Sydney Stavros
Q&A
"I would recommend students learn as much of the language as they can before departing, this will be very helpful as you get settled and navigate your area at first. I would definitely recommend everyone attempt to study abroad during their college experience, as it offers once in a lifetime opportunities and adds so much to your body of knowledge of the world."
I wanted to gain an international experience to round out my college career. As a double major, I was focused on attending a program that would allow me to stay on track to graduate, and so was tailored to my academic interests. Sciences Po stood out to me as an elite institution, and I had visited France before and wanted to have a longer experience there.
A typical weekday for me started with making breakfast in my dorm kitchen, making the 10-minute walk to my campus, attending my classes and studying/figuring out travel plans in the library in between. I would have lunch with my friends in the courtyard, maybe have a drink at a pub across the street, do some exploring around my neighborhood, walk around a park, or run errands. Everything in Reims was pretty walkable, so I got in many steps. I would head back to my room, make some dinner, and then meet up with friends to watch a movie in my dorm lobby or go out to a bar with other exchange students. A typical weekend involved travel, either a day trip to Paris or a longer excursion to Italy, London, or Morocco.
The courses were close to the difficulty level of Berkeley classes, generally with fewer assignments. Most courses had only a midterm, paper and final exam as graded components. I took French, French Workshop, American Constitutional Law, Reproductive Autonomy, Terrorism Studies, Entrepreneurial Finance, and the Economy of Wine and Champagne.
By far, the friends that I was lucky enough to make within my first week of being abroad really made the experience for me. I felt that if I had not had a core group of friends to hang out with, manage the trials and tribulations of studying abroad, and travel with, I would have been quite lonely and unhappy during my time away from home. Luckily, these friends provided so much emotional and social support and creating these new bonds in a new place was really special. I have already met up with a few of my friends from abroad, we all stay in touch, and I'm heading to Canada this weekend for a rendezvous with several of my friends.
My biggest challenge was probably the language, as I entered into my abroad experience with little to no understanding of the French language. Through my French class and my friends who were more proficient in the language, I learned a lot and was able to practice my skills in real time.
I would recommend students learn as much of the language as they can before departing, this will be very helpful as you get settled and navigate your area at first. I would definitely recommend everyone attempt to study abroad during their college experience, as it offers once in a lifetime opportunities and adds so much to your body of knowledge of the world.