It's hard to believe that it's over already! Past Review

By (Psychology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/25/2015 to 06/20/2015 with

University of Nottingham: Nottingham - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I think that being abroad reminded me that I live in a very intense bubble that thrives from students overcommitting and thinly stretching themselves to accommodate others. Abroad life helped me to take a step back to see all the different works at play and evaluate what things that I do within my everyday life at my home university is most meaningful to me, and I don't think this form of reflection would have come from any place else than going abroad.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There were many times, which I wanted to be challenged throughout the school semester; however, because courses were as large as they are, many times either students did not attend class, did not do the readings, and did not engage in the material in any meaningful way until assignments were due.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My room was amazing, and I was very appreciative of the room that received.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Spring Semester is a tricky time to incorporate students into an already flowing school year, which I understand. However, it would have been nice to see more intentional design by the administration to incorporate and embrace Spring exchange students.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Healthcare is definitely accessible in a place that cherishes universal healthcare, and the contrast between their system and our own is so immense yet beautiful.

* Safety:

I never felt truly concerned about my safety while there

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)

I had a number of summer jobs that prepared me for England's expenses, but one should prepare themselves for this experience, especially if you plan on traveling around Europe

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 30 dollars
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan trips ahead of time; do not wait until spring break. Travel with buddies from your exchange school or elsewhere; traveling with someone can ease nerves; Buy a cheap phone in the US, and get a sim card for a phone while there.

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? Exchange

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?
  • Meaningful Friendships formed
  • Positive Experiences Traveling
  • Unique place to explore sense of self
* What could be improved?
  • Fostering Community amongst students
  • Engaging students into their learning process
  • Seeking novel ways to improve educational outcomes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing. I think that everything that I needed to learn happened at the exact moment that it should have happened.

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:

Cultures of Everyday Life

Course Department: Culture, Film, and Media
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: This course required students to explore the every lives of themselves and people across the world. Although we sometimes focused a little to heavily on Western examples, it was beneficial to explore this sort of subject-matter especially since it is simple and complex all at the same time. I probably participated more than I would at my home university. I was required to complete an essay and an exam for this course.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Clinical Psychology

Course Department: Psychology
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: By far, this was one of my favorite classes. It was unfortunate that I did not understand the expectations of students until the exam neared, but this did not stop it from being one of the most interesting courses that I have taken as a Psychology major.
Credit Transfer Issues: None to my knowledge thus far.
Course Name/Rating:

Addiction and the Brain

Course Department: Psychology
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: This course was interesting in that it explores many of the drugs that people find themselves developing patterns of addiction, and I think that this classed addressed my global understanding about the effects of drugs on the various chemical and electrical pathways within the brain and on people's behavior.
Credit Transfer Issues: At this present moment no.
Course Name/Rating:

Developmental Psychology

Course Department: Psychology
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: The teacher was very knowledgable in his field; however, it was difficult to concentrate in lectures because the presentation of the course's content. Overall, I learned a decent amount of information from this course, and we were required to complete one exam and one paper for it.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Intro. to Psychoanalysis

Course Department: Culture, Film, and Media
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: Course was interesting because it explored the works of Freud in addition to many other psychoanalysts and their critics. I participated less than I would at my home university because there were less opportunities to participate. Additionally, the course's grade was determined by one paper.
Credit Transfer Issues: