Lindsay Jacobsohn

My family is originally from Scotland, so studying abroad was a way for me to be able to connect back to where my roots are. I was interested in the opportunity to travel the world while exploring my cultural heritage and learning at an ancient university while doing so.

I was lucky enough to travel across the inner islands and highlands of Scotland while abroad. This allowed me to interact with people from all across the country. I listened to stories of how Scotland has grown over the decades and what life is like for those in both the smallest villages and big cities.

I was very concerned about the amount of responsibility required to live alone while in a different country. I faced the challenges of keeping up with various challenges associated with living in a new city by making sure I asked questions to the advisors at the UCEAP center in Edinburgh.

I woke up in the morning in my flat about a mile away from the University of Glasgow. I either made breakfast in the kitchen alongside some of my flatmates, or grabbed a quick breakfast somewhere on Byres road in the West End of Glasgow. I attended my classes at the university, bundled up in coats and scarves when the temperatures dropped in the early winter. If I ended class early, I could take the bus or the subway into the City Centre to find something for dinner. At the end of the day, I would return home amongst festive lights in the streets and call my parents who would be enjoying lunch, 8 hours behind in California.

I took Celtic Civilizations, Archaeology of Scotland, Introduction to Scottish Culture and History, and a class with the Glasgow School of Art for Black and White Photography. The usual coursework was structured differently than my classes at Berkeley, with a focus on the final exam and final term paper rather than continuous evaluation.

I spent time traveling and exploring Scotland and Europe with my sister who also studied abroad in Scotland, but at the University of Edinburgh. My sister and I took trips nearly every weekend to places I had only ever dreamed of seeing. I also spent time exploring the city of Glasgow by myself, learning about how to be independent and how to seek out experiences on my own that I would remember for a lifetime.

I believe that I am a more responsible, adventurous person because of my experiences abroad. I have returned home with a knowledge that the world is bigger than anyone realizes, with infinite possibilities and opportunities for anyone who is looking for them. Without studying abroad, I wouldn't have gained the courage to look outside my comfort zone for a semester that would give me more wisdom than I ever dreamed I would gain.

I would recommend studying abroad to everyone I know and everyone I meet! It's one of the best decisions I have made in college, and will be some of my fondest memories of this time in my life. It's easier to do than most people think, and it's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything in the world!