Sydney Stavros
"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.