A vegan economist's heaven cut short Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/23/2019 to 06/10/2020 with
London School of Economics (LSE): London - General Course, Year-Long Study Abroad Programme
Since my experience was cut off by a pandemic, any lessons I might have learned were instead replaced by the simple rule that you shouldn't take any experience for granted. I delayed some museum trips and other experiences because I thought I still had three months left. Living on a budget and planning for the future is good, but only if you actually eventually make that future happen.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
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 |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved having the full year to explore London, the UK, and continental Europe and full year courses, which allowed me to really dive deeply into the course material. I loved the central location of LSE. I was easily able to walk around and balance both school commitments and travel. |
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) |
Even though I lived in central London while I was abroad, I found it easy to buy groceries, provide for myself, and travel for relatively little each month. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20 at the most |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Olio is a useful app for students studying in Europe. It's a food-sharing app aimed at minimizing food waste, but it's a good way to just get meals for next to nothing. Shopping at Tesco or other such large stores helps as well. They're cheap and still have an amazing selection of plant-based options or other product ranges for just about any dietary need. London also has a ton of student discounts if you just ask as you check out. Also, if you're willing to put in the effort, using a keep cup or other such reusable coffee mug helps save money on your daily coffee fix. |
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?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Just treat yourself. Go on the weekend trip, or go to the ridiculously pricy cafe. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
