Meghna Srivastava

I've always wanted to study abroad but as a pre-med double major student, I thought that was not possible. The summer program at the University of Sussex in Brighton, England perfectly aligned with my schedule because I was able to take physics, a medical school requirement in two months rather than a year.

The most interesting cultural experience I had abroad was mingling with the local individuals while watching the World Cup Semi-finals because England was playing. Seeing everyone united and so spirited was exciting and I learned a lot of common British phrases through this experience.

The biggest concern I had going into the program was making new friends because I went in without any of my friends. I tackled this challenge by stepping out of my comfort zone the first few days there and interacting with lots of people. I also attended a couple of the social events the university organized for UCEAP students and met people there.

A typical day consisted of a 1.5 hour morning lecture Monday through Thursdays followed by a 1.5 hour break and then either a 3 hour lab or 2 hour discussion. We had lab twice a week and discussion twice a week. During the evenings, I would meet up with friends to study and grab dinner at the dining common. The physics course was very fast-paced so the weekdays were usually for studying while the weekends were free for us to travel and explore.

I took the equivalent of Physics 8A and 8B over two months at the University of Sussex. Compared to Berkeley classes, it was definitely intense in terms of how fast-paced the course was. Overall, taking physics abroad was slightly easier as it wasn't as theoretical and more application-based.

The most memorable aspect of my time abroad was meeting new people from all over California, the US and other countries and being able to travel and explore different cities and countries with them. This was an experience I wouldn't have been able to have back at home or at Berkeley.

I definitely underwent personal growth during my time abroad. This was the longest time that I had been away from home, my family, and friends. I learned to be more independent and although this was slightly frightening at first it was definitely worth it. I also developed skills on how to travel and interact with people in a foreign country.

I would recommend students to reach out to people who have previously done the program you are applying to. I asked a couple of people I know who went to Sussex for advice and that was honestly so helpful in terms of what to pack, how to adjust to the unknown environment, and what places to visit abroad. Also, I packed a bottle of Sriracha in my suitcase because I knew that British food was fairly bland and I live off of spice so if that's you then make sure to pack a bottle of your favorite hot sauce!