The study abroad experience: A senior’s trip to Scotland
Rachel O’Connor, a senior history major, recently completed her first study abroad experience in Scotland. This is far from her first time out of the United States. The New Jersey native has Canadian citizenship (her mother’s home country) and is applying to become an EU citizen with her home country as Ireland (her grandmother’s birthplace). On top of family trips to those two nations, O’Connor has traveled to England, France, Italy (twice), Belgium, Portugal and Spain. She explains how the trip to Scotland differs from her other travels and talks about the friends she made that helped her through tough times.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a part of a sorority on campus. I enjoy working out, and I’m a big book nerd. Honestly, I’m not boring at all! Right now, I’m going through the Constitution and the essays written by Alexander Hamilton. It’s for class, but I actually enjoy it. I also like reading TV scripts. That’s pretty much me!
What inspired you to choose UNC Charlotte for your education?
My family was planning to move here, so it made sense to come to Charlotte since New Jersey’s in-state tuition was out of our budget. When they scrapped the move, I was already enrolled. I wasn’t too keen on being so far from home, but I’m happy to be here!
Her Study Abroad Experience
What made you decide to study abroad?
My mom studied abroad in France, and she encouraged me to do the same. I was hesitant at first and thought, “Leaving everyone I know for six months? That seems a bit crazy.” After going through a study abroad orientation, I started to see the benefits. I realized I really wanted to do it, even if it was scary. I spoke with my advisor, Kristen Fearson, who was really helpful. She told me to just breathe and to focus on the first step: choosing a destination.
I explored different programs and talked to classmates who were considering studying abroad. It started to seem more possible, and eventually, I signed up. The application process was pretty easy. After I committed, my friends said, “You’re going, so don’t second guess yourself. If I see you here next semester, I’ll be really disappointed!”
Can you describe the study abroad process? Were there any aspects of the process that surprised you?
There are different types of study abroad programs available: short programs offered by professors and longer programs that can last for up to a whole year, which may be with the school or a third-party organization. I worked with a third-party provider, so it required a separate application.
Before going, you need to complete a brief online course called Study Abroad 101, which lasts about three hours. Additionally, you need to schedule an advising appointment. During this appointment, they reassure you that everything will be okay but also emphasize that you need to have everything in place before departure. Once you’re abroad, changes are not easy to make.
After completing your classes, you complete course evaluations. It might seem daunting at first, but the support staff ensures that you’re in contact with other students who will be studying abroad at the same time.
What classes did you take abroad? What was that experience like? Did you get out to any historical sites in Scotland?
I took Intro to Scottish History, the Psychology of Immigration and a general psychology course.
I definitely made it to historical sites. In order to beat the jetlag, they woke us up on our first day, and we walked through the city for eight hours and saw every historical site imaginable, like the castles. My favorite was this really old, large hill called Calton Hill. It has a monument on the top, and from the peak, you can see the entirety of the city.
What did you do in your downtime in Scotland?
You just explore. Other than keeping up with things at home you just had to get out of your little apartment and burst your bubble. Food, music, farmers markets were a big deal, free concerts, churches — even if you’re not religious, they’re just aesthetically pleasing. They give you free student cards for trains, so you can take the train wherever you want to go. You can go to the highlands and see the fluffy highland cows. We went to London a few times including for the coronation of King Charles. We went to football (soccer) games, rugby games, really anything to get you out of that shell of homesickness.
Can you share a favorite memory or highlight from your time in Edinburgh?
My flatmates were probably the best aspect of my study abroad experience. I’m still in contact with them. I went to one of my flatmates’ brother’s wedding. During one of our last weeks together, we went to a hill called Arthur’s Seat, which overlooks the city. We had a picnic with charcuterie, took pictures and enjoyed time together in a last fleeting moment knowing we wouldn’t see each other for a long time. We stared at the sunset and were so happy and so sad at the same time.
What was it like to immerse yourself in the culture and history of Scotland?
It’s an addition to the knowledge you already have. You can read a book about a castle, but once you see it in person, it changes the way you think about it.
How does study abroad compare to other travels?
In the Study Abroad 101 class you have to prepare mentally. At the beginning of the study abroad, you go through a honeymoon phase. Everything is great, you feel like you’re living your best life, and you could see yourself moving there. School is very different in the U.K. You don’t have little assignments every day. You have two exams and an essay for the entirety of the semester. Class is only one day a week.
And then there is a bit of homesickness and then you rebound. All of my flatmates were American, so we all went through it at the same time. I don’t know what it was, but I could not leave my room, something was weighing on me. I wanted to call my parents, I wanted to call my friends. And then I realized we were all going through it at the same time, and I realized this was normal, and I was going to be okay. You have to get sunlight every day, which is hard to come by in Scotland, luckily it was April.
How did this experience shape or change your perspective personally, academically or professionally?
Professionally, it changed the root of what I wanted to do. I was pre-law before I left for Scotland, and when I came back, I wanted to be a diplomat and live abroad. Also, seeing how other people live and putting yourself in other people’s shoes changes your way of thinking. It just gives you a worldly way of thinking.
Would you recommend studying abroad to other UNC Charlotte students?
Definitely! I would definitely recommend it because it adds to what you’re studying. For example, if you’re studying psychology, you’re around the same people every day, but when you go abroad, you’re surrounded by new people, and you get to see how they think. Or if you’re studying history, you can read about Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin all you want, but until you leave and learn about a new country’s history, you aren’t able to compare and contrast and add to what you already have learned.
