By Emily (North Carolina, USA)
When I was told about this I silently scoffed at the idea. How could anyone not be comfortable with returning home?
And yet here I am only days after returning home not feeling fully happy with my environment. For those using this blog to help gain an insight into study abroad, I apologise as this will not feel relevant to you until after you return home. This won’t be relatable to many but yet it is here anyway.
By Emily (North Carolina, USA)
In my other two posts I have covered arriving and first impressions as well as covering work life balance. So what else to talk about?
Perhaps an insight into the day-to-day of our lives here.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday I have the same time table. My ENGL343 American Literature Before 1850 at 10:10, then ENGL356 British and American Fiction since World War II at 12:20. On Tuesday and Thursday my first class is at 14:00 is ENGL230 Milton and my next class is at 3:30 ENGL347 The American Novel. In between I spent my time reading and writing for class.
* I’m putting tips and tricks for UNC specifically at the bottom
There are free gym classes every day which are so easy to go to. I have been to yoga, barre, Pilates, a class solely dedicate to abs and a Zumba class.
A friend joined the field hockey team, while another one auditioned for an a cappella choir whilst another joined a theatre production. There are always people at the Pit with sign up sheets for societies, you just have to go up and ask.
I am currently also a contributor for the Daily Tar Heel. They accept applications every semester and you don’t need any experience, just enthusiasm!
Continue reading “NC Chapel Hill: Life at an American University”
By Emily (North Carolina, USA)
Whilst it has probably been covered before, one of the biggest differences you might face in the US is the academic differences. It will definitely take a while to get used to, however having said that it is by no means a bad thing.
At Chapel Hill, classes run either Monday, Wednesday, Friday or on Tuesday and Thursday. So if you have class at 9am on Monday, you will also have that class on Wednesday and Friday. The consistency is good, and it means you don’t forget about that topic as you will have covered it multiple times.
Unlike in England, for me our time is not split between lectures and seminars. Instead, we have one type of class, that in fact feels like halfway between a lecture and a seminar. The professor will discuss the reading given briefly and then will ask questions to the class. The biggest change for me actually comes from the students. Everyone happily participates with no awkward silences, and there have been occasions where the more than seven hands will go up at once to offer a perspective. This naturally comes from a system where participation matters.
(An irrelevant yet beautiful picture, on the left is the UL library, on the right is the dining Hall- Lenoir)
On-arrival thoughts & first impressions
By Emily (North Carolina, USA)
As this blog is for those trying to get an idea of life as someone on study abroad as well as trying to help you decide where you want to go, I’ll give you a couple of reasons why I chose NC, Chapel Hill before I get into my first impressions.
As an English literature student there was no particular country that connected with my degree, which meant I had lots of choice when it came to picking a university. As someone who isn’t particularly strong with languages I knew an English speaking country was a priority.
