University of Arkansas Office of Study Abroad: University of Essex #HogsAbroad in England

It’s another beautiful fall day here in Colchester! The weather is quite finicky – cold in the morning, warm in the afternoon, and cold again at night – but nothing too intolerable just yet. I’ve spent a lot of time wandering around enjoying the fall foliage and windy weather. One of the most beautiful places at my school is a lake and park area right on the edge of campus (pictured below). While I have missed fall back home more recently (especially knowing it’s State Fair time), I consider myself lucky that I wound up here at this University. So, I want to take this week to talk about it some more.

I’ve briefly mentioned the difference in academics between here and home, but there’s a lot more to the University than just that. I think the independent study model is growing on me because I have more time and freedom to read for class and properly absorb all the information. But also, the relaxed schedule allows for more school involvement (and travel!).

The University of Essex has a wonderful Student’s Union that works really hard to provide resources for all students, including the international students. There are networks you can join such as the Women’s Network, Students with Disabilities Network, LGBT+ Network, etc. There are a TON of societies to join, ranging from all different cultural and departmental societies to political and religious ones. Some fun ones include Harry Potter, Origami, Make Up, and even Pole Dancing. Because I’m only here for a short while, I decided to limit my involvement and only joined the Yoga and Meditation Society and Volunteer Team.

The Student’s Union also has different places on campus, such as a bar, two nightclubs, a cinema, two convenience stores, and even a salon. There are services offered such as individual career mentoring, a safety bus, and a place you can go sleep if you are unable to make it home. There are also leadership and volunteer activities available to everyone. Also, there are always events going on around the campus! Last week I found myself at a 90’s throwback dance party, even though the majority of the people there weren’t even born in the 90’s!

The way the Student’s Union promotes themselves is unique to me because the executive leadership is made up of people who just graduated and were elected to work full time to further improve the University experience. Another thing that is way different to me is the sports. The University doesn’t make a huge emphasis on sports events, but a good number of students do play sports. Also, you can try out for the teams or just join the recreational club. I’m used to SEC sports style events and athlete recruitment, so I was shocked when I was asked to join the women’s basketball team. I laugh just thinking about it.

Another thing that is different is the accommodation. Of course, there are different levels of price and style, but one thing I found unique is no one has a roommate! I was speaking to some girls from London and apparently they think it is weird that people would share rooms with strangers. Fundamentally, I guess it is weird, but I just thought having a roommate and living in a dorm was part of the college experience! Here in my specific accommodation, each floor is called a flat and 14 people live in each flat…..with one kitchen and two bathrooms. I am thankful I get to shut my door each night and be alone, but after living in a dorm and apartment for the last six years, I’m not so happy to be back. Also, there are no dining halls (but plenty of mini-restaurants) and you have to buy a (pricey) gym membership if you want to use the University gym.

Overall, this University is really quite nice. Some things have been difficult, but everything has its pros and cons. I know this University has an emphasis on being Internationally focused and it does a good deal to ensure the experience for all international students is a good one. In reality, I didn’t do extensive research into the University and picked it solely based on the location and availability of psychology classes, so I am very lucky it has all worked out in my favor.

Lastly, with the freedom I have with my classes and the public transportation, I’ve spent my last two weekends travelling mostly around London. I took a tour to Stonehenge and Bath, and then another tour to Stratford-upon-Avon, the Cotswolds, and Oxford. After being on the move for so long, it is nice to finally have a home base to come back to after weekend travels. Below are some of my pictures from these tours. Enjoy!