by Becky L, University of Missouri, USA
We are just about to finish our 9th week of classes at Mizzou, and I’m well and truly into the swing of things now!
Over the last few weeks I’ve had plenty of coursework and some exams to complete. One of my classes has a weekly quiz that I keep on top of, allowing me to revise the topics as I go. Alongside this, I have had an exam in all 3 of my in-person classes. Having not taken closed-book, in-person exams since 2019, I was very nervous for these exams, but it turns out I had no reason to be! All of the teachers at Mizzou are really supportive and happy to answer any questions that you might have, and I really think they helped me do so well in my exams!
Despite working very hard on my schoolwork, I’ve also been having lots of fun, making new friends, and seeing new places. There’s a football game almost every week and I’ve been to all the home games, at least for a bit. The games last upwards of 4 hours, which is a long time to be standing and watching a game you don’t fully understand! However, I’ve been having a great time learning how the game works and spending time with my friends, and I think I’ll keep watching American Football when I come home!
I think it’s important to consider that despite all the fun I am having, I do sometimes get homesick. I miss my family and all my friends back home in Manchester, and I think they miss me too! However, there are so many ways to combat this. I found it much harder at the start when I knew less people, but I recovered from that so quickly. As soon as you make friends (which is pretty much immediately) you start to feel much more relaxed and at home. Whenever I feel homesick, I just go and see my friends and spend time with them, not necessarily doing anything special, but just being with someone helps a lot. I’m also able to FaceTime my family and friends quite a lot, and the time difference really doesn’t matter that much. It does also help that it’s my birthday this weekend and my parents have come to visit…!
I’ve found the entire study abroad experience so far to be really inspiring; I’m working extra hard and I’m thinking more about what I want to do in my future. I’m even considering coming back to the States to do my Masters. I firmly believe this is a credit to the amazing people I have met since I’ve been here, and the great professors who have helped me so much. If you come to Mizzou, you can rest assured that you’re never alone.
M-I-Z!!