USA
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EAST COAST MAXXING – How to make the most of your time in the USA
By Lucy Kyle, Rutgers State University of New Jersey, USA The USA is massive and it can be overwhelming to decide what you want to see and where you want to go, so I have put together a guide of weekend trips you can do on the east coast to maximise your time there! NEW YORK CITY, NY First and foremost, New York City, there is so much to explore here and it is super easy access from New Jersey as well as many other states via public transit – NJ Transit, Amtrak and Flixbus. Once you are there it is also easy to get around via the Subway! New…
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Maintaining Health and Fitness While Abroad
Phoebe Faupel, North Carolina State University, United States Moving abroad to study at North Carolina State University has been an exciting experience, but one thing i realised was how important it is to look after both your physical and mental health while adjusting to a completely new environment. With busy schedules, social events, travelling and academic pressures, it can be easy to fall out of healthy routines. However, staying active and maintaining balance has genuinely helped me enjoy my year abroad far more. Here are some of the ways I have stayed fit and healthy while studying at NC State. Make Use of Campus Facilities: I immediately noticed at NCSU…
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Reflecting on my Year Abroad
By Lucy Kyle, Rutgers State University of New Jersey, USA Sitting in my dorm room on a breezy Sunday night in New Jersey, I cannot help but think about my year as it is coming to a close. It is May now, and my final week of classes and exams are starting tomorrow, I can’t believe how fast this semester, and entire year has gone by. For as long as I have been thinking of going to university I have been excited for my year studying abroad. Back in 2022 when I was first writing my UCAS applications I didn’t know what I wanted to do, let alone where I…
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A Foodie Guide to New Brunswick
If you're at Rutgers University, check out these great food spots. Honeygrow offers customizable noodle bowls, Hidden Grounds Coffee serves excellent cold brew, and O Bagel is perfect for breakfast. For comfort food, visit Stuff Yer Face, while Playa Bowls provides refreshing açai options. Don’t miss Thomas Sweet for ice cream and 7-Eleven for snacks.
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Joining Societies Abroad
By Shaw Chiba, University of California, Los Angeles, USA How to Join Going to study abroad can feel scary at first, and my first quarter at UCLA was no different. Sign up/ attend your universities’ career fair! By joining the ski and board club, and the Nikkei Student Union I was able to make amazing friends and experiences that will last me a lifetime. This was a great way to settle into university life, and ensure you aren’t getting swept up by the academic side. First trip to the beach with NSU Ski Trips! The Jackson Hole AllCal trip involved colleges from across California, we took the bus up to…
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Geophysics Field Trip to Afton Canyon
By Shaw Chiba, University of California, Los Angeles, USA During my Spring quarter at UCLA I have taken an applied geophysics course, enabling me to take geophysical measurements in the field, and explore more of California! The trips start early, with the class meeting at 7am to load the trucks. key items to bring include water bottles, tents, sleeping bags, and lunch! Once on the road we drove around 4 hours towards Las Vegas, into the wilderness. Our first trip was to a volcanic crater, where we took measurements using ground penetrating radar. This was followed by travelling to a dune field, where we took the same measurements. The dunes…
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A Day in the Life at UW-Madison
By Orla Feeley, (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA) There is no such thing as a dull day in Madison. Between sports games, midterms, and last-minute plans, there is always something to do. Even a “typical” day ends up feeling full.
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North Carolina State University: How to Navigate your first week
By Phoebe, North Carolina State University Leaving home and starting fresh in a new university for a year can seem like a daunting experience. Trading a familiar city, routine, and support network for somewhere completely new inevitably brings a mix of excitement and uncertainty. But stepping onto campus as North Carolina State University for the first time, I quickly realised that a year abroad isn’t just about adapting to new places- it’s about discovering a new version of yourself along the way. Arriving in Raleigh after studying at UOM felt surreal. Manchester’s usually grey skies and tightly packed streets were replaced with the sun, green campus spaces, and a distinctly…
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From Manchester to Madison: My First Week as a Badger
By Orla Feeley, (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA) First week as a Badger officially completed, and somehow it already feels like I’ve been here for much longer (in the best way possible). After arriving in Chicago and getting a 3-hour coach to Madison, I arrived at my dorm and immediately ordered Chick-fil-A, as one does when in America. I spent the first day acting as a tourist in the city: walking past Camp Randall Stadium, exploring the Memorial Union, walking up State Street, seeing the Capitol, and, of course, making my way to Lake Mendota.
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Adjusting to Life at the World’s No.1 Public University
Lucy Blanchard- UC Berkeley, United States When I got my letter from the University of California saying I’d been accepted into Berkeley I was, quite frankly, elated. It had been my dream school ever since my first-year self decided she wanted to study abroad. Reading that letter, I felt every bit of self-doubt and stress lift from my shoulders– I did it! I got into Berkeley! All my hard work had paid off. Aside from this, though, nothing could have prepared me for the transition period once I moved. I’m here to tell you about my experience, so you can be well prepared for the first couple of months at…
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Making your Host University Feel like Home
By Phoebe, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States When i first landed in Raleigh, I was honestly a mix of emotions- excited, nervous and slightly terrified that i’d packed the wrong power adapter. Studying abroad at NC state sounded amazing in theory, but stepping into a new country, culture and campus all at once? That’s a lot. But, it didn’t take long for NC State to start feeling like home. Orientation week was a blur of new faces, campus tours, and icebreaker games that made me forget everyone’s name five minutes later. But it was also where i met some of my closest friends- other international students who…
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Travel While You Can: My Year-Abroad Adventures
By Alex Toomey, Rutgers, USA One of the best parts of a year abroad is the freedom to explore. Rutgers’ location is perfect—you can hop on a train, book a budget flight, or pile into a car and see so many different sides of the U.S. I tried to say “yes” to every trip I could squeeze in between classes, and those journeys became some of my brightest memories. Here’s everywhere I went—and a few hacks to help you plan your own. Boston – 3 Days of New England Charm Boston was our first big getaway, and it ended up being more affordable than we’d imagined. We scored a $100…
