As a sophomore who’s been studying at FSU London since January, I feel I have a good grasp on just how different things are from Tallahassee. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re currently in Tallahassee. However, many of the people I’ve met at FSU London are first-year abroad students, so they haven’t yet experienced what it’s like to be on the main campus either. Here are five differences between FSU London and FSU Tallahassee.
FSU LONDON’s CAMPUS
Starting strong with the FSU London campus: It’s just one building (as opposed to Tallahassee’s expansive campus with tons of buildings). The classrooms are located in the basement and on the ground level. Above the classrooms, you’ll find the apartments (or what the British call flats). I live on the third floor. It’s great because I can leave for class three minutes before it starts. There’s also a laundry room (it’s free but it may destroy your clothes!), a study room, a computer lab, and a library.
APARTMENTS
As for rooming, the accommodation at FSU London is apartment style. Most flats range from 5 to 8 people, usually comprising both males and females. I live in a two-bedroom apartment with three girls in my room and two girls in the other. There are two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen with two fridges. While it’s kind of unfortunate to be sharing a bedroom, the flats here are bigger than Tallahassee’s apartment-style options, and definitely bigger than their standard suite-style dorms.
FOOD OPTIONS
In Tallahassee, there are so many options for food and meal plans, with two dining halls and a dozen restaurants. At FSU London, there is no dining hall. Instead, FSU gives us £5 vouchers to a local restaurant and a café nearby. We also get breakfast bags every Monday that can have items like cereal, oatmeal, juice, eggs, croissants, fruit, and (if we’re lucky) Nutella.
CLASSes
Classes vary drastically. Most classes in Tallahassee last about 50 to 90 minutes and have attendance policies that the professors determine. However, in London, they are three hours long and attendance is strictly enforced.
Class size also varies. At the Tallahassee campus, most of the gen-ed classes are huge, and as you get further into your major, they begin to inhabit fewer and fewer people. That’s not the case in London. Take my chemistry class for example. In Tallahassee, there would be upwards of 200 students in the class and the professor wouldn’t know your name. Here, my class has 10 students. Most professors work to establish a relationship with each student, and they encourage students to reach out to them and send drafts for feedback.
While this may sound bad, there’s no class on Fridays, which allows for more travel time. In Tallahassee, there’s what seems like an endless variety of classes to choose from. Here, there were around 20 classes. If you want to study abroad, consider the classes being offered; most of the courses offered only satisfy general education hours.
FIELD TRIPS
The biggest difference would have to be the trips FSU London takes us on. This semester we’ve had weekend trips to Belgium, Bath, and Edinburgh. We’ve also had day trips to Blenheim Palace, Brighton, Cambridge, and even the Harry Potter Studio Tour. There are group dinners once a month at cultural restaurants serving Greek, Indian, or African food, which is a great way to try new things. These dinners plus train tickets, hostels, and admission tickets are included in the cost of the program.
Overall, both FSU in Tallahassee and London are uniquely their own experience. If you’re considering studying abroad in London, you won’t regret it. I know leaving here will be a bittersweet experience.
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