Alicia Ljungdahl

My main motivation to study abroad was to experience a new country and culture while advancing my studies as a pre-med student in order to graduate on time. This program is very ideal for students who are pre-med or majoring in the biological sciences as you are able to complete both physics 8A and 8B in two months, the equivalent of two semesters of college physics. This was great for me as I was able to spread out my pre-med courses more by doing this program.

The most interesting cultural experience I had abroad was probably watching a student group on campus perform amazing and emotional aboriginal dances. They also gave a talk about the history of aboriginal people in Australia, where I learned many things I did not know about Australia's history and culture.

The biggest challenge/concern of my study abroad experience was probably the difficulty and demand of taking physics courses at such an incredibly fast pace. It was definitely a challenge and required me to change some of my study habits, but the experience helped me to become a better student and has made my classes at Berkeley feel more accomplishable.

A typical weekday for me abroad was waking up at 8am, cooking/eating breakfast in my apartment, walking or busing to campus, attending my classes/tutorials/labs from 9am-4:30pm, and then either going home to study or going out to explore Sydney with friends. On the weekends I spent a lot of time traveling and exploring different cities and parts of Sydney. I would often take the ferry boats to Manly beach, about 20 minutes away from the Sydney harbor.

I took two physics classes (the equivalent of Physics 8A and 8B at Berkeley). These courses were definitely challenging and taking any class in one month rather than one semester is going to be more difficult. However, I really enjoyed taking these classes at the University of Sydney, as it didn't feel as though there was as much competition as there would have been in Berkeley physics courses and the program was great in that there were so many tutors available to you throughout the duration of the courses. Everyone got to know the tutors pretty well and they were always easily available to answer questions and provide help. I think I learned the material extremely well because of this and wouldn't have been able to get this type of experience in many other classes/situations.

The most memorable/meaningful aspect of my time abroad was probably traveling to the Great Barrier Reef with some of my best friends who I made on the trip, where we learned to scuba dive and snorkeled with the most amazing animals. Swimming among sea turtles, sting rays, and fish was one of the most amazing experiences.

Studying abroad has had many positive impacts on me personally, but the most important was probably giving me a bigger perspective on the world and a better understanding of not only Australian culture, but other world cultures as well. It made me a more independent, self-advocative, and driven person. It gave me confidence in my abilities regarding school and classes as well as meeting new people. I made some really amazing friends on the trip who I know I will be in touch with for the rest of my life.

I would highly recommend doing the summer physics abroad program, especially to any student majoring in the biological sciences or doing the pre-med track. I recommend choosing a country where you have never been before or where you don't think you would go otherwise. Using this opportunity to really push yourself as person will make it the most rewarding.