Registering for classes is already upon us for the fall and Stu Info has flooded our emails with exciting trips to Italy, England, France and more! Whether you decide to take a Jan term class abroad or apply for a semester/year in an exciting, new country, here are a few tips that I learned when I was in England last fall.
Tips to think about BEFORE your trip:
- Leave some GE’s for your abroad trip
GE’s and electives are most likely the credit that ULV will credit you for any classes you take abroad. Fortunately, my advisor signed off for one of my classes counting as a major elective course, but everything else counted as elective. I already had all of my GE’s and elective credits taken care of before leaving for England and realized I probably should have left some of them for this semester. So if you decide to spread your wings for a semester, definitely make sure you plan ahead so you not only get the most out of the experience but you also get credit where its due!
- Save, save, save! (So you can explore)
I chose to study abroad in the fall so that I could save during the summer and I totally recommend it! Of course I asked for some family help, but I also applied for scholarships, babysat, and held off on expensive day trips.
You don’t realize how many times you will eat out, hit some pubs, and just want to take day trips and explore the new country you’re living in.
This extra cash I set aside allowed me to travel to Wales, Ireland, France, and Italy! These trips were so incredibly amazing and now I can’t wait to see more of the world in the future!
(This was when it hit me: IM IN ENGLAND and Big Ben is real!)
(The Louvre)
(You can’t go to Dublin and NOT take a picture of The Temple Bar)
(The Roman Baths in Bath)
Shopping!
Finally, the last tip I have for you is shopping. I went to England when the normal temps ranged in the 30s. Being a Southern Californian, I had absolutely NO clothes for such weather! Throughout the summer, I slowly acquired some pieces for the trip (and of course some super cute rain boots). But let me tell you, winter pieces from the H&M and Express here, are more equipped for OUR 60 degree winters in SoCal. I totally got by with my warm coats and sweaters from here, but you could definitely wait until you’re in your country to get what you need.