater desire to challenge myself and self-reflect more. I can confidently say that my life would look a lot different had I not studied in London.

Review Photos

University of Westminster: London - Summer School Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	In my Marketing course, the class size was 20-25 with over 10 different countries represented from students in the class. This cultural diversity was awesome to be apart of! Our professor wanted us to communicate and work together as much as possible because her philosophy was that anyone can sit through a lecture, but there's an even greater opportunity to learn from the people around us. I really appreciated being challenged everyday in group discussions and individual project assignments. Our professor challenged us to self-reflect and identify our true passion and potential and bring that into the classroom each day. I learned so much about Marketing which is one of my fields of study, but I also learned a lot about myself, my peers, and the world.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	I found my program administration to be 10/10! They always made sure to over-communicate to ensure that all of our questions were answered so we as comfortable as possible. Everything went smoothly from start to finish which is impressive because of all of the logistics.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I lived in Alexander Fleming Hall in Hoxton Market and I was perfect. I enjoyed having my own room and living in a flat with other exchange students so I could meet people more quickly! It didn't bother me at all, but be prepared for no air conditioning!
* Food:	I really enjoyed the food in London! Although some meals were a bit more expensive, I view food as a time to connect with people from all around the world so for me, it was very much worth it. Cheaper places can definitely be found so don't even worry!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I always felt safe while traveling through London and while staying in the Hoxton Market area. We took the Tube everywhere because it was safe and efficient.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

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)	London was a bit more expensive but I would say I was able to stay on my own personal budget. I spent about $150 per week on food because I chose to eat out rather than buy some groceries and utilize the kitchen in my flat.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$350 per week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Buying groceries and cooking in the flat would save you money in the long run, but I enjoyed trying new food so it's all about your own personal cost-benefit analysis. Going out (buying drinks) is expensive so you can save money there if you choose to partake in that.

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

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans International Students
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?	Exploring London Meeting friends from around the world Growing academically
* What could be improved?	Might not be relevant, but I could not find the campus library for the longest time N/A N/A
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I knew how amazing the time would be so that I wasn't so nervous prior to leaving my friends and family at home.

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:	The Power of Brands
Course Department:	Business
Instructor:	Deborah Rose
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Professor Rose combined her expertise and personal passions to inspire us to become the best version of ourselves. We dove deep into the psychological drivers behind marketing and consumer behavior and paired that with gaining a better understanding of why we make our own individual consumer choices. We were also able to take a field trip to the Brands Museum which was awesome because we got to see the evolution of many brands, some of which we use in our own homes. Professor Rose encouraged us to participate as much as possible so I can confidently say that I participated more in this class than I have in 80% of my classes at my home institution. In terms of assessment, we had a final group presentation which we presented on the last day and we had an individual video to make which only Professor Rose saw. Professor Rose was a vegetarian, so she took us to one of her favorite spots in South London. I appreciated this informal time to connect with my classmates outside of the classroom and it was very thoughtful of Professor Rose.
Credit Transfer Issues: