When You Tire of London, You Tire of Life. Past Review
By A student (Cinema And Media Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/19/2013 to 06/07/2013 with
University College London (UCL): London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned what it is like to live by yourself for 9 months and how to figure out a city you've never lived in before. I learned about photography and different photographic processes. I learned about the histories of different art forms and about the contemporary fine art world. I learned about myself and pushed myself in ways that I never imagined I would, like suddenly becoming involved in performance art. I learned how to manage my time and work independently on projects. I learned what a delight it is to have your own studio space and be surrounded by students and professors who are passionate about art. And, I learned how to survive in the rain. It was definitely worthwhile.
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. |
This was a very hard program, mostly because it has a very free structure and the student is responsible for working on projects and managing his or her own time. And since all the work was creative, there wasn't a lot of clear lines between where a project starts and where it ends. Therefore, I actually found it harder in some ways than Wellesley. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I had no trouble with administration and enjoyed and respected all of my tutors/program director. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
I cooked for myself - mostly basic meals. The food in London ranged from good to pretty bad and was fairly expensive in general. |
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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 used the healthcare once. It was great because it was free. |
| * Safety: |
London is actually a pretty safe city, depending on where you live. Central London, where Slade is located, is very safe. Things close early so there aren't a lot of people around at night. Mostly parts of South London and East London can be dangerous, but the night buses run and it's generally fine. I didn't have any serious safety issues and often walked home by myself late at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
London is a very expensive city, especially for basic living needs like food. And the exchange rate isn't great. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100+ |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Keep track of your budget and write down everything you spend and on what in a notebook, so you can figure out what percentage of your money you're spending on necessities and things like travel etc. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | I didn't know how long it can take to adjust to a new place and a new system, and how much I love figuring out how to create and follow a structure for myself. I also know now what I can handle and have more confidence in myself both as an artist and as an individual. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
