Welcome back to another episode of Study Away Blog! (yes, it does sound like a TV series!) In this blog, I’m going to come back home to our Nottingham flat and tell you all about my life here after two months. It has been a very challenging, but rewarding journey so far and I hope this can give you some guidance as to what your future study abroad experience might look like.

Be prepared for academic challenges

I put this first because it has been especially difficult for me to navigate through the British higher education system and it might be the same case for you. There are extreme differences between an American liberal arts college experience and a traditional UK university experience that you should expect.

For example, the class size of Luther is usually around 10-20 people, with very few occasions of big lectures. However, you will usually find yourself in big university lecture halls in the UK. You will also find out that there are a lot fewer classes every week, compared to the class intensity at Luther. British education prioritizes a lot of independence in studying, which means that you will have to be very proactive when it comes to self-studying and completing assignments.

This means that you will have a lot more freedom to study (you can choose not to go to lectures and study from recordings!), but it also comes with your own responsibilities to be self-disciplined and be caught up with your studying. It is very easy to fall behind, so try not to lose track of the class materials.

Additionally, it is also very important to note that education is much more demanding here. Can you believe that 70%, which is considered a C in your Luther course, will be interpreted as an A (First grade) in a British course? That said, I also believe that there are so many good materials and experiences you can get from the University of Nottingham, so don’t take that for granted and learn to enjoy your process of learning. I believe that this applies to all study abroad programs, especially ones that require you to study in another institution. There will be a lot of differences when it comes to the education system, and while you might find it difficult to navigate at first, you will find the beauty in it and learn to appreciate it later on.

Take advantage of the communities around you

It is very easy for you to be trapped inside your Luther flat and to hang out with only Luther people. For me, I am an extreme introvert and it freaks me out every time I have to go out to make new friends. However, it is important to put yourself out there and reach out to other communities, especially when you are in a big city like Nottingham. The essence of studying abroad is to immerse yourself in another culture and create new relationships with others, so why limit yourself and avoid creating new memories?

Luckily, I did have a good experience to reach out to other communities here at Nottingham. I started by going to the club fair to get to know different societies and clubs at the university. The University of Nottingham currently has over 200 societies, over 70 sports clubs, student Networks, and student-run services, which means that there is always something for everyone. Their societies are extremely diverse, going from cultural to academic, and even leisure activities (there is a Taylor Swift society!) I happened to be a part of the Debating Union (which enabled me to represent Nottingham in two debate competitions), Model United Nations, Oriental Society, and a student consulting club. The other Luther Notts also found themselves in different societies, including the Book Society, University Magazine, and many different sports clubs! This is the easiest way to connect with other students and create new friendships. I was blessed to meet so many new friends and have a great time with them learning about their university experience, and sharing mine as well! This really helps me to get closer to the university community and expose myself to different cultures and backgrounds around the world.

You’re on Your Own, Kid

Being in a close-knit community at Luther made me forget about the great privileges I had. For example, I can wake up 10 minutes before a class and still make it on time, or when I’m hungry, there is the Caf with my available meal swipes. Things are not that easy here, unfortunately. To commute to the university campus, I usually leave the house 1 hour before class time to catch a bus, or I have to cook for myself every day. Even though I do enjoy this, sometimes I just wish to be back in Decorah without worrying about my budget for my meals next week.

At Nottingham, there are a lot of things that require you to be much more independent. I have been living far from home for almost 5 years now, it still doesn’t get any easier. There are new things you need to learn (and unlearn), and it might not be easy at first. Cooking for myself means that I have to budget for every meal, and learn to prepare for other days as well. Traveling to the campus requires me to take responsibility for my schedule, and sometimes it can be very difficult. I had quite a few culture shocks here, and it was tough not only for me but for a lot of people in the flat. However, this will teach you so much about independence, and you will eventually come to appreciate it. For me personally, it is such an amazing thing to buy my own Asian food (which can be found in a lot of places in Nottingham) and cook some of my ultimate Vietnamese comfort meals. It would be much harder to do so at Luther, so I’m happy that I can carry some pieces of home with me on my journey.

Despite how prepared you are on a study abroad trip, there will always be things you wouldn’t expect, and that is totally fine. You will probably find yourself in the situation of not being a tourist, but not necessarily a resident, maybe a combination of both, which is very confusing. It always takes time for you to be a part of a city, and for the city to become part of you, so take it easy and slow. You can create your experience in your own way, and it will eventually be your unique experience that no one can replicate. It might be confusing, or lonely at first, but as long as you learn to be grateful and appreciative of your journey, it will turn out to be sweet for you.

Just like Taylor says, you’re on your own, kid. It always happens.

Travel and appreciate the country

One of my favorite things about the Nottingham program is that we would have a monthly trip to different places in the UK. Last month, we traveled to Northern Wales, and this month, we are traveling to London. I always loved the traveling aspect of studying abroad, as it enables me to discover so much of the cultures and sceneries of the host country. In the US, I also had the opportunity to go to different places in my first year, which widened my horizons a lot about different communities in different parts of the country. Therefore, I know that I have a lot of places to explore in the UK.

My favorite thing about the UK is that it is very easy to travel around. Public transport is very accessible and affordable, so I had a great time discovering different places without having to put in so much effort. Even though I have only come to a small portion of the country, I have fallen in love with the arts, the architecture, and the multicultural communities here. In the future, I will definitely visit more cities, not only in the UK but hopefully also around Europe!

You might have different purposes for studying abroad, but for me, there is one thing we all share in common: craving for experience. We are ready to put ourselves out of our comfort zone and get ready to experience the world around us, which is very daring and exciting. Think of the exciting journey you are going to take, and enjoy the small moments you will have, because you might never have them again. The world outside is so beautiful, so let’s pack your bags and see what it has to offer!