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Saying Goodbye to Scotland

After submitting all of my final essays, I have officially finished my semester at the University of Stirling. Here is a list of all the things I will be homesick for from my new home away from home.


The Stunning Campus



Susquehanna is gorgeous, but by no means does the fountain outside of Degenstein compare to an actual loch, complete with a flock of swans. The loch takes up so much of the center of campus that there is a bridge going across. Walking along or across the water has become something I look forward to on a daily basis.


Free Time


In Scotland, learning is much more independent than in the United States. Students are still expected to spend roughly the same amount of time on their studies, but only about 2-3 hours a week are spent in class, per course. Because each course is 5 credits, this means that students only take 3 per semester. I had so much more free time than at my home university, where I usually have 3 courses on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with 1 or 2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Having two weekdays that I didn't have any classes gave me plenty of time to take days trips, or just catch up on sleep and readings. I basically had 2 weekends per week.


Flying Tiger Copenhagen


This store is almost identical to IKEA's Marketplace section. They sell really cool toys, stationary, seasonal decorations, international snacks, and kitchenware. Mostly everything is less than


Housing


Instead of double dorm rooms, 100% of students live in single rooms. However, students can choose whether they live in a flat with 7 single rooms and a shared common area, or in en-suite style housing (2 rooms joined by a shared bathroom). I cannot stress how much I loved living in a flat this semester. I really wish that this style of housing was more popular in the United States, because I wish I had this option for all 4 years. Living so close with 6 other people, with even more friends to be made just across the hall from the front door, created a community better than I could have expected. Plus, since we each have our own room, it was really easy to escape for some alone time to study or just relax.


Cooking


Last year at Susquehanna, I lived in a suite in Seibert. I had access to a kitchenette, which was essentially a stove top, microwave, and a mini fridge. My flat here has a full kitchen, with two ovens, a microwave, a freezer, two mini fridges, and an electric kettle. The University of Stirling does not have a meal plan option, and the only places to get food on campus are mostly coffee shops with a few sandwich and pastry options. There were definitely moments that I wished I did have the convenience of having so many made-to-order options around, but cooking my own meals made me feel much more independent than using meal swipes.


UK Netflix


I have a love-hate relationship with the selection of shows available here. I have been watching episodes of Shark Tank before going to bed almost every night, but I can not wait to go home and watch the US version of The Office.


Traveling


I would say the best thing about studying abroad in Europe is the ability to go to other countries for such reasonable prices and with ease of transportation. I found it easier and cheaper to fly to countries like Germany or Italy from Scotland than I would be able to get to another state in the US. Part of this definitely had to do with living fairly close to an urban area. Buses to Stirling depart several times an hour and from there, I can take another bus or train to just about anywhere. Susquehanna University is in a rural area and, since I don't have a car, I am pretty limited to the immediate area surrounding campus.


The Excitement


Living in a new country for 3 months means that there is rarely a dull moment. I will miss the ability to both blend in with other Scottish students, but draw attention when people realize that I am American. (I wish I had a dollar for every time someone made a comment about Donald Trump after hearing my accent.) Studying abroad is fun because everything is new, kind of like how the first semester at Susquehanna felt.


My International Friends


Again, sort of like the first semester of college in America, it was really easy to make friends because we were all new. I have met some really interesting people studying abroad from all over the US and Europe this semester. Because the University of Stirling offers graduate programs, a lot of the friends I have made are actually a few years older than me, and are studying for masters degrees. Our eclectic group has grown really close after exploring Scotland together and adjusting to the academic system none of us were previously familiar with.



 

Even though my semester is over, this is far from the last time I will be posting on this blog! I am currently writing this from Italy, with many posts to come about this trip and several others I took this semester but did not get the chance to write about. I will also be sharing future adventures, like going to visit the friends I have made this semester, so stay tuned!


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