A View into My Academic Experience Abroad
The idea of studying abroad can sound intimidating. I remember having a plethora of questions about what life and academics would be like abroad. In my experience, most of these concerns were quickly resolved with the wonderful and exhilarating experience of living abroad in Grenoble, France. However, I will attempt to give you some insight into my experience with academics abroad, to hopefully ease any concerns that might be present, and describe how academics here can differ from those in the United States.
My friends and I love to go to a cafe in between classes to do some work and get a quick coffee and a bite to eat. There is also just something special about sitting at a cafe and observing the town.
Going for a run in the mountains with my new French friend on a Friday for sunset. My academics abroad typically do allow for fun activities like these, especially on weekends.
First, I will lay out a typical weekday for me. The time of my first class largely depends on the day. I have two 8am classes most weeks, except when we don’t have chemistry lab, then only one. Other days, I don’t have class until 9:45am, 11:30am, or not until 1:30pm on Wednesdays.
My friends and I also love to do joint meals where we take turns cooking for each other! It is a great way to socialize and enjoy some good food together.
If I don’t have an early class, I will typically get my run in for the day or go to a cafe with friends. In my specific program, we live about a 20-minute tram ride away from the school campus.
I stopped to pick up a sandwich on my way to class one morning. Every day, I take the tram for about 20 minutes to the school campus from my apartment for classes.
Although this may seem annoying at first, I have found it a blessing! I get to see most of the city and the surrounding mountains every day! Furthermore, I have chosen to use this time to practice my French, whether it be trying to eavesdrop on surrounding conversation or on Duolingo.
On my way to my 8am lab one morning, maybe why I don’t look super happy. It is only a couple minutes’ walk to the nearest tram stop, and typically on the tram I try to practice my French on Duolingo or listen to others speaking.
Picking up groceries on my way home from class. The nice thing about taking the tram, 20 minutes to class, is traveling through the entire city, which allows for easy access to grocery stores or cafes on the way to or from class.
I typically have one or two classes each day, with sometimes three on Thursdays (if I have lab). Between classes, I will typically sit at a cafe or in the library with friends and do work, or go get lunch somewhere.
On another day, my friends and I tried out a different cafe on the school campus. One of THE BEST parts about France for me has to be the croissants!
After class, I will go grocery shopping if I need to, or just straight back to my apartment and run, cook, or anything else. Weekends are my favorite because my classes end by 11:15am on Fridays, which gives quite a long weekend, which I often spend traveling.
My friends and I often went hiking to explore Grenoble and the surrounding area when we had the chance. In my experience, we typically have less actual class time abroad compared to what I’m used to in the US, which gives more opportunity for fun stuff like this!
Taking notes during my statistics class on Friday at 8am. I love early classes on Fridays because then you have the flexibility to leave for a weekend trip or do whatever else you’d like to do for the rest of the day.
In my experience, the major differences in academics abroad are as follows. The strength of the courses seems quite comparable, generally speaking. However, I would say the workload is somewhat less in terms of homework and assignments. There are still assignments, but grades are typically much more exam- and final-project-focused. This is nice because it gives you more time to explore your city and elsewhere. However, it does require a large amount of on-your-own studying for those exams.
My roommate and I in the chemistry lab. Organic chemistry is proof that the classes abroad aren’t necessarily “easier,” just formatted differently.
Furthermore, possibly because of the lighter/less STEM-focused courses I took abroad, there is less in-class time. This requires a bit of adjustment, but I quite enjoy the freedom it offers. My advice: use the extra time to immerse yourself in your study abroad experience and your host city’s culture.
